Does it matter if students can’t write?

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/670a5802-d9b7-11e2-98fa-00144feab7de.html#axzz2Xcc43VSs

[dayman]

Yes, it does. Thing is it doesn't really matter in school...students get out of school and most of them don't realize they cannot write until then. Also certain professions...law, journalism, pr/advertising...still have huge demand for good writers and still ask for samples from each job applicant. It probably is true though, that in certain areas...you can get by these days with pretty low ability.

Edited June 29, 2013 by SameOldBills

[sullim4]

It matters a lot. I work for a major tech company in Seattle. We recruit from all of the top computer science schools - Stanford, Carnegie Mellon, Cornell, MIT, and the like. I have interviewed about a dozen candidates in the last year and it is shocking to see how many of them are unable to put together a coherent thought, either on paper or in an interview. These students are supposedly the cream of the crop, and their resumes read as though they've never been edited - misspellings and basic grammatical errors are found in nearly every single CV I pick up.

 

Social media is killing our youth's ability to put together a coherent argument and write persuasive pieces. Employees that are fresh out of college expect 140 character responses in a code review or email to be sufficient to explain their point of view. It seriously hampers their ability to work with more experienced employees and to get work done. Come performance review time, the small handful of new employees that have solid writing skills are the ones that consistently float to the top.

 

If you want to have a successful career and not have to worry about future unemployment, become an engineer that can write. Your ticket to a stable, high paying job will be written for you.

[dayman]

It wasn't too long ago I was in school and while social media is a contributing factor, the actual reason is that teachers have bailed. Unless you are in writing class, or perhaps an English class, teachers have stopped caring. It is too much trouble to try and incorporate any evaluation of writing into the grade. Walk into any classroom in America and if it is one of the few where you even have to write, it is graded for "content only." There is some decent reasoning behind it since the test is evaluating the subject the course teaches and not writing, and since there are time pressures in taking tests...but still...this is the reason. Kids write stuff all the time that is **** and get good grades if they said the correct thing in a retarded way. That is the real reason. You simply don't have to learn to be a good writer to succeed in school.

Edited June 29, 2013 by SameOldBills

[Nanker]

I blame Vinny Barbarino. He made being stupid cool.

[CosmicBills]

I find it at the very least ironic that the question is being posed by the one poster on TBD who cuts and pastes links to articles more often than actually writing a traditional post.

 

#thingsthatamuseonlyme

[meazza]

I find it at the very least ironic that the question is being posed by the one poster on TBD who cuts and pastes links to articles more often than actually writing a traditional post.

 

#thingsthatamuseonlyme

 

GBID keeps us abreast of all the teachers we wished we had in high school.

[CosmicBills]

GBID keeps us abreast of all the teachers we wished we had in high school.

DING! Points for well crafted word-play.

 

I guess Canadians know how to write still. Such a shame.

[meazza]

DING! Points for well crafted word-play.

 

I guess Canadians know how to write still. Such a shame.

 

Crayonz must be rolling in his cryogenic chamber.

[dayman]

Somewhere Bman is waiting for me to throw his name in the mix. He shall wait no more.

[3rdnlng]

Somewhere Bman is waiting for me to throw his name in the mix. He shall wait no more.

 

Yes. but B-Man always posts at least a summary of what he links to so you can decide whether or not to click on the link for the whole article. GBID doesn't do that. I for one won't click on the link if it is The Buffalo News because I only get 10 articles a month without a subscription and I save those for articles I really want to read.

[DC Tom]

Yes. but B-Man always posts at least a summary of what he links to so you can decide whether or not to click on the link for the whole article. GBID doesn't do that. I for one won't click on the link if it is The Buffalo News because I only get 10 articles a month without a subscription and I save those for articles I really want to read.

 

Really? When I run out, I just reinstall everything...

[Nanker]

I just toss out their cookie.

[KD in CA]

It matters a lot. I work for a major tech company in Seattle. We recruit from all of the top computer science schools - Stanford, Carnegie Mellon, Cornell, MIT, and the like. I have interviewed about a dozen candidates in the last year and it is shocking to see how many of them are unable to put together a coherent thought, either on paper or in an interview. These students are supposedly the cream of the crop, and their resumes read as though they've never been edited - misspellings and basic grammatical errors are found in nearly every single CV I pick up.

 

Social media is killing our youth's ability to put together a coherent argument and write persuasive pieces. Employees that are fresh out of college expect 140 character responses in a code review or email to be sufficient to explain their point of view. It seriously hampers their ability to work with more experienced employees and to get work done. Come performance review time, the small handful of new employees that have solid writing skills are the ones that consistently float to the top.

 

If you want to have a successful career and not have to worry about future unemployment, become an engineer that can write. Your ticket to a stable, high paying job will be written for you.

 

I dunno wut u meen.