Comments on: The Lazy Man’s Definitive Guide to Writing an “A” Paper http://ravivora.com/blog/writing-the-perfect-paper Inspiration and Motivation for People with Big Dreams Mon, 08 Sep 2008 13:37:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 By: Casey http://ravivora.com/blog/writing-the-perfect-paper#comment-4575 Casey Mon, 04 Aug 2008 00:24:24 +0000 http://ravivora.com/blog/writing-the-perfect-paper#comment-4575 I agree that you don't have to read a book to get a good grade, but I don't believe there is really any point in taking a class and bull shitting your way through it just to get a good grade. I maintained a 3.8 GPA and was very happy with it because I learned what I wanted to learn when I took a class. For example... No Exit was a good book... I almost read half of it. But i took so much from the conversations about existentialism my class had, I didn't care that I got a C on the test or what have you. Grades are just people in power exerting their power. And this site is helping them keep their power. I agree that you don’t have to read a book to get a good grade, but I don’t believe there is really any point in taking a class and bull shitting your way through it just to get a good grade. I maintained a 3.8 GPA and was very happy with it because I learned what I wanted to learn when I took a class. For example… No Exit was a good book… I almost read half of it. But i took so much from the conversations about existentialism my class had, I didn’t care that I got a C on the test or what have you.

Grades are just people in power exerting their power. And this site is helping them keep their power.

]]> By: BillinDetroit http://ravivora.com/blog/writing-the-perfect-paper#comment-3820 BillinDetroit Tue, 03 Jun 2008 03:39:28 +0000 http://ravivora.com/blog/writing-the-perfect-paper#comment-3820 You almost sneaked by me with this one. It is possible that you did not read that book in question, but you DID -study- it. If you later also read it, you went into the reading with a well-informed view of it. I dealt with "No Exit" in a high school philosophy class ("Seminar in Ideas") for college credit. Piece of cake. We had to read the major work of two different philosophers per week and then defend them orally for 5 minutes on Friday. I drew the short straw with "No Exit". When badgered about his definition of hell, I replied with a quote. The teacher denied the quote and there was a frantic scramble as first I, and then others, feverishly searched for it in the book. Another student found it for me. Do you recall how Sartre defined hell? I do. But then, I read the book. You almost sneaked by me with this one. It is possible that you did not read that book in question, but you DID -study- it. If you later also read it, you went into the reading with a well-informed view of it.

I dealt with “No Exit” in a high school philosophy class (”Seminar in Ideas”) for college credit. Piece of cake. We had to read the major work of two different philosophers per week and then defend them orally for 5 minutes on Friday. I drew the short straw with “No Exit”. When badgered about his definition of hell, I replied with a quote. The teacher denied the quote and there was a frantic scramble as first I, and then others, feverishly searched for it in the book. Another student found it for me.

Do you recall how Sartre defined hell?

I do. But then, I read the book.

]]> By: Harry http://ravivora.com/blog/writing-the-perfect-paper#comment-2240 Harry Mon, 25 Feb 2008 16:58:15 +0000 http://ravivora.com/blog/writing-the-perfect-paper#comment-2240 Hah! Great blog, I'll admit, and I might try it out. Its strange though, I do almost the exact opposite. I enjoy reading but can never be bothered to go through all the analytical stuff, so I end up just reading the book and lsitening to what ever the teacher says that might be useful, and it seems to work for me. Ah well, each to his own. Hah! Great blog, I’ll admit, and I might try it out. Its strange though, I do almost the exact opposite. I enjoy reading but can never be bothered to go through all the analytical stuff, so I end up just reading the book and lsitening to what ever the teacher says that might be useful, and it seems to work for me.
Ah well, each to his own.

]]> By: The Creative Secrets of Jesus and Shakespeare: beplayful.org http://ravivora.com/blog/writing-the-perfect-paper#comment-1961 The Creative Secrets of Jesus and Shakespeare: beplayful.org Thu, 07 Feb 2008 14:08:44 +0000 http://ravivora.com/blog/writing-the-perfect-paper#comment-1961 [...] Ravi Vora has a great article on using creative synergy to write an A grade paper. [...] […] Ravi Vora has a great article on using creative synergy to write an A grade paper. […]

]]> By: Korka http://ravivora.com/blog/writing-the-perfect-paper#comment-1597 Korka Fri, 11 Jan 2008 20:46:32 +0000 http://ravivora.com/blog/writing-the-perfect-paper#comment-1597 I spend so much time trying to discern the rules and patterns of academic requirements. This was truly insightful. As an A student but also an advocate for a school system that is more attuned to each student's talents (in a perfect world you could decide the course of your learning as soon as you learn to read and write) I see your guide as proof of intelligence outside the rigid structures of the system. In other words: Good job, dude. I spend so much time trying to discern the rules and patterns of academic requirements. This was truly insightful. As an A student but also an advocate for a school system that is more attuned to each student’s talents (in a perfect world you could decide the course of your learning as soon as you learn to read and write) I see your guide as proof of intelligence outside the rigid structures of the system.
In other words: Good job, dude.

]]> By: The Young Writers Society Blog » Blog Archive » Lazy Kid Gets An A - You Can Too! http://ravivora.com/blog/writing-the-perfect-paper#comment-1330 The Young Writers Society Blog » Blog Archive » Lazy Kid Gets An A - You Can Too! Wed, 19 Dec 2007 22:16:47 +0000 http://ravivora.com/blog/writing-the-perfect-paper#comment-1330 [...] out this article called “The Lazy Man’s Definitive Guide to Writing an “A” Paper” [...] […] out this article called “The Lazy Man’s Definitive Guide to Writing an “A” Paper” […]

]]> By: JLT http://ravivora.com/blog/writing-the-perfect-paper#comment-1322 JLT Wed, 19 Dec 2007 10:28:19 +0000 http://ravivora.com/blog/writing-the-perfect-paper#comment-1322 I have a Masters degree in Literature from Durham University in the U.K. which is considered by the Sunday Times university ratings to be the finest English department in the country. There are two ways to successfully BS an essay... One is via all the research mentioned here, but that was always a little bit close to actually writing the essay properly to me (though it does have the obligatory lack of time spent in the awful university library, for which i congratulate you!) The way I personally went about it was to ensure that I had a reasonable understanding of the plot of a book (half hour skim through, picking out anything that looked salient) then, as you've said, closely addressing the question set. Then what you do is make a fistful of points in your head (doesn't matter if they're strong points, that's what lit's about!) Charge headlong into these points (a 3000 word essay can be written on five half baked ideas)and whenever necessary simply flick through the text to find a quote that seems like it fits (even if it doesn't perfectly fit you can always slightly adjust your point to suit the closest quote you could find.) You'll find that using this technique you can easily write a passing grade MA dissertation (10,000 words) in four days (from scratch) with time left to read over and make sure your written style is coheret and persuasive. The key is to never, ever sound like you're BSing. Sound authoritative and confident at all times; The weaker you feel your point is the more aggressively you should champion it. The only reason I didn't receive the top grade in my masters was that I wrote it with absolutely NO critical material ("according to such and such", or "so and so said in an 1867 study that" etc) This technique is particularly useful if you pick oddball titles or texts that markers may not be entirely familiar with. English is supposed to be fun, and writing in this way gives you a hell of a thrill, and you end up genuinely seeing texts in lights that you maybe never would have if you'd relied heavily on research etc. I have a Masters degree in Literature from Durham University in the U.K. which is considered by the Sunday Times university ratings to be the finest English department in the country. There are two ways to successfully BS an essay… One is via all the research mentioned here, but that was always a little bit close to actually writing the essay properly to me (though it does have the obligatory lack of time spent in the awful university library, for which i congratulate you!) The way I personally went about it was to ensure that I had a reasonable understanding of the plot of a book (half hour skim through, picking out anything that looked salient) then, as you’ve said, closely addressing the question set. Then what you do is make a fistful of points in your head (doesn’t matter if they’re strong points, that’s what lit’s about!) Charge headlong into these points (a 3000 word essay can be written on five half baked ideas)and whenever necessary simply flick through the text to find a quote that seems like it fits (even if it doesn’t perfectly fit you can always slightly adjust your point to suit the closest quote you could find.) You’ll find that using this technique you can easily write a passing grade MA dissertation (10,000 words) in four days (from scratch) with time left to read over and make sure your written style is coheret and persuasive. The key is to never, ever sound like you’re BSing. Sound authoritative and confident at all times; The weaker you feel your point is the more aggressively you should champion it. The only reason I didn’t receive the top grade in my masters was that I wrote it with absolutely NO critical material (”according to such and such”, or “so and so said in an 1867 study that” etc) This technique is particularly useful if you pick oddball titles or texts that markers may not be entirely familiar with. English is supposed to be fun, and writing in this way gives you a hell of a thrill, and you end up genuinely seeing texts in lights that you maybe never would have if you’d relied heavily on research etc.

]]> By: sammy http://ravivora.com/blog/writing-the-perfect-paper#comment-1304 sammy Tue, 18 Dec 2007 05:30:06 +0000 http://ravivora.com/blog/writing-the-perfect-paper#comment-1304 Good info easier than reading the book if it is of decent length. This is easier for lay people so stfu other retards out there. Good info easier than reading the book if it is of decent length. This is easier for lay people so stfu other retards out there.

]]> By: app2usadvisor http://ravivora.com/blog/writing-the-perfect-paper#comment-1277 app2usadvisor Sun, 16 Dec 2007 10:27:36 +0000 http://ravivora.com/blog/writing-the-perfect-paper#comment-1277 You have a nice blog going!! I wish I had read such blogs in my student days. -app2usadvisor You have a nice blog going!! I wish I had read such blogs in my student days.

-app2usadvisor

]]> By: Xander http://ravivora.com/blog/writing-the-perfect-paper#comment-1155 Xander Sun, 09 Dec 2007 23:01:02 +0000 http://ravivora.com/blog/writing-the-perfect-paper#comment-1155 You've followed your own advice in writing a post on a controversial topic, picking a side to your argument, and arguing it strongly. Bravo. You’ve followed your own advice in writing a post on a controversial topic, picking a side to your argument, and arguing it strongly. Bravo.

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