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bombboy1252 wrote:Okay so I'm 16, and just got into college from the"gateway to college" program, and I have to take college classes and do college work for college credits. and one of my first assignments was to write a 3 page essay on a short story. I could only fill up a page and a half with what I thought was good work. So I ran out of questions to answer and was left with only 1 and a half pages out of the 3 I needed. and this was AFTER I increased the text size slightly and it was all double spaced. So I was wondering if I should go for the quality over quantity. or just do quantity and hope theirs enough quality in their.

This is funny. Anytime I had to write an essay in college, the answer to the question of length requirements was that there was no length requirement. One inpaticular professor told me, "If you can convey everything you wanted your reader to understand in one sentence, then go for it." But boy, that professor would probe the hell out of the chosen subject and try to apply it to your paper to see if there was any holes.

If you have several good points then you have the skeleton of it, when you begin to explain those points you flesh it out. One could say that the climax is x and still be correct but a lot of teachers and professors also want to know why you think the climax is x instead of y.

I had an essay about Renaissance art vs Reformation art and while I had the basic information about it, I didn't know in depth about the two time periods and their art. I knew typical sponsors during those times and typical art subjects and some of the artists of those times.

My intro began by pointing out those differences giving a basic premise as to my belief was the cause of those differences.

My first paragraph focused on who was sponsoring the artists, basic was "Wealthy individuals vs Church". I could make one or two sentences saying this and I would be right, but I gave evidence as to why I was right by including several painters and their works as examples.

My second paragraph focused on the topic of the work, basic was "religious figures vs non-religious figures". This also gave me about two sentences but I used artists to fill the rest out.

My third paragraph was about the differences in the time periods non-artwise. This was easy for me because I know my history better than my art history. It was a nice collection of basic facts of those two time periods and why it would influence art of the time.

My conclusion wrapped it all up. So I took my basic knowledge and made it look nice by addind little tid-bits in there and actually BS'ed my way through that whole essay and still got a great score on it.

What you need to do with the short story is look for several points and then explain why you think those points are valid and need to be included in the essay. Look for figurative language, explain why certain phrases and parts are more important than the other parts. Why would talking about her grandparents be more important than talking about her own experiences? So add on to their questions a bit.

If you have quantity and quality then your teacher is going to recognize both, they've been through the same education system you have and know how to sort the wheat from the chaff as they are asking you to do.

For now you're being asked to follow orders and being graded on how well you follow orders and it happens. My friend failed an anatomy quiz not because he didn't know the parts he was supposed to know, but because he labeled parts he wasn't supposed to label. It happens, it sucks, but its something they're testing you on as some sort of x-factor.

rubiksnoob wrote:. In my AP Lit class we had to write a 1500 word essay about a single sentence

That....is....insane.

halonachos wrote:For now you're being asked to follow orders and being graded on how well you follow orders and it happens. My friend failed an anatomy quiz not because he didn't know the parts he was supposed to know, but because he labeled parts he wasn't supposed to label. It happens, it sucks, but its something they're testing you on as some sort of x-factor.

Ugh, that always bugged me about schooling in general, it's mostly learning how to follow orders, even if you know what you're talking about.

bombboy1252 wrote:

rubiksnoob wrote:. In my AP Lit class we had to write a 1500 word essay about a single sentence

That....is....insane.

Ehh, yeah, probably. But I enjoyed it. I guess it depends if you're really into dissecting literature. It's really amazing when you try and analyze the reasons behind why an author chose one particular word over another. Makes you think about language in ways you never would have otherwise. Ever heard of phonetic intensives? Look 'em up. The absolute COOLEST thing I learned in English class. But I may just be an English geek, so your milage may vary.

I wrote 1,000 on a word, Bombboy. 1,500 on a single sentence isn't exactly that much. No offense, Rubiks.

Chowderhead wrote:I wrote 1,000 on a word, Bombboy. 1,500 on a single sentence isn't exactly that much. No offense, Rubiks.

I see how it is, Chowder. Always gotta one up the little man. It's okay, I understand.

rubiksnoob wrote:

Chowderhead wrote:I wrote 1,000 on a word, Bombboy. 1,500 on a single sentence isn't exactly that much. No offense, Rubiks.

I see how it is, Chowder. Always gotta one up the little man. It's okay, I understand.

No, I understand better.

Chowderhead wrote:

rubiksnoob wrote:

Chowderhead wrote:I wrote 1,000 on a word, Bombboy. 1,500 on a single sentence isn't exactly that much. No offense, Rubiks.

I see how it is, Chowder. Always gotta one up the little man. It's okay, I understand.

No, I understand better.

rubiksnoob wrote:

Chowderhead wrote:

rubiksnoob wrote:

Chowderhead wrote:I wrote 1,000 on a word, Bombboy. 1,500 on a single sentence isn't exactly that much. No offense, Rubiks.

I see how it is, Chowder. Always gotta one up the little man. It's okay, I understand.

No, I understand better.

