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On being pedantic...

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    #16
    Hi
    nice OP.
    I spend the whole semester being very precise with my OWN use of words in my classes and start out with a laboratory module about "accuracy" and "precision". As an intro I use quotes from various lamestream talking heads as illustration of incorrect usage.

    I do this in a very NON - threatening manner with an emphasis not on THOU SHALT DO THUS AND SO OR I WILL LOWER YOUR GRADE, but with the simple technique of when we are doing a "measurements" module for the first lab, I am the only professor to do this, I have ALL students to "stand before me" and use the terms correctly when describing their measurements compared to a standard and compared to the group.

    The students are told that the first exam will have a ten point question, out of one hundred points, in which they will "compare and contrast" the two terms and that they should practice writing such and merely memorize it to transcribe it on the exam . And, if they wish to bring in an exemplar I would gladly critique it, merely as a compare and contrast, not their writing style.

    Curiously they all get the points...hmmm need to rethink that...can't have all A's...woah...what a thought! lol

    I repeat this on every exam with several terms which they will compare and contrast with the addition that they are given a list of several sets of terms and they don't know which will be on the exam.

    About the fourth exam I provide a "list of terms" in which they have to "figure out" which of them are "pairs" and do not know which will be provided.

    They are told also that the final exam will have "some kind of compare and contrast essay" on it about ANY two of the terms from the semester.

    With this simple technique the students are, ON THEIR OWN, learning about the equivalent of an exam volume of terminology which I can discuss in passing instead of having to belabour the terms by beating them over their dear little heads with the words and shouting that they need to learn this because it is HARD!!

    Which is, in my estimation, merely a way for the professor to show that she, or he, is much smarter than the stupid little frosh. Indeed, the stupid little frosh should just go away; which would allow the infinitely wise professor to spend much more time contemplating his, or her, navel.

    No, not a navel orange! lol

    woodlikestheOPsmoke
    Last edited by woodsmoke; Jul 30, 2017, 01:18 AM.

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