Monday, March 5, 2012

Why MidTerms Should Be Banned From 100 Percent Coursework Subjects

This will be one of my intellectual + philosophical posts on things that I just don't agree with.

You see, for those who doesn't already know, I'm studying at Tunku Abdul Rahman College (TARC) doing Multimedia Design.

That's MULTIMEDIA DESIGN.

Remember that to heart because I simply don't like people calling me a graphic designer. There's is a difference! Design is not all about graphics okay. Which is why I'm proud to have taken Multimedia Design. It's so much more chio!

Getting back to the topic, all Creative Arts students are under the School of Social Science and Humanities (SSH). So am I.

Basically they have this stereotyping thing going on for ages deeming that SSH students are 'dumb' and just can't do well in exams. First things first, all SSH students are not 'dumb' and okay, most of us can't really do exams which is why we take up creative courses in the first place! 'Cause our right brain works mother-fuckingly-AWESOME! Now ask a business student to draw a human figure and it'll turn out to become a weird zombie.

We all have our own strengths and weaknesses, so don't go around stereotyping people and even worse saying it out loud!

And for the record, I did Form 6 and studied in Business School before and I was mother-fuckingly-AWESOME at studying and memorising and DOING EXAMS! I only changed courses because I figured out that design was what I really wanted to do in life.

Not praising myself, but people who can decide and ACTUALLY KNOW what they want in life are worth to be admired.

Just a little note to all lecturers, NEVER STEREOTYPE SSH STUDENTS EVER!

Dang!

My rant has something to do with the midterm I had earlier today. Saying that SSH students can't do well in studies? Fuck you, I'll mother-fucking ace that subject if it wasn't all for the midterm in a '100 percent coursework' subject.

I have nothing against midterms, but to have it when you clearly said that it is a 100 percent coursework subject just doesn't make any sense at all!

FYI, midterm = exam.

and '100 percent coursework' does not mean and DOES NOT ONLY RELATE TO NOT HAVING A FINAL EXAM at the end of the semester!

If you are going to say that this subject is a 100 percent coursework subject, then why are you having midterms for it? You say that midterms will help pull our marks up if we score low or fail in our assignments but to me midterms are the ones that pull our marks down.

What's worse is that you say that midterm marks are accumulated into the final marks as well. 20-25 percent for a midterm test?! That's like almost pulling you 2 Grades lower if you scored a 0 for that test!

Being a Creative Arts students, we would have lost the ability to actually study for an exam because we use our right brains most of the time. I have to admit, that studying seemed harder for me now compared to last time. Information just doesn't absorb that fast anymore. Or maybe I'm just lazy. I don't know.

If, you took the time to read up till this point, I thank you for your time and patience. Also, you would have guessed that I kinda didn't do well in my midterms because of this rant post.

I have already been against midterms for 100 percent coursework subject ever since I joined this course.  and it's not only recently that I am against it because I did badly in my midterm. I just don't see the point in having midterm exams when you say its all about the coursework and you even make us sit on alternate seats. So exam like yo!

If you're going to have a midterm, never say that it's a 100 percent coursework subject.

Instead, say this,

'It's a 80% coursework and a 20% midterm subject.'

I have now made my say.

What are your thoughts? Leave me comments.

exams

5 comments:

Charlie said...

i think it depends on the cert you're getting from. My ex-classmates in the same college have to take exams during their final year but skipped the troubles my uni requirement to prepare a min 12k words of thesis. Most important know the school you're heading to before you even think about applying in the first place ;)

Anonymous said...

today i over sleep no go exam... and today tutorial class give back assignment 1.... only 5x%+ mark... hope can pass... after read through your post, i remember back he say our assignment 2 will get.... ( something like high mark ), not really clear, but hope so. Because we design the poster!!!! we more to this kind of things!!!! practical stuff!!!

Leonelc said...

Hello there.

I kinda agree with some of your point, but most of this post is not actually "intellectual + philosophical", but ranting.

[quote]
I have nothing against midterms, but to have it when you clearly said that it is a 100 percent coursework subject just doesn't make any sense at all!
[/quote]

It's not nonsense to give out midterm in 100% coursework subject, but that depend on the subject. If the subject is more about theory, which i believe is what you were taking right now, midterm is not nonsense. It help(read "not really") the lecture keep track of those who pay attention to their class and who's not. But if the subject is more about practical with some mild theory, which those theory is not even necessary that just explaining shit that we doesn't give a damn, then the midterm should be abolished. Still, I agree that saying Midterm help boost the mark is kinda bullshit, as most(read "all") of the time it just drag the grade to the bottom of the well.

Jason said...

All of this doesn't make sense at all to me.

Alfred said...

HAHAH i believe you are saying, no, ranting on IMC midterm. i understand you! his mid term question are as same as final exam standard! so if you didnt do well, dont worry, no 1 does atleast.
If you are talking about pro-communication! dudeeeee that mid term is fun! everything in midterm are very common sense! every theory are actually stuffs that around us in daily life.

I dont get it the part 100% coursework = no mid term. it doesnt make sense to me, maybe i works with both my brain. Allow me to explain into a way that is more understandable for you. Since you are multimedia design, it is difficult to grade you all. I mean DIFFICULT because one work may be good to someone but not other. Its very subjective and whats more is the lecturer is d sole marker. so i believe mid term would atleast the best to aid those who are less right brainer getting a better grade.
Besides, if you are good in what you do, which is multimedia design, then do it well, this midterm thingy wouldnt come into your way in your future.