What is it with the strange habit of offering dictionary definitions of very simple words in academic writing? One student after another informs me that “the dictionary defines ‘good” as morally excellent; virtuous; righteous; pious and ‘bad’ as not good in any manner or degree.” Is this a way to pad an essay or an act of condescension towards the reader?
I have a feeling that this is yet another writing practice promoted in high school English courses.
It’s a high school technique that sometimes persists longer than that, into college, grad school, and even the writings of some scholars. It would be good for you to stamp it out now in your students, for the benefit of civilization.
LikeLike
” It would be good for you to stamp it out now in your students, for the benefit of civilization.”
– Yes, I’m trying to do exactly that!
LikeLike
I have always suspected that this practice, in addition to the reasons you mentioned, is done to call attention to what, to the writer, appears to be a subtle, but perhaps annoying or misleading, misuse of a particular word. I have seen it used to dispute the use of well and good, for example. I have also seen it used to accuse someone of misuse of a term, most notably the word ‘impact’ which as we all know is a noun, NOT a verb, no matter how many people say “This impacts the whole process,” or some such gibberish.
LikeLike
I gave the students an essay topic, let’s say it’s “The destruction of the indigenous civilizations of the Americas.” Several students deemed it necessary to give me a definition of “destruction” (an act of destroying) and civilizations. At least, “Americas” were not given a definition.
LikeLike
Because it’s the hardest word to define. Why Americas and not America? (A serious question, which probably some of your students don’t know either).
LikeLike
” Why Americas and not America? (A serious question, which probably some of your students don’t know either).”
– We discussed this one already, though. So at least they know this. 🙂
LikeLike
Another usage of this technique would be to argue that the lexicographers made a mistake, of course.
LikeLike
I’ve seen this from students who have received comments on past papers telling them to define their terms but who have never had any instruction on *when* to define their terms.
LikeLike
Yes, that makes sense.
LikeLike
I used to define everything in my essays. And then in my senior year of high school I was told to assume that whoever would read my paper already knew about the subject (I think before that I’d always been told to assume the reader didn’t know anything), and all they wanted was my interpretation.
LikeLike
Ah yes, I was taught this “trick” at my public US high school (I hated it then, and still do). It was mostly advertised as a way to start an essay at a broad level before focusing down to the thesis statement. Another popular one for people who didn’t know where to start was to start with some famous/popular quotation… yuck.
LikeLike
Oh yes, the quotations! The most inane ones in the universe are usually selected for this purpose. My personal favorite was “As my grandmother used to say, if life sends you lemons, make lemonade.” The topic of the essay was the struggle of the indigenous peoples of the Americas for their rights.
LikeLike
Stupid is as stupid does.
LikeLike
Yup, learned that in high school. Thanks for nothing, high school.
LikeLike
A conservative literary critic and college professor
Clarissa's Blog 
Leave a comment