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Just curious but was this one class where more work put in definitely paid out?

I'll let you know once I get my first memo back. My instinct at this portion of the semester, though, is probably not.

No. My friend and I turned in almost exactly the same papers, and our grades were different. This is probably the most randomly-graded class, entirely subject to the professor's whims.

That said, make your stuff look as close as possible to the provided examples.

And really, you're going to put in a lot of work on the memo / brief no matter what.

kalvano wrote:No. My friend and I turned in almost exactly the same papers, and our grades were different. This is probably the most randomly-graded class, entirely subject to the professor's whims.

That said, make your stuff look as close as possible to the provided examples.

And really, you're going to put in a lot of work on the memo / brief no matter what.

+1

depends on what you call most work. if "work" consists of brown-nosing the prof, attending every office hour to learn his/her input on every issue, and crafting your work to exactly what they want to hear, then yes .

If you put hours and hours into it without any professor feedback, you will be confused/surprised with your mediocre grade.

I cannot wait to get my LRW grade back on my first memo. I know this is probably a waste, but part of me cannot help but imagine the work I put in... the obscene amount of work I put in... will yield something.

I want to be abused of that subconscious notion as quickly as possible so I can put in less effort next time.


I did go to several office hours with the prof though... so maybe that'll help. Except that it might cause me to put in a lot of effort again...

I spent around 20 hours total per graded memo (only 2 graded for the year...several pass/fail ones). I booked the class both semesters. The 20 hour time frame includes research time.

The key to success in a LRW class is to know what your professor wants. Talk to them and mold your paper to what they want. Most 1L topics are easy to research and substantively people will be saying much the same thing. Ensure your paper stands out with perfect grammar and formatting. But most importantly, do exactly what your professor asked and write/use the type of language your professor likes.

kalvano wrote:No. My friend and I turned in almost exactly the same papers, and our grades were different. This is probably the most randomly-graded class, entirely subject to the professor's whims.

That said, make your stuff look as close as possible to the provided examples.

And really, you're going to put in a lot of work on the memo / brief no matter what.

+1. I think the professor filters papers into 2 categories: good and bad. within each category, s/he assigns grades on how much s/he likes you, how much you talked during class or OH/etc, and how well you blindly copy their paper format samples.

So putting some the effort will get you into the "good" category, and brown-nosing will get you the A/A+.

My professor is pretty cool but has really weird preferences. On our drafts she crosses out every word she doesn't like, and if I'm pretty sure if you get caught using them again you're fucked. The words are pretty normal, like "thus." You just have to memorize things she doesn't like and not use them.

Those of you are in graded LRW classes, is yours graded on a curve? Mine is graded but it is not curved. Just curious.

How would you guys suggest approaching a graded LRW class that really isnt teaching us too much ? We are so behind compared to the other sections and our detail level is well below the others. It seems like we basically have to teach LRW to ourselves.

Are there any books ?

Redzo wrote:Those of you are in graded LRW classes, is yours graded on a curve? Mine is graded but it is not curved. Just curious.

Technically not curved, but the 2Ls I've talked to have said all the professor's basically follow a curve even though it's not required. Though all the assignments are anonymous.

Icculus wrote:

Redzo wrote:Those of you are in graded LRW classes, is yours graded on a curve? Mine is graded but it is not curved. Just curious.

Technically not curved, but the 2Ls I've talked to have said all the professor's basically follow a curve even though it's not required. Though all the assignments are anonymous.

Pretty sure that within 1-2 assignments our CLR profs will know exactly who wrote which memo, pseudonym or not.

spleenworship wrote:I cannot wait to get my LRW grade back on my first memo. I know this is probably a waste, but part of me cannot help but imagine the work I put in... the obscene amount of work I put in... will yield something.

I want to be abused of that subconscious notion as quickly as possible so I can put in less effort next time.


I did go to several office hours with the prof though... so maybe that'll help. Except that it might cause me to put in a lot of effort again...

It won't. You'll be median.

Sandro wrote:How would you guys suggest approaching a graded LRW class that really isnt teaching us too much ? We are so behind compared to the other sections and our detail level is well below the others. It seems like we basically have to teach LRW to ourselves.

Are there any books ?

Just do what it takes to get a good grade from your prof. I heard that once you join a firm they will make you relearn things their way. So it won't matter whether you know the "right" way to do things as long as you understand the basic form.

bdubs wrote:

Icculus wrote:

Redzo wrote:Those of you are in graded LRW classes, is yours graded on a curve? Mine is graded but it is not curved. Just curious.

Technically not curved, but the 2Ls I've talked to have said all the professor's basically follow a curve even though it's not required. Though all the assignments are anonymous.

