All most Christmas: I wanted to say a quick word about
feedback. Remember the idea behind having an advisor and not a ‘puppet master’(!).
Is that it is your work. You are not writing to please us. I understand that
sometimes the University culture can seem quite foreign and you appear to be
asked to do things for no particular reason other than to say you did it, but
do not let this mean you start to feel you are just ticking the box of the whim
of the ‘teacher’. We are trying to help with two things:
Firstly, the form you present your ideas in – that is they
are your ideas but we are helping with the conventions of academia.
Secondly, we are helping with teasing out more ideas or
helping you develop your ideas further. But they are your ideas.
So how does this reflect when you ask for feedback?
When you ask for feedback – explain what you want feedback
on, what you want your advisor to look at. Just sending your essay again, again
until the advisor says it is ‘right’ is not what this is about. You are in discussion
with your advisor with your work write a note explaining what the draft is
attempting to do or explaining changes you have made.
For example:
“Dear Adesola, I have changed the order I introduce the
different elements of the research inquiry. Can you tell me if you think it is
easier to follow in terms of understanding what I did to collect data? “
It is important you feel ownership of your work and you don’t
feel you are having to stab in the dark at what someone else wants from you.
Happy Holidays!!
What do you think. Looking forward to reading your comments
Adesola
Adesola,
ReplyDeleteGreat post.
I think it's hard to know when you should 'stick to your guns' about something that you personally feel is important and when to make changes to create a more academically acceptable or presentable assignment.
Paula is my tutor and she has been so helpful with what you describe as the 'academic conventions' - my citations skills were sorely lacking in Module 2 so I have asked her many questions so as to get it right - not for the sake of it but from my desire to develop my skills.
Her discussions with me about flow, order and presentation have also given me opportunity to organise my thoughts in a more accessible and logical way, yet they are still my thoughts.
I blogged a little while ago about a little talk I had with myself about how I should stop trying to be clever and just tell my story. In trying to 'impress' I was in danger of losing the honesty and ethos of my inquiry. In taking that advice seriously I feel I have now spoken from the heart in my report (with my head to guide me, obviously!) and finally found my voice!
Wishing you a happy Christmas.
S
What you say about honesty and just telling the story really resonates with me. It takes time to find your voice rather than the voice of the person you think someone studying 'should' have.
ReplyDeleteAdesola
I think when I was trying to write what I thought people wanted to read, I was actually writing rubbish, and then since then, so for module two and hopefully module three where I've been writing about reality and what really been going on and what I think about it all, it seems to be working out a lot better. Its just about remembering that, so its such a relevant post!
ReplyDelete