I am posting this question in this subfield of our graduate forum because I would like to get direct responses from students in Language departments.
I am in a foreign language program that has an MA program and a PhD program which is not 100% combined but where a student, after passing the MA tests can be recommended to continue onto the PhD.
Now, So far my first year has been not that easy, and as I am learning how to effectively write a good research paper I did receive so far several B's. I am wondering (assuming that I will improve this year), whether or not this is a BIG problem and I should just give up the hope of being accepted to the PhD, or it is possible to recover from this??
I must note that my B's were mostly in courses where I had to write in a foreign language and thus had to juggle the language mistakes and the form of writing a research paper. I think now, that I have gotten some feedback about my errors I can improve and my plan is to also get detailed feedback from professors before actually submitting the papers in the future.
I found, by method trial and error, that after undergrad- where we actually get to improve our papers through drafts-graduate school only expects 1 final paper from us, and thus I think in order to become better it is to my benefit to actually write them in advance and get feedback before final submission. I am wondering if anyone else had any issues like this...and what they did to improve?
I believe that it is possible to improve and do not want to give in just because my writing is not "up to the level".
I also find that in programs like mine where MA students take courses together with PhD students (most of which already have MA's)-it all makes it even more difficult. Anyway just trying to vent!