Comments on: In Defense of Whole-paper Grading http://www.michaellivingston.com/in-defense-of-whole-paper-grading/ Professor, Writer, Editor, Occasional Adventurer Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:05:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Michael Livingston http://www.michaellivingston.com/in-defense-of-whole-paper-grading/comment-page-1/#comment-1149 Michael Livingston Sun, 26 Apr 2009 12:30:15 +0000 http://www.michaellivingston.com/?p=739#comment-1149 Well said! Well said!

]]> By: C. E. Bollinger http://www.michaellivingston.com/in-defense-of-whole-paper-grading/comment-page-1/#comment-1148 C. E. Bollinger Fri, 24 Apr 2009 12:09:09 +0000 http://www.michaellivingston.com/?p=739#comment-1148 For over three decades, I've made a good living off the fact that most college graduates can't write their way out of a paper bag. The concept of thesis-argument-citation-conclusion appears to be beyond the reach of the vast majority of working scientists, computer-related specialists, and health and pharmaceutical professionals. I'm not kidding. Many of them think that if they deeply bury their writing in jargon, the lack of substance in their work will be overlooked. I used to be very glad of this, because it meant I would always have a job. :) However, I'm not doing that work anymore, so I think it is a very good thing for all professors to hammer all aspects of good writing into the brains of their students. In whatever profession those students pursue, their abilities to write clearly will quickly elevate them above their peers. In summary, it is never a bad thing to be confident about your ability to write coherently and persuasively. Anything that professors can do to help their students grasp this Fact of Life will improve their futures considerably. For over three decades, I’ve made a good living off the fact that most college graduates can’t write their way out of a paper bag. The concept of thesis-argument-citation-conclusion appears to be beyond the reach of the vast majority of working scientists, computer-related specialists, and health and pharmaceutical professionals.

I’m not kidding. Many of them think that if they deeply bury their writing in jargon, the lack of substance in their work will be overlooked. I used to be very glad of this, because it meant I would always have a job. :)

However, I’m not doing that work anymore, so I think it is a very good thing for all professors to hammer all aspects of good writing into the brains of their students. In whatever profession those students pursue, their abilities to write clearly will quickly elevate them above their peers.

In summary, it is never a bad thing to be confident about your ability to write coherently and persuasively. Anything that professors can do to help their students grasp this Fact of Life will improve their futures considerably.

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