Updated: What would you do with this lab partner?

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Ricemarine

Ricemarine

Lifer
Sep 10, 2004
10,507
0
0
So I have this lab partner who although seems to have a strong foundation on computers and programming but has trouble being dependable. The last lab we had trouble finishing up our lab report because he was talking to other people and procrastinating on his portion until the last second. That lab report's grade was pretty low, and after a talk with him I thought everything would work out this time. These labs were meant for groups of 3 but there is not enough people to do such, and so I'm in a group of two with him. But now, I'm really having doubts on whether or not I should stick with him.

So my lab reports have the format of:

Abstract
Intro
Design
Testing
Presentation/Analysis
Summary
Conclusion
Appendices

So before the weekend, I told my lab partner to send me the proper diagrams needed for the lab report due today. Well, Saturday came around and there was no response from him. So I e-mailed him and let it be. Then Sunday came around without any response in the morning or afternoon... That's when I started worrying. I e-mailed him twice, and started doing the lab, finishing up the abstract, intro, and testing (Test Plan, specs, etc.). After 11:30 PM I was finally able to get a hold of him, only hearing that he did not do what I asked him to do and had totally forgotten what diagrams were needed. He then proceeded to argue with how what I thought were the required diagrams were wrong until I showed him the proper examples proving him wrong. Figures...

After doing that, we had to sort out the workload. Since he was supposed to do the diagrams, he had wanted to do the Design. However, that was the only section he had wanted to do. His argument was that every other section was recyclable from the last lab and so it wouldn't take me more than an hour to add on to them (I had to rewrite all of them...). Therefore, I talked to another friend in the same class who told me that it seems I was getting shafted instead of getting a fair share of the workload. Mind you it's already 2:00 AM. Thus, I gave him the Design and Conclusion to deal with, while I finish up everything else.

At 3:30 AM, he told me he would take a nap and wake up at 6:00AM to finish the work. He also told me to just send him everything and he'll take care of everything. Since it was 6:30AM when I finished my portion, I decided to let him. When I woke up at 10:00 AM and went to the lab, I thought he would be there with everything ready. However, when I walked in, everyone else was in the lab except my lab partner. The lab report was due in 15 minutes, and so I started freaking out. I signed onto gmail(it's the only form of communication... he doesn't answer anything else), and he told me he was being slow and almost finished the lab report sans conclusion. Sans conclusion?! WTF? THE LAB REPORT IS DUE IN 5 MINUTES. He also told me his bike broke down and he wouldn't be able to get to the lab on time, so I would have to print out the lab report.

Well, I can't write a conclusion and print out a lab report in five minutes, and so I asked my TA for some extra time, which he agreed to. So, I spent the next 20 minutes writing out the conclusion and printing it out. During that time my partner had told me he had simplified six diagrams into one... Why do you do that... really...

So! is it worth sticking around with this guy? Grilling him some more? Joining another group (so I'd be in a group of 4 instead)? What does ATOT think?!!!!



Cliffs:
- Lab partner has a history of procrastinating until the last minute
- Assigned lab partner to make diagrams on Friday
- Could not get a hold of lab partner until 11:30 PM Sunday night
- Argued with him over the diagrams and sections he should write.
- Assigned him to finish the diagrams and two sections while I do everything else
- 15 minutes before the report was due, he tells me he only finished one section, and sends me a lab report sans conclusion
- I'm pissed, everyone else in the class was going "Wow? Where's your partner? Ouch..."
- What should I do?


Thanks!

Update:
So when I met my partner in class, he acted all "guilty," which had initially made me feel bad. However, when I asked him if he submitted the proper files (we submit code and lab reports online), he stated he didn't... Well... thanks for shifting all the responsibilities back to me without me knowing... ass.
When I talked to the professor, he was adamant on not allowing a group of 4. He also said that over summer he had groups of 2 instead of 3 and they still finished the work. Therefore, I'm stuck with my partner until the end of the quarter. It's all about the "industry experience" so he said. The professor also said I would have to "talk" to the lab partner and if best, plan ahead.

However, the professor did say that I can have my code separated and sign on all the sections of the lab report so I can have a separate grade from my partner if I feel my partner still isn't pulling the weight. Luckily, my projects can be separated into modules so if my part of the modules works and his doesn't... Well.. tough luck for him.

Damn... and I really wanted to throw him under the bus. This whole thread was inspiring!
images
 
Last edited:
gaidensensei

gaidensensei

Banned
May 31, 2003
2,851
2
81
Introduction:
Assume this is a programming class? I keep reading the lab portions and think you're into chem/bio field, anyway he's not being cool indeed.

Hypothesis:
It's time to break apart from the asian nice guy gene and give him hell. If your grade is bad for this one tell him to f' off. You probably could've done it yourself without depending on him and got a better grade.

Conclusion:
The message from him is quite simple, he doesn't give two craps about you or your grade. His probably as well.

Epilogue & Data testing:
So what you should do is wait for him at the bus stand and camp behind the bushes. When he shows up, wait for the bus to appear then quickly shove him under it. If you do this fast enough his head will snap off in the process.
 
