Outside Reading: Editorial 4

February 21, 2011

No named author

“GPA isn’t the mark of a well-spent education”

Editorial from The State News

http://www.statenews.com/index.php/article/2011/02/gpa_isnt_the_mark_of_a_wellspent_education

Though the author of this forward editorial from The State News is unnamed, it is easy to understand the frustration in this piece entitled, “GPA isn’t the mark of a well-spent education.” In the length of this article, the author guides the reader into understanding the supposedly unfair GPA system.

The author uses syntax to his or her advantage numerous times in this editorial. Although the author generally uses medium length sentences in the piece, there are a few times in which s/he employs short sentences to achieve greater effect. The author utilizes this idea in the very first sentence of this editorial: “Labels are an unavoidable part of life.” The author also uses the phrase “It isn’t” to emphasize that the sentence before it is incorrect. In this editorial, the author also puts high-emphasis words at the ends of sentences, such as when s/he writes, “Students should keep in mind that when they see statistics that show MSU on average has posted increases in GPA and ACT scores with each incoming class, it isn’t all that earth-shattering.”

The plethora of details that the author uses helps any reader understand the concept of the GPA, no matter there educational upbringing. Almost immediately the author begins to summarize the MSU GPA system, stating, “In college classes, students are graded at .5 intervals, ranging from 0.0 to 4.0, with no scores in between. Many students complain they miss the next benchmark by only a few points.” By adding these brief details, the reader can eventually form their own opinion on GPAs without much initial persuasion.

In a matter-of-fact voice, the author’s diction is commanding, but is too informal in some areas to be overwhelming. For example, the author writes, “When it all comes down to it, there is a basic formula for education. In a perfect world, professors should work to make a course challenging, and students should enter class with the mindset to do the best job they possibly can.” Here, s/he sounds like they know what they are talking about; however, the initial phrase, “When it all comes down to it,” gives the sentence a bit of informality. Because of this voice, I feel like I cannot fully trust what the author is saying.This would not be an appropriate AP piece because most of what is said has little to no facts to support it.