Chowderhead wrote:

rubiksnoob wrote:

Chowderhead wrote:

rubiksnoob wrote:

Chowderhead wrote:I wrote 1,000 on a word, Bombboy. 1,500 on a single sentence isn't exactly that much. No offense, Rubiks.

I see how it is, Chowder. Always gotta one up the little man. It's okay, I understand.

No, I understand better.

I saw that one coming, BUT WAIT! Let me guess, you saw it coming first?

lol chowder!

rubiksnoob wrote:

Chowderhead wrote:

rubiksnoob wrote:

Chowderhead wrote:

rubiksnoob wrote:

Chowderhead wrote:I wrote 1,000 on a word, Bombboy. 1,500 on a single sentence isn't exactly that much. No offense, Rubiks.

I see how it is, Chowder. Always gotta one up the little man. It's okay, I understand.

No, I understand better.

I saw that one coming, BUT WAIT! Let me guess, you saw it coming first?

Well, yes. You see, I planted a small idea into your head when you were just a wee lad. That idea has bloomed into this conversation.

I can one-up you because I created you.

converseption!!!!!

Chowderhead wrote:

rubiksnoob wrote:

Chowderhead wrote:

rubiksnoob wrote:

Chowderhead wrote:

rubiksnoob wrote:

Chowderhead wrote:I wrote 1,000 on a word, Bombboy. 1,500 on a single sentence isn't exactly that much. No offense, Rubiks.

I see how it is, Chowder. Always gotta one up the little man. It's okay, I understand.

No, I understand better.

I saw that one coming, BUT WAIT! Let me guess, you saw it coming first?

Well, yes. You see, I planted a small idea into your head when you were just a wee lad. That idea has bloomed into this conversation.

I can one-up you because I created you.

YOU FILTHY HUMAN BEING

rubiksnoob wrote:

Chowderhead wrote:

rubiksnoob wrote:

Chowderhead wrote:

rubiksnoob wrote:

Chowderhead wrote:

rubiksnoob wrote:

Chowderhead wrote:I wrote 1,000 on a word, Bombboy. 1,500 on a single sentence isn't exactly that much. No offense, Rubiks.

I see how it is, Chowder. Always gotta one up the little man. It's okay, I understand.

No, I understand better.

I saw that one coming, BUT WAIT! Let me guess, you saw it coming first?

Well, yes. You see, I planted a small idea into your head when you were just a wee lad. That idea has bloomed into this conversation.

I can one-up you because I created you.

YOU FILTHY HUMAN BEING

You win. For now.

Chowder AWAY!

And it isn't a short story of your choice then? If finding it difficult in trying to find stuff to write about then just condence the wikipedia page and the elements of a few articles into your essay (can't find the wiki page then stick in a generalisation of the major themes in the authors work and relate it to your text). Its a bit cheap, but for silly little essays like this it'll get the work done quick enough and you'll have something based around a couple of proven viewpoints on the text. Heh, at least when you write your own short stories at college level you'll know that you can write something that's insane and still get a respectable grade out of it with next to no work (seriously I wrote a short story off the top of my head about an over sexed squirrel in my final exam and still got an A).

Lol, over sexed squirrel, how did you manage to get an A for that?

...Because all Scottish English teachers are hippies that believe in "expressing" oneself and alternativeness. ...Yeah. (In my Geography exam I included a dozen or so instance of the word "monstertruck" and managed to scrape a decent grade there too). ...Maybe I should have stayed up all night prior to the exam watching the show Bo' Selecta. Steven! ¬¬

Come to think of it that one was no less mental than what I wound up handing in for the advanced higher class either.

Wyrmalla wrote:...Because all Scottish English teachers are hippies that believe in "expressing" oneself and alternativeness. ...Yeah. (In my Geography exam I included a dozen or so instance of the word "monstertruck" and managed to scrape a decent grade there too). ...Maybe I should have stayed up all night prior to the exam watching the show Bo' Selecta. Steven! ¬¬

Come to think of it that one was no less mental than what I wound up handing in for the advanced higher class either.

Don't know about it being a scottish only deal. My friend got an A on a paper about the power armor a space marine wears.

halonachos wrote:

Wyrmalla wrote:...Because all Scottish English teachers are hippies that believe in "expressing" oneself and alternativeness. ...Yeah. (In my Geography exam I included a dozen or so instance of the word "monstertruck" and managed to scrape a decent grade there too). ...Maybe I should have stayed up all night prior to the exam watching the show Bo' Selecta. Steven! ¬¬

Come to think of it that one was no less mental than what I wound up handing in for the advanced higher class either.

Don't know about it being a scottish only deal. My friend got an A on a paper about the power armor a space marine wears.

He did a paper on PA, he is forever a boss!

bombboy1252 wrote:

halonachos wrote:

Wyrmalla wrote:...Because all Scottish English teachers are hippies that believe in "expressing" oneself and alternativeness. ...Yeah. (In my Geography exam I included a dozen or so instance of the word "monstertruck" and managed to scrape a decent grade there too). ...Maybe I should have stayed up all night prior to the exam watching the show Bo' Selecta. Steven! ¬¬

Come to think of it that one was no less mental than what I wound up handing in for the advanced higher class either.

