Professors' Guide to Getting Good Grades in College Professors' Guide to Getting Good Grades in College Professors' Guide to Getting Good Grades in College Collins - An Imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers to be published June 27th, 2006 ABOUT THE BOOK MEET THE AUTHORS MEET THE AUTHORS BUY THE BOOK
« Home page « about the book « chapter 9

chapter 9

The Hidden Value in Going over your Test

Ours is an age of interactivity. We challenge you to go to any café or student center and find someone who isn't connected on some device or other. But did you realize that your professor is trying to connect with you every time he or she grades a test? That that same professor who holds court in front of the 200, or 300, or 500 assembled students would like to have a meeting of minds with you -- one on one. Oh sure, your professor isn't communicating with you by e-mail or instant messaging -- and isn't visiting your blog, chat room, or user-forum. He or she is doing it the old-fashioned way (at least for now), by writing comments on your exam. Still, it's a real attempt to interface with you. In many cases, it's the only attempt the professor will make. Usually there's no connection made. It's too bad. Because making contact with the professor -- by going over the exam comments on your own, then seeking out the professor during his or her office hour -- is one of the very best ways to boost your grade in the course. If done right...

TASK # 1: DECIDE TO GO OVER YOUR TEST

One day, a week or two after you take your test, you find yourself sitting in class. The professor is giving a fine lecture (OK, an adequate lecture), the class has about 5 or 10 minutes left, and the only thing weighing on your mind is what to have for lunch. And then it happens. All of a sudden the professor brings the lecture to an abrupt end, pauses, and somewhat hesitatingly announces, “I have your exams to give back.” You immediately feel your heart beating faster, your stomach clench. It's hard to take in what your professor is saying now -- maybe some general words about how the class did overall, maybe how people did particularly well or will need to work harder on this or that, maybe how one class did compared to another. Then the professor hands the exams back, and all of a sudden you're sitting there with the exam paper in your sweaty hands.

You peel to the last page and take a quick glance at the grade. You feel another surge of emotion. Could be relief or pleasure. Or disappointment. Or even shock. Whatever the case, class is over. Time to go. You don't have time to read over the corrections and comments. You just shove your exam into your notebook, throw your notebook into your backpack, and that's probably the last time you'll ever look at the dreaded exam....

BUY THE BOOK

Chapter 10 »