The rather simple and pristine realm of essays and essay writing is actually not devoid of disturbing trends. One such trend is the use of advanced computer software to grade typed essays - a trend that is set to continue given the Graduate Management Admision Council’s recent decision to use Vantage Learning’s computer-based essay scoring system to grade the Analytical Writing Assessment portion of the GMAT.

Although GMAC stresses that results given out through this system are comparable to results before the system was introduced, I’m not too sure about the ability of a computer to judge style and content. Understandably, the Analytical Writing Assessment component of the GMAT is compartmentalized enough that an advanced computer software package should be able to grasp the main ideas of a student’s essay and style. But errors in judgment can and will occur, and the worst part is that we will not be told anything about it. Heck, I’m not sure if the administrators would know anything about it either.

Of course, you could argue that grades given out by human essay scorers are not error-free either. Human essay scorers could very well take the easy way out when their individual workloads number in the thousands. That would mean giving high marks to long essays, multiple examples, and bombastic words, even if the overall package ends up mediocre. Computers, on the other hand, do not get tired, and will mark all essays based on the exact same criteria - ensuring that there’s no impartiality from different examiners.

So, it does seem that a computerized essay scoring system has its benefits. But whether the advantages from such a system outweigh the disadvantages, or whether the move is a profit-motivated or resulted-oriented one is unknown.

I am not sure I have seen a more creative use of essay competitions this year, but if I have, it couldn’t have been much better than this attempt to sell off a US$100,000 flower shop through an essay competition.

Anyway, the concept is simple. Each participant is to pay a US$100 entry fee, which will then entitle the participant to submit one essay to the owners of the flower shop. If your essay is selected as a winner, you will then be the new owner of the Dial-A-Flower shop - valued at around US$100,000.

The owners of the flower shop hope to attract at least 1,000 participants, which will then net them the value of the flower shop, i.e. US$100 x 1000 = US$100,000. So far, they have managed to get 50 participants.

Oh, yes. The title of the essay is: Why I want to own a flower shop.

[News via The Mercury News]

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With all the admissions consultants and pay-for-essay websites floating around these days, it is not surprising to hear that university admissions officers are paying more attention on substance rather than style. What they want from a personal essay is deep insight into the character of the writer. Today, too slick a package, and admissions officers start getting suspicious.

Of course, this is the same whether we are talking about undergraduate or graduate admissions, but it seems we’re seeing more of such “unnecessary” resources being used in graduate admissions - a stage where applicants generally have more money at their disposal.

So, their (admissions officers) advice is to stick to your own writing skills, spend lots of time on the essay, and get someone close to proofread it for you. In my humble opinion, that kind of generalised advice is precisely why so many well-to-do applicants turn to admissions consultants, but I suppose there is really no way around the problem. Worse still, as universities become more discriminating (academically and essay-wise), more and more students will turn to “help” - no matter where they have to get it from.

[News via The Ticker]

While most people consider essays to contain either mere fantasies (in the case of fiction), or cold, hard facts (in the case of non-fiction), the content of essays can also be an indicator of the writer’s mental and emotional state. This fact has long been used by test graders across the United States to check for signs of child abuse, depression or even threats of violence.

But it seems that only recently (i.e. since the 1999 Columbine High School incident) has more stress and sensitivity been placed on this kind of “mental and emotional screening”. In fact, since the September 11 terrorist attacks, more and more of these “crisis papers” are appearing.

The interesting thing about this is that not only can you see the mental and emotional state of the writer from essays, but also from any form of written response, such as math or science questions - though the conclusions drawn are far more limited.

So, perk up when you’re writing your essays. After all, you never know when you’ll be recommended for counseling for writing an angst-filled essay in your exams.

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