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Unlike a multiple choice test where the primary audience is automated graders, the primary audience for an essay is other humans. If even Google and Facebook wi
by RcouF1uZ4gsC 7y ago
Unlike a multiple choice test where the primary audience is automated graders, the primary audience for an essay is other humans. If even Google and Facebook with their billions of dollars and billions of posts worth of data, still cannot always understand the intent and purpose of written content, what hope do these algorithms have?
If it is cost-prohibitive for every essay to be graded by humans, then they should be dropped from the tests. Otherwise, we are missing the whole point of essays which is to communicate effectively with another human, not just match certain text patterns.
- saagarjha 7y ago> If it is cost-prohibitive for every essay to be graded by humans, then they should be dropped from the tests. Apparently it is. But everyone still wants writing to be assessed…
- risubramanian 7y agoThe SAT dropped the writing section a few years ago, and many schools don't care about the GRE writing score.
- hnburnsy 7y agoThey did drop the writing but replaced it with an optional essay. Most upper tier schools require applicants to take the essay.
- ta8347 7y agoHarvard, MIT, Stanford, Caltech, Princeton, Yale, Dartmouth and many other schools do NOT require applicants to take the SAT essay.
- lonelappde 7y agoBecause they prefer an essay you can buy from a college applications consultant.
- saagarjha 7y agoDo you know anyone who has gotten in without taking the SAT essay?
- hanniabu 7y agoFinally, but then none of these new test takers will know what it feels like to get near perfect scores on the other sections of the test but then completely bomb the written portion and ruin your overall score.
- anigbrowl 7y agoIf it is cost-prohibitive then then maybe we should adjust the economic model, not abandon the measurement.
- Spivak 7y agoI mean that's what the automated grading systems are trying to do but it seems like people don't like them very much.
- rocqua 7y agoSure, have less essay test questions, and start grading them for content not form. If you want to grade on form to test the ability to write correct rather than coherent sentences, make those separate questions, and mark them so.
- iliketosleep 7y ago> Otherwise, we are missing the whole point of essays which is to communicate effectively with another human, not just match certain text patterns. I agree, this is traditionally the purpose of an essay. But to play devil's advocate, consider the rising number of people who are writing SEO or ASO content which is actually targeted at machines.