Yesterday, I explained to a student how his writing sounded
really good, but actually was unclear or vague because of the
over-the-top vocabulary. It’s a problem I had for many years with my own
work, and see in two or three papers in the average batch of 45-50.
Sometimes, it’s the result of a creative student who likes to write in a
literary way; other times, this sort of work comes from students who
lack confidence in their vocabulary and try to beef it up. The result is
what I call a “three rodents” essay.
I unfortunately don’t have a definitive source for this poem; I first became familiar with it in 2000 as a choir song, and there are numerous versions of it now floating around the internet.
***
Three rodents with defective visual perception.
Observe how they perambulate.
They perambulated after the agricultural specialist’s spouse
who severed their hind appendages with a kitchen utensil.
Have you ever witnessed such a spectacle in your existence
as three rodents with defective visual perception?
I unfortunately don’t have a definitive source for this poem; I first became familiar with it in 2000 as a choir song, and there are numerous versions of it now floating around the internet.
***
Three rodents with defective visual perception.
Observe how they perambulate.
They perambulated after the agricultural specialist’s spouse
who severed their hind appendages with a kitchen utensil.
Have you ever witnessed such a spectacle in your existence
as three rodents with defective visual perception?
