Still not on a good start for Gen Chem 1 lab....

[symbolipoint]

JoelCentral tells us:

Because writing by hand is an outdated skill. They don't even teach it in kindergarten anymore. Besides, I know people in Berkeley. Not once did ANY of the students tell me that you need fancy handwriting.

Handwriting will NEVER be an outdated skill. It is taught in all elementary schools, everywhere. Handwriting includes printing of the characters with pen and pencil on paper, or other receiving/display device (chalkboard, dry erase board felt marker or chalk).

 

[JoeyCentral]

Like I said, I cannot help what I was born with. I was never really taught to write in pre-k or elementary school (I forgot what they even taught me). I was always told by my father that handwriting skills was not important since computers write nicer than all of us. I can understand how it is important in an educational environment, but for engineering or sciences? I just don't know how I can improve it because I was never taught in school how to write fancy.

 

[Mark44]

Like I said, I cannot help what I was born with.

When you were born you couldn't speak or read, but you learned how, right? These were not skills you were born with, but over time you became competent. I believe it's the same with handwriting, at least to the point of writing legibly. If you practice it, you get better at it.

I was never really taught to write in pre-k or elementary school (I forgot what they even taught me). I was always told by my father that handwriting skills was not important since computers write nicer than all of us.

Do you believe 100% of what your father says? Engineers are pretty famous for jotting ideas on the back of napkins or envelopes. If your writing is so attrocious it can't be deciphered (as has been mentioned in this thread), that's a problem, no matter what your father says.

I can understand how it is important in an educational environment, but for engineering or sciences? I just don't know how I can improve it because I was never taught in school how to write fancy.

I did a search for "improve your handwriting" and found many links. Here are just a few. Apparently not everyone believes that writing skills are inherently determined at birth.
http://www.wikihow.com/Improve-Your-Handwriting
http://paperpenalia.com/handwriting.html
http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/may/11/how-improve-your-handwriting

 

[symbolipoint]

Like I said, I cannot help what I was born with. I was never really taught to write in pre-k or elementary school (I forgot what they even taught me). I was always told by my father that handwriting skills was not important since computers write nicer than all of us. I can understand how it is important in an educational environment, but for engineering or sciences? I just don't know how I can improve it because I was never taught in school how to write fancy.

I might be mistaken about telling you it is taught everywhere. In your case, we simply must accept what you say was or wasnot taught to you. Handwriting skill IS IMPORTANT EVERYWHERE. Very few exceptions maybe for physically handicapped people who may then need to use specialized tools. Generally, handwriting is important everywhere - government, education, engineering, science ---- everything involving written/read communication.

You may be stuck with some limitations for how well you can improve your handwriting. Try studying and practice art and drawing. Seriously! If possible, also go through a formal class or course on handwriting. Improving yours may take practice. I mentioned earlier about handedness. If you are left or right handed, that one is the one which you would most likely develop your best manual writing skill/technique.

 

[Vanadium 50]

I sacrificed everything to improve to being a good student. I sacrificed video games...

Knew a guy. He wanted to be a physicist. So he learned English, escaped his home country (with little more than the clothes on his back) leaving his fgamily behind, served an enlistment in the military of that country, and then went to college and ultimately graduate school.

But you sacrificed video games.

Sometimes, I just make poor decisions

I think you're making one now.

 

[JoeyCentral]

I might be mistaken about telling you it is taught everywhere. In your case, we simply must accept what you say was or wasnot taught to you. Handwriting skill IS IMPORTANT EVERYWHERE. Very few exceptions maybe for physically handicapped people who may then need to use specialized tools. Generally, handwriting is important everywhere - government, education, engineering, science ---- everything involving written/read communication.

You may be stuck with some limitations for how well you can improve your handwriting. Try studying and practice art and drawing. Seriously! If possible, also go through a formal class or course on handwriting. Improving yours may take practice. I mentioned earlier about handedness. If you are left or right handed, that one is the one which you would most likely develop your best manual writing skill/technique.

Fair enough. I have been working on my pre-lab today for my chemistry lab, while keeping in mind the thought of having to improve handwriting. So I put effort in it this time. Once I finish up, I will post up a scan and await feedback before making the decision of taking a formal handwriting class. It is very disheartening that I have to go through something that little kids in pre-K go through at my current age.

