Who’s on First?
January 29, 2007 at 9:27 am | Charles | grad life, teachingA modern day “Who’s on first,” that most lab teachers have experienced…. attributed to “Unknown” on the internet.
- TA: What went on in this lab?
- Student: What do you mean?
- TA: What did you do in this lab?
- Student: Lab 3.
- TA: And what did you do in lab 3?
- Student: We measured the result.
- TA: Assume I’ve never seen this lab before, and you’re going to explain it to me. What would you say?
- Student: (pause) Well, it was all about getting the slope.
- TA: The slope of what?
- Student: The slope of the plot.
- TA: I know that, but you have to assume I’ve never heard of this lab, ok? How would you explain what you did?
- Student: We got the wires and measured at each point.
- TA: Measured what?
- Student: What the meter said.
- TA: (pause) Look. Your report tells me nothing; this could be an experiment about baking cakes. What’s this number here?
- Student: 5.
- TA: Yes I KNOW it’s 5. What did it measure?
- Student: The slope. Of the line.
- TA: What line?
- Student: The line. On the plot. We measured the points and plotted them.
- TA: Why?
- Student: (knowing smile) Because that’s what the lab said.
- TA: If I was a total stranger, how would you explain this to me?
- Student: You just connect it up–
- TA: Connect WHAT up?
- Student: The circuit.
- TA: Why?
- Student: I’m sorry, I don’t know what you’re asking.
- TA: I’m asking: what is this lab all about?
- Student: Well, we put in the wires and got 5.
- TA: 5 what?
- Student: The slope.
- TA: WHAT was it’s slope?
- Student: 5.
- TA: I KNOW that, but what was it a measurement of?
- Student: The meter.
- TA: (sigh) One more time — consider me a total stranger. How would you explain this to me?
- Student: You just put on the wires and vary the dial until you get the readings.
- TA: What dial?
- Student: On the power supply.
- TA: Why was there a power supply?
- Student: Well, for the circuit.
- TA: And what readings are you talking about?
- Student: The readings in the plot.
- TA: They gave you a plot in the lab manual?
- Student: I’m sorry, I don’t know what you’re asking.
- TA: Where did the plot come from?
- Student: We drew it.
- TA: From what?
- Student: From the experiment.
- TA: The experiment about what?
- Student: About lab 3.
- TA:….
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I want a regrade.
Comment by kendall — January 29, 2007 #
What’s wrong with that? They got 5. It’s the slope. Duh.
Comment by The TA — February 8, 2007 #
I bet dollars to donuts this was a pre-med!
Comment by geewhizz — March 1, 2007 #