Last edited:
guyver01

guyver01

Lifer
Sep 25, 2000
22,135
5
61
Look at it this way..

If this were a job.. and your co-worker was fucking around and you got ripped by the VP for screwing up a project... what would you do?

I'd throw 'em under the bus so fast, his head would snap off.
 
Billb2

Billb2

Diamond Member
Mar 25, 2005
3,035
70
86
Throw 'em under the bus so fast his head snaps off and move on.
 
DanTMWTMP

DanTMWTMP

Lifer
Oct 7, 2001
15,908
19
81
Oh gawd, I had two lab partners like this. I actually did not trust them with the work, so I ended up doing it all of it myself, and writing only my name on it. Halfway through the quarter, the TA just assigned me to another group (because the labs got crazier). Those two guys both dropped those classes.
 
Born2bwire

Born2bwire

Diamond Member
Oct 28, 2005
9,840
6
71
Just ask the TA to work independently from now on. It sounds like you're going to have to do all the work at this point, why let him have part of the credit? I was lucky not to have this kind of problem with my labs. The lab report was done independently by the group members, they worked on the lab together in class and could collaborate on the report. That way, I could tell which people came to lab and put forth an effort which helped alleviate people who had partners that flaked out. It's a weird situation because you're adults, not children. It's not like you can put the guy in time out and they obviously couldn't care less about the grade. There isn't much you can do if they refuse to do the work. I would just make this clear to your TA and ask if you can be attached to a different group (are you the only two person group, could you split join two other two person groups?) or if you can just work independently.
 
Perknose

Perknose

Forum Director & Omnipotent Overlord
Forum Director
Oct 9, 1999
46,756
10,338
146
OP, right now you are in a fairly emotional state, so I believe you should stand back, take stock, and approach this problem in a more deliberate, step-by-step manner.

First, I suggest you cut out all fast food snacks from your daily routine. Why? It's all about the Benjamens, brother. You need to slowly save up some serious dough.

In the meantime, study hard . . . for your commercial operator's license.

When you've manfully amassed several thou, 79 cents at a time, your next stop is craiglist.

Scan those vehicle ads religiously, for YOU are now ready to buy your own bus.

Throwing your slacker lab partner under a bus owned and operated by someone else just won't do. He might be only partially injured, and he might well limp back into class, all bleeding and bandaged and soaking up the sympathy like Brittney back from rehab.

For the ultimate success, you simply MUST own and pilot your very own GM General urban transport module!

Good luck, and you can thank me more fully at his funeral.
 
Azraele

Azraele

Elite Member
Nov 5, 2000
16,524
29
91
Talk to the TA. Get rid of the lab partner. I'm surprised you stuck with him this long.
 
T

tk149

Diamond Member
Apr 3, 2002
7,253
1
0
Tell the TA you want a new lab partner, and escalate it to the Professor if necessary.

Hmmm...it's May. Doesn't that mean the semester is almost over already?
 
Blackjack200

Blackjack200

Lifer
May 28, 2007
15,995
1,688
126
I did all my group projects in college by myself. At first I tried to have people to parts of them and send them to me so I could pull the final report together, but the other contributions would look like they were written by fourth graders. I finally gave up and just did everything myself.

The most absurd was when we had to do powerpoint presentations. I would write the report, then chop it up into 5 minute bits and just before class I'd give each person a note card telling them what to say for their slides.

Throw a bus at him.
 
BoomerD

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
65,719
14,132
146
Perknose said:
OP, right now you are in a fairly emotional state, so I believe you should stand back, take stock, and approach this problem in a more deliberate, step-by-step manner.

First, I suggest you cut out all fast food snacks from your daily routine. Why? It's all about the Benjamens, brother. You need to slowly save up some serious dough.

In the meantime, study hard . . . for your commercial operator's license.

When you've manfully amassed several thou, 79 cents at a time, your next stop is craiglist.

Scan those vehicle ads religiously, for YOU are now ready to buy your own bus.

Throwing your slacker lab partner under a bus owned and operated by someone else just won't do. He might be only partially injured, and he might well limp back into class, all bleeding and bandaged and soaking up the sympathy like Brittney back from rehab.

For the ultimate success, you simply MUST own and pilot your very own GM General urban transport module!

Good luck, and you can thank me more fully at his funeral.
Click to expand...


ROFL!! When I first started reading this...I thought, "Did Spaceman hijack Perknose's account?"

Then it all came together...:p

I got stuck with a few worthless slackers in group projects myself. I think it's a normal part of life...sometimes I thought my professors intentionally gave me the slackers as a challenge. :|
Never, EVER depend on your lab partners/group members to do what they're supposed to do unless it does not/cannot affect YOUR grade. (some profs grade independently and allow for the "different personalities" in a group...but they're the exception...
I always did the entire project myself, and IF my team members actually did their part, (and IF it met my standards:p ) we'd meld them together for a final project, but if they procrastinated...and waited until the last second to give me their contributions..."Sorry, too late. I already turned in my project...without your name."
 
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