One For The Educators...

Whilst undergoing that draining process that is revision, I can't help but think what an grossly innacurate test of a person's skills exams are.

The authorities have us taking tests of memory, not knowledge. There's no room anywhere for one ounce of creatvity while we have to regurgitate names and dates and facts and theories over and over and over. I am not sure whether I feel more sorry for the students writing these papers or the poor souls from the examination board who are forced to read them.

"Smith (1995) claims that: "exams are an effective measure of knowledge and skill". However, Jones (2007) contradicts Smith's claim by questioning how relentlessly repeating the name of every 19th century feminist critic in one's head can possibly inspire critical thought or analysis. Someone else has more than likely concurred with Jones's view because, lets face it, almost everyone is thinking it. However, as I do not know the name or date of a particular scholar on this subject I will simply begin the sentence with "It could be argued that..", in order to avoid an ass-kicking from the Plagiarism squad." You get the picture.

N.B. Handy alternatives to "It could be argued that" include: "It could be suggested/claimed/proposed/debated that", incase any readers simply cannot find a theorist who claims to have come up with the concept that the sky is, in fact, blue.

Someone please rescue us!