Chevy Cavalier, 95, manual transmission, 170,000 miles.

Thought I had solved my bucking problem by changing the plugs and
wires but turns out not. When I hold the needle to 40, the car will
buck/hesitate/surge. Hard to tell what's going on because it happens
to fast. Also happens at other speeds as well. It isn't horrible;
you just know that something isn't right.

However, when you accelerate through the gears, it's much worse and
this is where you really get the bucking. As you're ramping up in
second gear, the car will start bucking wildly and the only way to
cure it is to shift into third. The thing is it seems to me that
you're always shifting at a speed lower than normal.

Is this what a transmission problem looks like?