Lab partner withdraws from class..

[jmcunnin]

So we have a project where we are given approximately two weeks to collect data and another week to do the report. 3 people in the group, only 2 need to collect the data. Both people in the group eagerly volunteered, so I was like okay cool. I sent them a reminder last week. This past week, I contact them. 1 member says they haven't started collecting. The other member says they are withdrawing from the class. So now I'm left with about a week and a half to collect the data AND do the lab report. This is going to limit the total amount of data that I can collect because of the time frame. I'm pretty pissed about it. I've reached out to the lab teaching assistant, but haven't heard back yet. If he isn't very helpful when he responds, how would you guys handle this situation? Should I escalate it to the lab coordinator?

I don't really know what they will do, but I don't feel like it would be fair for my grade to suffer for this.

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[Incis0r]

Did you get it in writing from your other two partners that they were supposed to start data collection on day X and go for two weeks till day Y? Do you have an email record of this? Maybe a text?

If you have any of the above, then you're fine and I think you're justified in talking to the Lab TA and requesting an extension. The Lab TA will see that you had planned for this and that you made attempts to contact them and stay on top, but that they dropped the ball. Maybe you could request to be reassigned to a group that already collected data?

If, however , you don't have strong proof that they were delegated to data collection, then the Lab TA may be more skeptical...

I definitely 100% would NOT escalate to lab coordinator until the lab TA responds. But yeah, if he seems unreasonable, bring your case to the lab coordinator.

Good luck!!

 

[jmcunnin]

Did you get it in writing from your other two partners that they were supposed to start data collection on day X and go for two weeks till day Y? Do you have an email record of this? Maybe a text?

If you have any of the above, then you're fine and I think you're justified in talking to the Lab TA and requesting an extension. The Lab TA will see that you had planned for this and that you made attempts to contact them and stay on top, but that they dropped the ball. Maybe you could request to be reassigned to a group that already collected data?

If, however , you don't have strong proof that they were delegated to data collection, then the Lab TA may be more skeptical...

I definitely 100% would NOT escalate to lab coordinator until the lab TA responds. But yeah, if he seems unreasonable, bring your case to the lab coordinator.

Good luck!!

Hmm, the only thing I have in writing is me emailing them reminding them to continue collecting data. For what it's worth though, the class is hard as hell and I am doing well (knock on wood). I think I have one of the best grades in the class just based on what I am hearing. So I'm hoping that holds a little weight in demonstrating that I wouldn't just neglect this entire project. I guess I really don't know what kind of solution we could come up with..I'm hoping maybe he gives me like an extra week or something. I can do it myself if I just have a little more time. I probably should've just done that from the beginning, but you never expect someone to withdraw at this point in the semester. This sucks, I did not see this coming at all. Thanks for your response though, I appreciate it!

 

[Incis0r]

Hmm, the only thing I have in writing is me emailing them reminding them to continue collecting data. For what it's worth though, the class is hard as hell and I am doing well (knock on wood). I think I have one of the best grades in the class just based on what I am hearing. So I'm hoping that holds a little weight in demonstrating that I wouldn't just neglect this entire project. I guess I really don't know what kind of solution we could come up with..I'm hoping maybe he gives me like an extra week or something. I can do it myself if I just have a little more time. I probably should've just done that from the beginning, but you never expect someone to withdraw at this point in the semester. This sucks, I did not see this coming at all. Thanks for your response though, I appreciate it!

In light of this response, I think you're in awesome shape then! Having one of the best grades in a difficult class will definitely help your case a lot. Don't worry about this anymore .