This reflects exactly my experience having recently returned to academia as an adjunct professor of music history. It is incredibly depressing to see the writing abilities of some of my second-year students. The best are what I would consider competent, though hardly distinguished; whereas the worst don't seem to understand what a senten…
This reflects exactly my experience having recently returned to academia as an adjunct professor of music history. It is incredibly depressing to see the writing abilities of some of my second-year students. The best are what I would consider competent, though hardly distinguished; whereas the worst don't seem to understand what a sentence is (frequent fragments and run-on sentences), nor do they have any apparent comprehension of grammar (e.g. using the present tense to talk about dead people) or how to logically construct an argument. I try to be generous given their backgrounds, but it's a constant moral dilemma trying to figure out the limits of my generosity given my responsibility to future professors they will have if I pass them. At the same time, I worry if I am too strict, future adjunct teaching at this university (the only one in my area) might be at risk.
This reflects exactly my experience having recently returned to academia as an adjunct professor of music history. It is incredibly depressing to see the writing abilities of some of my second-year students. The best are what I would consider competent, though hardly distinguished; whereas the worst don't seem to understand what a sentence is (frequent fragments and run-on sentences), nor do they have any apparent comprehension of grammar (e.g. using the present tense to talk about dead people) or how to logically construct an argument. I try to be generous given their backgrounds, but it's a constant moral dilemma trying to figure out the limits of my generosity given my responsibility to future professors they will have if I pass them. At the same time, I worry if I am too strict, future adjunct teaching at this university (the only one in my area) might be at risk.