I was helping my daughter format a biology term paper. I googled 'sample term paper format', so I could remember proper formatting. No, I was not trying to buy a paper for her online. But, I did find many, many sites willing to sell me one!!!
I finally found a website purporting to assist high schoolers in the term paper writing process.
Here is a passage from that website
When time for writing a high school term paper comes, you think that not everything is so good anymore, and you should do a lot of work. Writing a good high school term paper requires some time and your efforts. So, be ready to this.
What??????
In homeschooling my kids, I have come across this issue more often than you would believe.
How can you put yourself out there as an educator or a 'helper', when your grammar sucks? I really don't get it.
I have had two homeschool curriculum companies send me emails with attrocious grammar. I'm not talking about a simple apostrophe ommission or typo - I'm talking serious issues with grammar - like LOL cats bad grammar. Really - that bad.
12 comments:
It's sad, isn't it?
I worked for a major national tutoring company, and saw teachers use the word alot, or allot.
One even asked me which was the correct spelling.
Gee, how do you spell a word that doesn't exist?
This is so true. I teach all day, full-time, at a community college. I teaching writing and essay composition and I teach two workshops on research essays and MLA documentation. I feel horrible when I make typos: my most recent is the incorrect use of the word "worse". The good news is it's not because I don't know, it's usually because my brain is tired or I'm thinking faster than my fingers can type. And I most always fail to proof my own stuff. Fortunately, I am the best at what I do when I'm doing it. But *it is* very sad that we have educators in this country who aren't qualified to teach. I think it's more scary than sad.
how frustrating.
I hope you edit those things and mail them back, complete with editing marks!
The quote almost sounds like a second language learner. Was the website from somewhere out of the country?
I see this kind of thing everywhere. It is endemic, and so, so depressing.
I would flip! My Sister worked at a school as an aid and she listened in horror as the teacher read a story to the children about jewan and his tort illas. Yes pronounce it as it is spelled here. Juan and the Tortillas!
I'm with Vic on this one. I think the original post gets translated automatically (not by a human) and it sucks but it makes for funny reading even if your head hurts afterward.
Is this the reason we home schoolers home school?
My kids laugh at my Grammar Nazi rules, but they remember them.
Hay, back away frum the LOL cats. Theyz just fine. You iz bein 2 harsh.
@Da Old Man - Scary!
@flawsnall - my run-ins are more with companies marketing to educators as opposed to educators, but shouldn't they have a better knowledge of their product?
@Stacie - I know.
@Susan Helene Gottfried - I did mark up a post card I was sent with a red pen and mailed it to the head of the curriculum company. After I put it in the mailbox, I felt a little, you know, crazy?
@Vic - It seemed to be an American website, but suspiciously so.
@ettarose - tort illa - another pet peeve. Jewan, that crosses a line!
@Jen - it does leave the brain a bit achy.
@The Mother - Perhaps you could use your skills to right the grammar wrongs so prevalent!
@feefifoto - Are you an LOL cat in disguise?
Will no one mention that atrocious is spelled with one t? Delicious irony.
I didn't catch that . . . now that's funny!
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