Student Expects Perfection

[42_42_42]

Spell check people. It's really easy. Just hit that little button. Come on, you can do it.

Honestly, if you are turning in something for a grade, then you should take the time to make sure it is written correctly. If an instructor makes the occasional typo on a hand-out or when writing up on the board, it's really just not the same caliber of error.


That being said, I made a stupid typo when ordering my last checks. I ordered them online and put in Bank or America instead of Bank of America. Missed it when I double-checked everything. My mind just read it as if it were correct. Hate it when that happens! Anyway, it's not that noticable on the checks, and all the important info (names, address, routing and accoutn numbers) are correct, so they're still usable. So for the next 10 years we'll be using checks with Bank or America on them. I'm kind of curious to see how many people notice.

[EvilEmpryss]

So for the next 10 years we'll be using checks with Bank or America on them. I'm kind of curious to see how many people notice.

I bet when they do notice, you'll be accused of trying to pass a fake check.

[42_42_42]

I bet when they do notice, you'll be accused of trying to pass a fake check.

I pretty much write checks to either friends/family or church, so I'm fortunately not likely to run into that scenario.

[Miss Fatale]

Just checking; you're not one of those instructors that takes 2-3% of the total grade off for each typo or misspelling, are you? Because if that's the case it sounds like they're just calling you out for expecting perfection and failing to deliver.

Oh goodness, no. Since we're still early in the course, I take off about 1% for all typos, unless the paper is truly incomprehensible. I make it a point to explain each error and only take off a few points. I grade harder as the course goes on.

I dislike seeing errors in my own work, but the fact is, there are 100 students and only one of me....

[Broomjockey]

Just checking; you're not one of those instructors that takes 2-3% of the total grade off for each typo or misspelling,

I had instructors where they'd set aside a portion of the grade of a paper specifically for spelling and grammar, either 5 or 10%, based on whatever criteria. You'd lose 1% for each mistake. Personally, I find that system very fair, as it rewards good writers, but won't flunk poor writers merely because of an inability to spell.


Here's an alternate site for checking word usage: http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/errors.html

This one's good because it's in list form, and pairs up the commonly confused words.

[Pagan]

with a total of 3 meanings (to verb meanings and one noun).

I'm sorry, but in the context of this thread, this little typo had me giggling!

[Andara Bledin]

As the instructor, shouldn't you be perfect?"

Alas, I must settle for being human.

One of my co-workers made some snarky comment about me having made a mistake (it doesn't happen often, and I'm pretty harsh about other people making stupid mistakes, which happens far too often leaving me to clean things up after), and so I told her, "Sorry, but my godhood hasn't gone through, yet, so I'm not perfect."

I had a prof (in a liberal arts course no less) who did seem to understand the difference between "effect" and "affect", based on the fact that he said I was using the wrong one in one of my essays. Unfortunately, he seemed to have their meanings reversed.

Effect and affect are a common problem. This is partially exasperated by the fact that they can be synonyms, depending on the situation.

I've never expected perfection although I have had a few professors from whom competence would have been nice, although the one who didn't understand the grading scale she invented and gave As to everybody was kind of nice.

I had a literature teacher in 9th grade who couldn't spell her way out of a wet paper bag and whose grammar was offensively atrocious.

My brother, who was a punk, would routinely make her cry when he had her class two years after me. He'd make a point of correcting her whenever she'd screw up, and she couldn't handle it.

^-.-^

[42_42_42]

I'm sorry, but in the context of this thread, this little typo had me giggling!

Can I blame it on a malfunctioning w key?

[Primer]

I frequently have to remind my students that their teachers are human, too, and mistakes happen. I also tell them on the first day that I happen to be dyslexic, and they need to pay attention to what I write, and correct me when I get something wrong. Admittedly, the more tired I am, the worse it gets, but I always thank them when they catch something. Some days, the brain and the hand just are NOT connected.

[Kristev]

I know what you mean. Typing mistakes, and writing mistakes, just happen when the letters get all scrambled in your head.

[Whiskey]

As a student, shouldn't s/he be astute enough not to snap at the hand that marks the final grade and has the power to curve it up a little?

Quoting this for truth. I can't imagine saying that to a professor. I'm trying to form a witty/funny statement to go along with this, but I'm literally taken aback. If she's so good at spotting errors, why aren't her papers perfect though?

[Pagan]

I frequently have to remind my students that their teachers are human, too, and mistakes happen. I also tell them on the first day that I happen to be dyslexic, and they need to pay attention to what I write, and correct me when I get something wrong. Admittedly, the more tired I am, the worse it gets, but I always thank them when they catch something. Some days, the brain and the hand just are NOT connected.

I don't have any writing or reading problems, but the more tired I am, the more problems I have typing coherently.

This alone took me several tries. That's what happens after an 8 hour day and 300 prescriptions filled.

[Bobsentme]

My College english professor started the first day of class with this line:

"I don't want to say I'm better than you...
But I'm better than you."

His hand writing for grading isn't readable.
His syllabus was confusing, he didn't use 3 of the 4 books he required for his course, and he bitched if we so much as missed a day of class.

Unless you're him, i feel for you.

[Ironclad Alibi]

If she's so good at spotting errors, why aren't her papers perfect though?

I have always heard that it is far easier to spot someone elses writing mistakes, that it is to spot your own. That is why better writers have another person proofread their work.

[EvilEmpryss]

When you read your own work, your brain tends to fill in mistakes with what you already know you meant to say. If you don't have someone to proofread your work for spelling errors (the kind that spell check doesn't catch, like "there" instead of "their"), read your work backwards, word by word. Using this post as an example, you would start at the bottom of the paragraph and work your way to the top, like so:

say to meant you know already your what with mistakes in fill to tends brain your work own your read you When

Done this way, you usually see the errors leap out at you. Doesn't help with grammar or content, but if spelling is your weak point....