Pretty sure that within 1-2 assignments our CLR profs will know exactly who wrote which memo, pseudonym or not.

Really? You really think the professors take the time to match up 20 different writing styles with 20 different students? Do you even think they can recognize 20 different writing styles?

It would take a lot of effort to match up that many writing styles with that many people and then remember. They don't do it. They have no incentive to care, or bother taking the time to think about who wrote it, beyond: "this is a reaaaally good paper, must be that A-student that I love" and "this is a baaaaaaaaaaaaad paper, its probably the guy that always picks his nose during our meetings about his paper."
I think you are kidding yourself; they almost certainly don't care.

bdubs wrote:

Icculus wrote:

Redzo wrote:Those of you are in graded LRW classes, is yours graded on a curve? Mine is graded but it is not curved. Just curious.

Technically not curved, but the 2Ls I've talked to have said all the professor's basically follow a curve even though it's not required. Though all the assignments are anonymous.

Pretty sure that within 1-2 assignments our CLR profs will know exactly who wrote which memo, pseudonym or not.

I figure as much, too. My guess is after Memo 1 they'l know. I'm tempted to use a buddy of mine's PS Network name for one: BusterHymen420. Too much?

Icculus wrote:I figure as much, too. My guess is after Memo 1 they'l know. I'm tempted to use a buddy of mine's PS Network name for one: BusterHymen420. Too much?

Do it. You will win the best pseudonym contest by a mile.

Nicholasnickynic wrote:

bdubs wrote: Pretty sure that within 1-2 assignments our CLR profs will know exactly who wrote which memo, pseudonym or not.

Really? You really think the professors take the time to match up 20 different writing styles with 20 different students? Do you even think they can recognize 20 different writing styles?

It would take a lot of effort to match up that many writing styles with that many people and then remember. They don't do it. They have no incentive to care, or bother taking the time to think about who wrote it, beyond: "this is a reaaaally good paper, must be that A-student that I love" and "this is a baaaaaaaaaaaaad paper, its probably the guy that always picks his nose during our meetings about his paper."
I think you are kidding yourself; they almost certainly don't care.

Have you ever read a bunch of written material from multiple people? It's almost impossible not to notice little quirky things that someone always does that are not common. You may not instantly say "Hey X wrote this", but you will know it is from the same author as that other shitty memo that you read 2 weeks ago.

bdubs wrote:Have you ever read a bunch of written material from multiple people? It's almost impossible not to notice little quirky things that someone always does that are not common. You may not instantly say "Hey X wrote this", but you will know it is from the same author as that other shitty memo that you read 2 weeks ago.

This.

Edit: I don't think they care, but I do think anonymity in CLR is a joke. The profs will figure out writing styles. I know teachers who have 125 students and can I.D. papers by certain students just through the writing style. The key is to just give them what they want to read.

lol, i don't think a professor can I.D. people that easily. nor do they have any incentive to. their job requires them NOT to.

bartleby wrote:lol, i don't think a professor can I.D. people that easily. nor do they have any incentive to. their job requires them NOT to.

Their job doesn't require them not to notice a writer's idiosyncrasies, it requires that they grade in an unbiased fashion. That is much easier when the prof. only has one opportunity to view your writing style (maybe two if you have a midterm, but even then they are so far apart it doesn't matter). Trust me, I've been in situations where I have read the work of more than 20 people on a regular basis, and writing style comes through.

Icculus wrote:

bartleby wrote:lol, i don't think a professor can I.D. people that easily. nor do they have any incentive to. their job requires them NOT to.

Their job doesn't require them not to notice a writer's idiosyncrasies, it requires that they grade in an unbiased fashion. That is much easier when the prof. only has one opportunity to view your writing style (maybe two if you have a midterm, but even then they are so far apart it doesn't matter). Trust me, I've been in situations where I have read the work of more than 20 people on a regular basis, and writing style comes through.

Well, in that case, I better start going to office hours and sucking up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ilovesf wrote:My professor is pretty cool but has really weird preferences. On our drafts she crosses out every word she doesn't like, and if I'm pretty sure if you get caught using them again you're fucked. The words are pretty normal, like "thus." You just have to memorize things she doesn't like and not use them.

Does she make you replace "thus" with "accordingly" or "therefore"? Polysyllabic words FTL.

ggocat wrote:

ilovesf wrote:My professor is pretty cool but has really weird preferences. On our drafts she crosses out every word she doesn't like, and if I'm pretty sure if you get caught using them again you're fucked. The words are pretty normal, like "thus." You just have to memorize things she doesn't like and not use them.

Does she make you replace "thus" with "accordingly" or "therefore"? Polysyllabic words FTL.

Haha no she also hates therefore!