Don't know about it being a scottish only deal. My friend got an A on a paper about the power armor a space marine wears.

He did a paper on PA, he is forever a boss!

Now, now I wouldn't give him too much credit he was at a community college so there's a chance the teacher was either buzzed or didn't care.

halonachos wrote:

Wyrmalla wrote:...Because all Scottish English teachers are hippies that believe in "expressing" oneself and alternativeness. ...Yeah. (In my Geography exam I included a dozen or so instance of the word "monstertruck" and managed to scrape a decent grade there too). ...Maybe I should have stayed up all night prior to the exam watching the show Bo' Selecta. Steven! ¬¬

Come to think of it that one was no less mental than what I wound up handing in for the advanced higher class either.

Don't know about it being a scottish only deal. My friend got an A on a paper about the power armor a space marine wears.

Heh, oh no I wrote a good few essays slyly based around the 41st millenium aswell. "Write in any way you choose about the topic of opression in society", well that's got a short story about an intrigue over the overthrow of an exploitive planetary govenor written all over it... ^^

Wyrmalla wrote:...Because all Scottish English teachers are hippies that believe in "expressing" oneself and alternativeness. ...Yeah. (In my Geography exam I included a dozen or so instance of the word "monstertruck" and managed to scrape a decent grade there too). ...Maybe I should have stayed up all night prior to the exam watching the show Bo' Selecta. Steven! ¬¬

Come to think of it that one was no less mental than what I wound up handing in for the advanced higher class either.

I did some Yr 9 Geography (the mandatory Geography, so it didn't mean anything, but oh well) work and the teacher didn't specify how it was to be presented, so I asked and she said it was left up to us.

So whilst everyone else went about scientifically describing tornados (it was something to do with tornados and natural disasters and whatnot) I managed to relate the whole thing to Dragons using a descriptive short story.

It was only a piece of homework, and I never found out how it was marked (I might've but i've probably forgotten) but it was accepted and I wasn't called out on it, so I guess it must've passed her (admittedly strict) homework checks.

Avatar 720 wrote:

Wyrmalla wrote:...Because all Scottish English teachers are hippies that believe in "expressing" oneself and alternativeness. ...Yeah. (In my Geography exam I included a dozen or so instance of the word "monstertruck" and managed to scrape a decent grade there too). ...Maybe I should have stayed up all night prior to the exam watching the show Bo' Selecta. Steven! ¬¬

Come to think of it that one was no less mental than what I wound up handing in for the advanced higher class either.

I did some Yr 9 Geography (the mandatory Geography, so it didn't mean anything, but oh well) work and the teacher didn't specify how it was to be presented, so I asked and she said it was left up to us.

So whilst everyone else went about scientifically describing tornados (it was something to do with tornados and natural disasters and whatnot) I managed to relate the whole thing to Dragons using a descriptive short story.

It was only a piece of homework, and I never found out how it was marked (I might've but i've probably forgotten) but it was accepted and I wasn't called out on it, so I guess it must've passed her (admittedly strict) homework checks.

Avatar is also a boss for handing in an assignment about hurricanes, and using dragons to explain it.

Geography, where I spent 80% if my last year of it watching DvDs of Bear Grylls and other survivalist types munching on furry animals for the sole reason that they were in foreign contries and we might see something interesting ("oh and you look right there in the background there's...ah...a sand dune. Remember how I taught you about sand dunes?"). ....We watched pointless films so much we actually got a pool together and outfitted the classroom with a friggin sound system and blu ray player. ^^

Thats boss

Wyrmalla wrote:Geography, where I spent 80% if my last year of it watching DvDs of Bear Grylls and other survivalist types munching on furry animals for the sole reason that they were in foreign contries and we might see something interesting ("oh and you look right there in the background there's...ah...a sand dune. Remember how I taught you about sand dunes?"). ....We watched pointless films so much we actually got a pool together and outfitted the classroom with a friggin sound system and blu ray player. ^^

The closest things I've ever come to in terms of turning in funny assignments was for my Pathophysiology and my genetics classes. We had a presentation about Robert Koch that included the reason why he game with germ theory, that reason being he was deathly afraid of turtles because they transferred salmonella. It involved several photoshopped images of Robert Koch being chased by a giant sea turtle and being drop kicked by a ninja turtle. Then there was the time we had to present a presentation on birth defects and we made it moderately funny, but at that presentation my partner and myself for the last few presentations split up and made different presentations with different groups. He also made one that made light of the subject and the teacher got upset and deducted points from it, at that moment I looked at my group and said that we had to act fething serious, sure we had some jokes in it(using the name of my ex-partner as the name of a woman who became a man and had a baby...). Short story short we were able to pull it off and got an A on it.