tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post5323871222168724468..comments2023-10-15T04:23:50.187-04:00Comments on College Misery: Pollyana from Penticton Wants To Talk Essays.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-67853873514735144222013-12-16T07:33:53.542-05:002013-12-16T07:33:53.542-05:00I doubt I'd be too surprised, but the total er...I doubt I'd be too surprised, but the total error count for any one assignment would still be kept at a manageable level for the student and the grader. It would also allow a very specific focus on a few issues with the prose (e.g., absolutely no comma splices this time, no passive voice, whatever the most important issues are).<br /><br />The other point is that if a student truly doesn'HPPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11927706471904009157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-57170506001560102352013-12-15T22:21:57.977-05:002013-12-15T22:21:57.977-05:00Basically a good idea, but you'd be astonished...Basically a good idea, but you'd be astonished how many mistakes some students can cram into a single paragraph. I tend to mark and fix an error the first time a student makes it in a paper, then ask him/her to fix the rest. The margins near the first one or two paragraphs can get <i>very</i> full. <br /><br />In short, though this could be a valuable exercise, and might focus student Contingent Cassandrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08161652083031423415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-85841135468049886652013-12-15T18:51:35.881-05:002013-12-15T18:51:35.881-05:00Pollyana is clearly onto a good technique here, an...Pollyana is clearly onto a good technique here, and bravo for deploying it successfully. At the same time, am I the only one who wanted to weep at vomit that this is what we've come to: exchanging ideas on how best to appeal to students' rampant narcissism in order to get them to produce anything of even minimal quality? This should be a fucking middle school lesson plan, for christ'Surly Templehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05057191570792423261noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-53098766816899322552013-12-15T16:05:37.571-05:002013-12-15T16:05:37.571-05:00"a lack of understanding that the past really...<em>"a lack of understanding that the past really was different (one of those things my historian friends often complain their students just don't get)"</em><br /><br />Absolutely.<br /><br />I've received plenty of history essays where the students' definition of analysis was to express astonishment that the historical characters under consideration did not do what the Defunct Adjuncthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12954331373226016090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-11580575045494740302013-12-15T13:11:28.234-05:002013-12-15T13:11:28.234-05:00I like it. Also, the questions are quirky enough t...I like it. Also, the questions are quirky enough to reduce the chances that there's an already-written essay on the topic out there. That's always a plus. <br /><br />I suspect some of the answers might betray a lack of understanding that the past really was different (one of those things my historian friends often complain their students just don't get), but I gather that's a Contingent Cassandrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08161652083031423415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-52420976640480275112013-12-15T12:04:45.550-05:002013-12-15T12:04:45.550-05:00Nice technique! I may have to steal it! Thanks!Nice technique! I may have to steal it! Thanks!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-81012571107460780032013-12-15T11:59:38.612-05:002013-12-15T11:59:38.612-05:00If the problem is the inability to perform actual ...If the problem is the inability to perform actual analysis as much as it is just poor writing, starting with small chunks of both analysis and writing would make a lot of sense to allow students to focus intently on the task of analysis and the skill of writing.<br /><br />Does anyone start with short assignments, like a single well-constructed paragraph, to practice the kind of analysis you HPPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11927706471904009157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-48172624440242878912013-12-15T10:08:41.011-05:002013-12-15T10:08:41.011-05:00I think that's a really interesting way to get...I think that's a really interesting way to get them to think about outside topics and force them to analyze! I like it. =)watercathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12592663814187083645noreply@blogger.com