[alicebot-aiethics] Computers vs. human grading school essays...

[Bryan L. Fordham]

Noel Bush wrote:
> 
> Yes, very interesting, and a good subject for this mailing list.
> 
> Here is an example of software being used as a tool for "social
> reproduction". As Farhad points out:
> 
> 'What makes a standardized test like the GMAT unique, though, is that a
> "good-faith effort" will produce a formulaic essay, according to
> test-preparation experts. In other words, if you want to do well on the
> GMAT, think -- and write -- like a machine.'

This reminds me of what happened to a girl I used to date.  She was an
English major at the University of Georgia.  I'm not sure if this is the
same in other states, but in Georgia every college student must take the
Regents Exam, which is basically to prove you can read and write.  All
you basically do is write an essay.

Well, she forgot to take the test by the appropriate time, and as such
was placed into the remidial class for people who had failed it...
again, she was an English major.  So she dutifully shows up and, when
assigned a topic, writes an essay.

And at the next class is told by the instructor that she would have
failed the Regents because the essay was too good.  She needed to tone
it down.  The instructor wasn't trying to say that was right or ethical
or anything else, he wsa basically just trying to help her out by
telling her that if you do much more than simple declarative sentances
you won't do well on the Regents.

After this I talked with several people who failed the test who are very
capable of writing a 5 paragraph essay on what they did last summer.  My
brother came close to failing, but appealed.  As I remember, 3 English
professors at his college said it was an A paper for English 101, but it
was originally given a failing grade by the Regents folks.

Lovely, isn't it?

-- 
Bryan L. Fordham

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