An Essay by Any Other Name ...
The recent announcement by the Educational Testing Service that its Graduate Management Admission Test would employ a machine--the E-rater--to help rate answers to "essay questions" has caused considerable consternation. Foreseeing the day when such a machine will be used in the rating of writing done for other ETS exams, in particular the SAT, many educators lament the introduction of a robot as a reader of essays.
Much of the dread and confusion among educators is caused unnecessarily, and is the result of habitual loose use of the word "essay." The GMAT examiners really do not want essays. They want those who take the test to provide examples of their skill in expository writing. The examiners want to see how well the test-takers can explain themselves and why they believe something should be done or not done.
As it is used today, the word "essay" is much too inclusive. It is used to refer to almost all kinds of writing except what is obviously meant to be poetry. Even some highly educated people will sometimes, without a blink, refer to highly...
This article is available to subscribers only.
To keep reading this article and more, subscribe now or purchase this article.
Subscribe to Education Week and Save
Get a full year and save up to 45%!
Viewed
Emailed
Recommended
Commented
- Superintendent
- Pinellas County Schools, Pinellas County, FL
- Program Coordinator
- Institute for Educational Advancement, South Pasadena, CA
- Principals
- Prince George's County Public Schools, MD
- Middle School Language Arts Teacher
- TEAM Schools, Newark, NJ
- K-8 Principal
- EdVantages/Performance Academies, Detroit, MI
