Interview with the acclaimed professor X!!!

(This is Ace Charette)

Professor “X” of the English department said that the way a person writes definitely has an impact in the field (of literary criticism specifically). S/he said that writing is the language of paradox and of tension being let out of the deepest parts of our minds. Because of this, s/he said that s/he does not mind it if criticism isn’t necessarily crystal clear because the subject at hand is not always crystal clear and can push the reader into two contradictory directions. Grammar errors (such as the difference between “that” and “which”) are usually caught by editors, but if a professor has terrible grammar, chances are s/he would not be a prof.

As for the (un)importance of grammar and “correctness” thereof concerning student writing, professor X said that s/he found it heartbreaking when a student has a clear ability to critically think in profound ways but is also unable to convey what s/he means due to bad grammar. To grade this, s/he usually leans towards a B+ on these papers, and conversely a low B for those who can use grammar well but somewhat miss the mark on critical analysis.

What impressed professor X the most about student writing was critical analysis. Citations and textual analyses are definitely favored. Furthermore, a paper that conveys an ambiguity of thought is actually preferred, as opposed to taking a stance on one argument or another and proving it.