Frustrating Instructors

[GFLPraxis]

Wasn't really sure where to post this; but since the class is on Relational Databases, and I'm actually doing online learning, everything in the class is computer related so I figured I might as well put it here.

I've got an instructor in my databases class that is driving me up the wall. I've gotten zero credit in a small assignment for being 15 words under the word limit. I've gotten penalized for having double the word limit in a paper. I've put up with a number of similar penalizations, but this last one has me very, very irritated.

I lost 20% of my grade on a paper for being 6 minutes late. Six minutes past the deadline. His response to me asking of I was seriously being penalized for being six minutes late was basically "yes".

Is this usually considered fair among university teachers, to be so obscenely strict as to penalize a students for emailing an assignment minutes after the deadline? More importantly, should I be arguing over it with him?

 

[Zwhaler]

I don't think it is too common for teachers to be that strict, but to be perfectly honest, you didn't follow instructions and you got penalized for it. I wouldn't argue, just follow the rules and you won't get penalized, that's how rules work

 

[SamIchi]

There are strict teachers and laid back ones. Just know who you're dealing with. Yea it's only 6 mins but at the same time it's past the deadline. There's no use fighting. Since it is online it makes dealines and other things such as counting words easier to make distinctions between. Sucks you got a strict teacher but after the first couple of incidents you should make note and follow strictly and ask questions when needed.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

well the 15 words under the word limit I think is a little overboard.

As for the other complaints well it is your own fault. Writing something 2 times longer that you would told to is not what the prof assigned so you deserved that punishment.

As for 6 mins late and losing credit. Well get use to it. In the real world you are 1 min late past the deadline you lose can lose millions. You can not be late in business. For construction project biding. when they as 10 o'clock they mean 10:00 you get it there at 10:01 you bid goes in the trash.

Heck I had and have prof that being 1 min late means ZERO credit on an assignment. You where late, you waited until the last min to do it and you got burned for it.

 

[66217]

Not sure this is exactly your case, but one of the teachers from whom I learned the most was the strictest teacher in school.

He would constantly tell us that when you graduate you would need to survive in a world that is by no means a nice one. And that learning to cope with difficult and demanding situations in school is one of the most important things of you education.


One time he made us write and essay, and the instructions he gave was: "Write a 150 words essay. Hint: number each word to keep control of how many words you write".

Was he strict? Nuts? Demented? Maybe a little. But I can tell you this was one of the best teachers I have ever had.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

Not sure this is exactly your case, but one of the teachers from whom I learned the most was the strictest teacher in school.

He would constantly tell us that when you graduate you would need to survive in a world that is by no means a nice one. And that learning to cope with difficult and demanding situations in school is one of the most important things of you education.


One time he made us write and essay, and the instructions he gave was: "Write a 150 words essay. Hint: number each word to keep control of how many words you write".

Was he strict? Nuts? Demented? Maybe a little. But I can tell you this was one of the best teachers I have ever had.

lol true. It been my hardest classes I have taken in college that I remember. These where the class I worked the hardest in and I learn the most. Also they never are the classes I earn my highest grades in. I learned a lot and I worked hard.
After you leave that class and then farther down the road this will be a class you remember and will fill proud of the grade and there is a good chance you will a great respect for the teacher.

I had a few of those class where I could not stand the prof and after I got out of the class I understood it and I learned a lot in. I now have a great respect for those teacher. One of those class I earned a C in and I am very proud of that C. I work very hard for it and I learn a lot and what I took out of that class has help me more than any other class and it was not the material that I learn from the class but the other stuff I learned about life and other things I learned only because the professor demanded a lot. The best prof demand a lot out of their students.

 

[jng]

I've got an instructor in my databases class that is driving me up the wall. I've gotten zero credit in a small assignment for being 15 words under the word limit. I've gotten penalized for having double the word limit in a paper. I've put up with a number of similar penalizations, but this last one has me very, very irritated.

I lost 20% of my grade on a paper for being 6 minutes late. Six minutes past the deadline. His response to me asking of I was seriously being penalized for being six minutes late was basically "yes".

It's an online class, so yeah timing is really exact and there's no arguing about it. I took a CS class once (on campus) and had to turn in assignments online. You only lost 20%. In my class, you would have gotten a ZERO.

Sounds like you need to learn to write an assignment. 15 words under is somewhat anal, but I've never come across anything under a word limit that's any good. Limits are there for a reason (generally).

And then you do 2x? Try being in their shoes. If you have to grade say even 30 papers and one kid does 2x, it's like grading 31. now imagine a bunch of kids going over the limit. It's the worst experience/weekend ever. I haven't done it, but a friend of mine is. And usually kids who write too much aren't saying much anyway.

There's something about being succinct but not brief.

 

[Leareth]

15 words under - depends on what the minimum was 300 words as opposed to 3,000 is a huge difference, former I would penalize as well.

double amount- I usually accept 25% extra if it is to the point, rambling means you cannot answer the question straight. I actually draw a line after the extra 25% and stop reading there. so marks off for no conclusion etc.

6 min late - its late. I usually am lenient by an hour but this term my deadline is midnight, every is expected to submit on time. Since it is an online course I give 15 min lenniency for upload times etc.

The teacher is not doing anything wrong , it is you who needs to get your stuff together and follow the instructions. This does equal some real life success.

 

[r1ch4rd]

I am just going to echo what everyone else has said. The word limits and deadlines are there for a reason. If you can't stick to them then you should be penalized.

Imagine you turn your paper in 1 minute late and you get let off, but the next person is 2 minutes late and they don't. The second person is going to kick off, so now the limit has to be set at 2 minutes late... now the people three minutes late are going to complain. My point is, you have to draw the line somewhere and then stick to it otherwise it is just going to keep sliding.

How long did you have to write this as well? If it was more than a day then you really have no excuse for leaving it so last minute to hand it in.

 

[calyxman]

I think that's a bunch of BS. Your teacher is getting too carried away. You want strictness, join the military.

It's nice how these teacher's try to "prepare" you for the real world when they themselves spend almost their entire lives sheltered from that very same world.

Just do what you gotta do to get your passing grade and be happy that you'll never have to deal with that putz of a professor again.

 

[cycocelica]

Welcome to school and soon to be the real world. You have to learn to work with every type of person.

 

[Legolamb]

Re: the 15 word under/over. If you're ever in a position to be writing journal articles or grant proposals requiring an abstract, you may be tossed off for not conforming.
Re: showing up late to class, well if it's a 3 hour class with 500 student it's no biggie; smaller classes, under 2 hours, where every minute is information, your grand entrance is a distraction, unless you are saying your use of time is more important than anyone else's in the class. Unless you have a doctor's note, you should get used to showing up early rather than later. Hell, in many theaters in the world (rock concerts excluded), you won't be seated during a live performance until intermission.