tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31432976.post5720269183517669832..comments2023-08-10T07:41:11.827-07:00Comments on Bajillion: The Word You're Looking For Is "Cherry-Picked"Tommaso Sciortinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13682166317937996902noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31432976.post-66825035971852671942007-04-17T15:18:00.000-07:002007-04-17T15:18:00.000-07:00Though I'm probably guilty of this very transgress...Though I'm probably guilty of this very transgression, I don't think it's appropriate to exaggerate and cherry-pick in order to incite change. Or, rather, it's okay to selectively cite the most shock-worthy facts when supporting an overall truth ("education is in trouble"), but not to the ends that you fabricate a false conclusion ("college students aren't being challenged").Rebecca C. Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04266179966692604794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31432976.post-47851652375599253352007-04-17T09:01:00.000-07:002007-04-17T09:01:00.000-07:00I think that the biggest factor that lead to this ...I think that the biggest factor that lead to this particular piece's badness is that Toch and Carey are high-ups in a think tank the purpose of which is education reform. I happen to like a lot of what they do. At the same time, though, the more problems they can "find" with education, the more important the Education Sector is going to appear.Paulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13510253316398518908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31432976.post-52726366584876906762007-04-12T18:33:00.000-07:002007-04-12T18:33:00.000-07:00I think the underlying problem with 50% of bad jou...I think the underlying problem with 50% of bad journalism is that doom-and-gloom sells better than the truth. How could they fill their pages with reports that college students are working hard, learning critical thinking skills, and being challenged? What self-respecting mother of a high school senior would get up in arms about that?<BR/><BR/>I also like your break-down of why those measurements of the underlying construct of "being challenged" (e.g., papers over 20 pages, etc.) are stupid and misleading.Rebecca C. Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04266179966692604794noreply@blogger.com