Interview: April 26

April 21, 2006

Dr. C. of the Political Science department suspects that it was an experience in graduate school that infused him with his current “fanaticism” over grammar and the proper use of language. For the first time in his college career his paper had come back to him marked heavily with red in places that he had violated the rules of grammar; rules that until that point in time, he had not been aware of. He then dedicated himself to understanding how to use language properly, and as anyone who has taken one of his classes can confirm, he is determined to pass that information along to his students.

Why is grammar so important to Dr. C? “Well, on one hand it’s a measure of intelligence, but most importantly it’s an indicator of your quest for excellence,” he says. If you are not dedicated to learning about something so important as the correct way to write then it is likely that you will face other challenges in your life with a similar lack of enthusiasm. And being able to write is still an important skill even in this age of computers, “It’s a first clue to a reader or listener. It indicates to them how much trust they should place in you and in the information you’re trying to give them.” And for any student studying political science it becomes immediately obvious the value that trustworthy communication holds.

One has to hope the that the college environment is helping students become better writers, but Dr. C. is skeptical. He teaches students in all years, and much to his disappointment seniors often leave this institution writing as poorly as they did when they entered. It’s a distressing thought, after all, we leave college and hope to enter the real world, but as Dr. C. says, “The world is complex. Frequently it takes complexity in language to convey meaning and be understood.” The world is looking for clarity and freshness, and Dr. C hopes that we are entering it well equipped to contribute.