Quoting Joan Warmbold <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: > Do we want good thinking or good spelling?
I want both; as I and others have said in previous posts, if the paper is more formal and typed, then at minimum I expect the respect of spell check and grammar check so that I don't have to suffer through constant disruptions in my reading of the paper, as I come across errors--some pretty egregious. I also find that if I am constantly stopping to make sense of what I am reading I don't get the meaning as well and typically students end up with a lower grade. So the two do go hand-in-hand. > So I refuse to grade a student on how well they were or > were not taught by former teachers My feeling here is that they really need to have this skill to maximize their success in life, so if they didn't get it earlier, I have them work on it now. I am not overly punitive, but I do make the point--and even though I may only take off a point or two at most, I do correct all errors. In addition, I find that at minimum going through spell and grammar check is a sign of respect for the reader. Most people with poor writing skills know that their skills are poor. > do you "grade" your friends on the quality of their ideas or on > how grammatically correct their thoughts are presented? 1. If they are good friends, you betcha, I correct 'em. And if they are good friends, they usually appreciate the correction. 2. And it's quite a leap from a teaching situation to a social situation; I don't think I can make this comparison in any valid or meaningful way. Assignments are formal communications; I wouldn't want to read a newspaper article, or a novel replete with grammar and spelling errors. This is just my opinion. Annette Annette Kujawski Taylor, Ph. D. Department of Psychology University of San Diego 5998 Alcala Park San Diego, CA 92110 [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
