wherein Liz contemplates academic essays
Nov. 16th, 2014 03:18 pmThe weirdest thing about taking college classes again is writing essays. I am so out of practice at that skill. I mean, I used to be able to knock off a three-page essay in ninety minutes or less, regardless of topic. (Three hours if the essay was in German.) I am not remotely that fast anymore. But it's like riding a bicycle, in a way -- I'm pretty wobbly right now, but I do remember how this is supposed to work, and I'm sure the next one will be easier.
*returns to work*
ETA: Also, essay page counts look very funny to me these days. My current assignment is "write a 1250 word (max) essay on Topic X," and the professor added a clarifying note that this should be about five pages. To which I went, essentially, "...what the hell kind of terrifyingly long-ass words are you-- oh. wait. it's double-spaced, isn't it."
Double-spacing is so visually weird after years of writing and formatting for the internet.
*returns to work*
ETA: Also, essay page counts look very funny to me these days. My current assignment is "write a 1250 word (max) essay on Topic X," and the professor added a clarifying note that this should be about five pages. To which I went, essentially, "...what the hell kind of terrifyingly long-ass words are you-- oh. wait. it's double-spaced, isn't it."
Double-spacing is so visually weird after years of writing and formatting for the internet.
(no subject)
Date: 2014-11-17 12:37 am (UTC)Well, until recently. Have a co-worker from our legal division off work and I appear to be the only person in the business who has the remotest clue what he does. I am not in legal, I'm in IT and work closely with this bloke getting his mountain of content onto our various web sites. I've been having to create new documents to look like his without access to his styling templates or master documents. Bear in mind that his styling appears to be a wild departure from the company standard and is highly eccentric. Is painful. He retires next year and legal really need to get him a minion to train before he leaves. I have a horrible feeling I may get volunteered for that job by default.
I could do without writing essays again. Although saying that, I write up research findings now, so maybe I wouldn't be as rusty as I think I am.
(no subject)
Date: 2014-11-17 03:49 am (UTC)