Think like a mean marker
Remove distractions from your writing.
We love clear, concise writing, like you practiced in the first Writing exercise. In this exercise, we want you to get inside the head of the meanest marker you can imagine. This marker has already marked a big stack of coursework. They are tired and grumpy. They have just picked up an essay that contains some of their pet hates. We’d like you to have some fun expressing their frustration. We would like you to act as a super-critical marker – Professor Perfect - and insert your thoughts about the writing. Professor Snippy has provided an example.
This is the writing that Prof Snippy is marking:
Since the time of evolution a plethora of research has shown that cows like grass. The first person to research the food preferences of cows was Bloggs (2014), who found that they chose grass more often than baked beans. It is therefore clear that cows like grass.
Prof Snippy has inserted their thoughts while reading it:
Since the time of evolution [What, has evolution stopped??] a plethora of research [How much is a plethora? Does the quantity matter???] has shown that cows like grass. The first person [I think I read an earlier study… Maybe this was the first one the student has heard of. Should I check??] to research the food preferences of cows was Bloggs (2014), who found that they chose grass more often than baked beans. It is therefore clear [It’s not clear to me… choosing grass doesn’t mean cows like it. Maybe they just don’t like baked beans?] that cows like grass.
Notice how Prof Snippy’s comments are not just about the writing, but also about the content. The writing is not clear, and so the content is also unclear. By clearing up the writing Prof. Snippy is more likely to understand the content and give us the benefit of the doubt.
In this activity, you will practice thinking like a mean marker.
Instructions
This is the writing that Professor Perfect (that’s you!) is marking.
An amazingly vast array of research [__________] has found affects [__________] of smoking on health [Pickle] 1990) [__________]. One study found that as many as 50% of all smokers die [__________]. Another study tested if quitting smoking reduced death rates but unfortunately its results were insignificant [__________]. Some research has looked into genetic factors associated with smoking death rates [__________]. We looked for research into gender differences and smokers’ health but there was none, therefore there is a gap in the literature [__________] and further research is needed on this fascinating topic [__________].
Copy it into a file,
Fill in the blanks with your thoughts (be as mean as you can!), and upload it to PsyBot for feedback.
If you have time, you might also edit and improve the paragraph. You can show that to PsyBot too, to get feedback.