Knew a guy. He wanted to be a physicist. So he learned English, escaped his home country (with little more than the clothes on his back) leaving his fgamily behind, served an enlistment in the military of that country, and then went to college and ultimately graduate school.

But you sacrificed video games.

But it meant a lot to me when I was young. For someone who grew up with no childhood, it was all I had.

 

[symbolipoint]

Learning to write is at or above first grade; certainly not pre-kindergarden. Certainly learning to write comes at the same time as learning to read. Cursive Writing might be taught in maybe grade three. By your age, you are assumed to already know how to make your letters, digits, and write you you need to say. I am suggesting in addition to learn drawing, which should help develop better how you control the writing device (pencil, pen, brush, marker).

 

[Mark44]

Fair enough. I have been working on my pre-lab today for my chemistry lab, while keeping in mind the thought of having to improve handwriting.

That's the attitude we've been looking for.

So I put effort in it this time. Once I finish up, I will post up a scan and await feedback before making the decision of taking a formal handwriting class.

Nobody said anything about taking a formal class in this. The links I posted, or others you could search for, would be fine, I believe, and would be something you could do on your own at your own pace.

It is very disheartening that I have to go through something that little kids in pre-K go through at my current age.

Lots of kids get all the way through high school and are functionally illiterate and/or are unable to do math at grade level. Some of them decide that's good enough, and some of them suck it up and take care of things.

 

[symbolipoint]

That's the attitude we've been looking for.
Nobody said anything about taking a formal class in this. The links I posted, or others you could search for, would be fine, I believe, and would be something you could do on your own at your own pace.
Lots of kids get all the way through high school and are functionally illiterate and/or are unable to do math at grade level. Some of them decide that's good enough, and some of them suck it up and take care of things.

I suggested a formal class for handwriting. This would be above any kind of pre-k level. At pre-kindergarden, students are very, very young and are just learning how to play with art-type things and how to play with other children. By high school or college stage, one would already know how to write on paper. One could use learning to draw to improve in one's handling of a drawing or writing device like pencil, pen, chalk, marker, brush.

Did we not learn to write with pencil on paper in first grade? Did we have no actual instruction on how to do that?

 

[JoeyCentral]

Well, here is a draft of my pre-lab. This isn't perfect, but I did spend more time with the writing this time. The speed it took for me to write was much slower, however, so jotting down quick notes in my notebook in classes where professors do not repeat what they have said will obviously look much sloppier than actually putting effort. But then again, I can just re-write the notes after class, so it might not be such a big deal. Anyways, I promise not to be too critical on any criticism this time.

 

[symbolipoint]

Well, here is a draft of my pre-lab. This isn't perfect, but I did spend more time with the writing this time. The speed it took for me to write was much slower, however, so jotting down quick notes in my notebook in classes where professors do not repeat what they have said will obviously look much sloppier than actually putting effort. But then again, I can just re-write the notes after class, so it might not be such a big deal. Anyways, I promise not to be too critical on any criticism this time.

Some of how you write symbols might be a matter of style, which the person reviewing your work for grading purposes, might be picky about. I find MOST of your work readable. Not very neat, but readable.

 

[Vagn]

Well, here is a draft of my pre-lab. This isn't perfect, but I did spend more time with the writing this time. The speed it took for me to write was much slower, however, so jotting down quick notes in my notebook in classes where professors do not repeat what they have said will obviously look much sloppier than actually putting effort. But then again, I can just re-write the notes after class, so it might not be such a big deal. Anyways, I promise not to be too critical on any criticism this time.

Don't write powers of 10ⁿ as En. You aren't working with a computer, so it's better to use scientific notation. It might also be worth you considering writing in block capitals to make your handwriting more legibile.

 

[micromass]

Well, here is a draft of my pre-lab. This isn't perfect, but I did spend more time with the writing this time. The speed it took for me to write was much slower, however, so jotting down quick notes in my notebook in classes where professors do not repeat what they have said will obviously look much sloppier than actually putting effort. But then again, I can just re-write the notes after class, so it might not be such a big deal. Anyways, I promise not to be too critical on any criticism this time.

It's not very neat, but it's better than last time. The first draft you posted had some things I could barely read, it's much better now. Maybe before writing you can draw some horizontal lines in pencil so you write in straight lines.