Group Project

March 27, 2006[School] - The results are in!

Alas.  We were given back on interim report today in Thermal Design.  Our group was given a grade of 75, and I got a 78.  As hard as I worked on that thing, I'm really frustrated.  Since we turned in the report, the professor has been talking about what we was looking for.  As this was never done before we turned it in, I think it's a little late.  We got a sheet that said "Transfer model, including...."  and "Hydraulic model, including...".  But he never said how much detail he was looking for.  He also never bothered to mention that these were to be done about the final design and not about the general concepts considered.  Class after class I find myself wondering "why didn't he bother to mention this before we did it?!"  It wasn't the best report, but it was good work.  I understand that he had certain expectations, but the project was REALLY open-ended.  He can't expect everyone to solve it like he expected or report everything he wants in the way he wants.  How could we know that we were supposed to neglect heat transfer with the surroundings and losses due to condensate, but that we were going to lose points by neglecting viscous effects?  If he wants to leave us to our own creativity by not giving us much information, he can't expect us to conform to his standard.

For those of you not really understanding what I'm talking about, let's put it like this.  I hand you a sheet of paper and say "go into that bathroom and write about the decor, the functionality, and your overall impressions.  How would it feel to get back the paper and find out that you didn't need to tell me about the traction strips on the tub, but you lose points for not mentioning how nice the shower head worked?  Or if you don't get any credit for talking about the lighting, but lose points because you don't mention whether or not the cabinets are squeaky?  Or if you draw a picture of the bathroom, but I take off points for putting it in the appendix instead of the body?  Little by little, your score is whittled down, because you were unequipped to give me exactly what I was expecting.  Oh... and what if I misread or misunderstood a part, which made the entire paper confusing to me, and I was harsher because of it?

I'd be angrier if this put me out of 'A' range, but it hasn't yet.  As long as I can keep up the other grades, I'll be okay.  We'll see.  Baaaah!