USyd's Law WAMs (2 Viewers)

[LaraB]

Again, the assumption here is that 40 percent of students can't be 'the best'. The university has decided that the very best are those who can maintain a D average across 144 credit points of law. Some years, those who manage to do this might constitute 10 percent of the cohort; other years it may be 40 percent. I see no fatal contradiction there..

you don't need to be so formal on an informal board - it doesn't make what you are saying more correct...

i didn't say that 40% can't be the 'best'... i am simply saying that it doesn't necessarily inidicate the abilities of those who are at the very top if so many qualify for honours who haven't achieved as highly marks wise...

all i am pointing out is that having more students achieving honours is likely to have the reverse effect of what i suppose the whole idea of honours is meant to represent - ie te very best of the cohort... if nearly half the students are getting honours, it is likely to undermine what honours is meant to stand for... eg perhaps if so many are doing so well it doesn't necessarily indicate high quality students rather easier assessments or more scaling, things like that

probably the numbers are different at different unis coz the 'selection' for honours is more stringent at some... i know some unis consider law units as well as non law units while some only consider law units, the former seeming a little odd since its a "law" honours... some place equal/greater/lesser weight on core units, some use GPA and WAM etc... but 40% just sounds a little high since when you ask someone who are considered the 'best' in any kind of academic situation, you'd probably expect them to refer to something like, top 15%-ish...

 

[MoonlightSonata]

you don't need to be so formal on an informal board - it doesn't make what you are saying more correct...

i didn't say that 40% can't be the 'best'... i am simply saying that it doesn't necessarily inidicate the abilities of those who are at the very top if so many qualify for honours who haven't achieved as highly marks wise...

all i am pointing out is that having more students achieving honours is likely to have the reverse effect of what i suppose the whole idea of honours is meant to represent - ie te very best of the cohort... if nearly half the students are getting honours, it is likely to undermine what honours is meant to stand for... eg perhaps if so many are doing so well it doesn't necessarily indicate high quality students rather easier assessments or more scaling, things like that

probably the numbers are different at different unis coz the 'selection' for honours is more stringent at some... i know some unis consider law units as well as non law units while some only consider law units, the former seeming a little odd since its a "law" honours... some place equal/greater/lesser weight on core units, some use GPA and WAM etc... but 40% just sounds a little high since when you ask someone who are considered the 'best' in any kind of academic situation, you'd probably expect them to refer to something like, top 15%-ish...

I take your point, but if you read the last part of what MC said, it may explain his position to you:

I also think the idea of honours as separating the wheat from the chaff - as it were - is an incorrect characterisation. I think of it more as rewarding admirable performance, and, for the reason I have already stated, I think a D WAM is an admirable performance worth commending in this way.

 

[LaraB]

I take your point, but if you read the last part of what MC said, it may explain his position to you:

yes i know that's what was said...

i was simply explaining what i meant because i don't believe the idea that MC agrees with ie - i don't believe it should just be to reward D's and above etc...

for the reasons i said above - it may result from things other than good quality students and will then undermine the concept overall... which is why i agree with the way that other unis work it out - as in -
*GPA of 6 (for honours I i'm talking about) (oh edit - GPA of 6 = D's at my uni coz i know some unis are different..)
*WAM of D+
*Top whatever%
*No failures in any law units...
* Only counting law units since its a 'law honours" which i'm pretty sure most unis do but i know not all do

sure there may still be 40% of students but if that was the case it would be justified i guess cuase it wouldn't mean students are getting it due to scaling or easier testing or whatever and couldn't be regarded by others as only getting honours because of reasons like that...

 

[ManlyChief]

you don't need to be so formal on an informal board - it doesn't make what you are saying more correct...

I was expressing a point. I chose to express it in something of a formal way, hoping that the nature of my arguement would be better understood.

Just because I dare to differ in opinion doesn't mean you need to be mean. By what right do you lecture people on posting style? Who died and made you the BOS Style Manual? :mad1:

 

[LaraB]

I was expressing a point. I chose to express it in something of a formal way, hoping that the nature of my arguement would be better understood.

Just because I dare to differ in opinion doesn't mean you need to be mean. By what right do you lecture people on posting style? Who died and made you the BOS Style Manual? :mad1:

i'm just saying it could've been said in less words which saves reading time

you can be clear being formal or informal and the latter is usually more concise

if you wanna get pissed off at the comment - go for it - but you're the one who is choosing to take it as a terrible insult

 

[xeuyrawp]

Who died and made you the BOS Style Manual? :mad1:

<3 MC

 

[ManlyChief]

i'm just saying it could've been said in less words which saves reading time

We're all law students here - we should love to sit down and read other people's opinions, shouldn't we?

if you wanna get pissed off at the comment - go for it - but you're the one who is choosing to take it as a terrible insult

Is this like the 'no offence' disclaimer: 'no offence, I slept with your wife', 'no offence, I ran over your geraniums/foot/cat'?

 

[fleepbasding]

I found Manly Chief's posts much more readable than LaraBs.

 

[Frigid]

I ran over your geraniums/foot/cat'?

personally, i like your group-hugs-everyone posting style very much dear

and i like gerberas too

 

[El Misterio]

http://www.law.usyd.edu.au/cstudent/undergrad/graduation_list.shtml

 

[Frigid]

ohhhhhhhhhhhhh, SID 200129062 got a WAM of 86.3. nuts.

 

[hfis]

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I found Manly Chief's posts much more readable than LaraBs.

A++++++ WOULD READ AGAIN

Also LaraB you used the word 'concise' a bit earlier. What is this, a High Court judgement? Geeez.

 

[LaraB]

A++++++ WOULD READ AGAIN

Also LaraB you used the word 'concise' a bit earlier. What is this, a High Court judgement? Geeez.

top stuff... insults tend to be a little more effective if they occur less than nearly 1 year after the fact

 

[Summer Rain]

you will find that the learned Mr Ben Saul, previously of USyd and currently teaching at UNSW, is a dual uni medallist. he's also done a lot of other things.

Ben Saul (one of the most briliant teachers I ever had) has left UNSW for Usyd. What a shame to lose such a fine brain:mad1: