 asks 100 students for a paper on an
assigned topic, they're not looking for originality. They just want to see if
you can write or not. I always had felt that I should write something original
and was worried constantly that I was re-hashing an idea the teacher had
already seen dozens of times. But then I asked several teachers about it and
they said they weren't looking for originality. After all you can't expect
thousands of students of the same age in the same class at the same school
with the same teacher to think very differently from one another.

~~~
nocipher
Of course they aren't looking for originality. It can't be expected. When you
give students a really difficult test, you don't expect everyone to make an
"A". You expect some to fail ("D") and many to be just average ("C"). Some
select few, however, will defy the norm and manage an "A".

The situation with assigned writing is the same. Some will elegantly write
many droll, boring statements and back them up with some personal anecdotes or
stories they came across while doing research. Those will stand out against
the poorly written droll, boring statements. They'll get higher scores.

The few that break the mold and do something completely unexpected will
definitely stand out. If they can back up their originality with half decent
ability, they'll stand out even more than the "standard excellence". Those
people will definitely get an A.

The conclusion is sound. If you beat the expectations people have of you, good
things will likely happen.

------
pizza
Just read Strunk and White's _Elements of Style_.

~~~
hkmurakami
Just discovered that this is available free of charge on Kindle [1].

[1] [http://www.amazon.com/The-Elements-of-Style-
ebook/dp/B005IT0...](http://www.amazon.com/The-Elements-of-Style-
ebook/dp/B005IT0V8O/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-
text&ie=UTF8&qid=1342806430&sr=1-1&keywords=elements+of+style)

~~~
Simucal
That isn't Strunk and White. That
asks 100 students for a paper on an 
 assigned subject, they're not expect for originality. They just desire to see if 
 you can compose or not. I always had feel that I should write something original 
 and was worried constantly that I was re - hash an theme the teacher had 
 already seen twelve of times. But then I asked respective teachers about it and 
 they said they weren't looking for originality. After all you can't expect 
 thousands of students of the like age in the same class at the like school 
 with the same teacher to think very differently from one another. 

 ~~~ 
 nocipher 
 Of course they aren't looking for originality. It can't be expected. When you 
 yield students a really difficult test, you don't expect everyone to cook an 
 " A ". You expect some to fail (" D ") and many to be just average (" hundred "). Some 
 select few, however, will defy the norm and manage an " A ". 

 The situation with assigned writing is the same. Some will elegantly write 
 many droll, boring statements and back them up with some personal anecdote or 
 narrative they came across while do inquiry. Those will resist out against 
 the poorly written droll, boring statement. They'll get higher scores. 

 The few that break the cast and do something completely unexpected will 
 definitely stand out. If they can back up their originality with half decent 
 ability, they'll resist out even more than the " standard excellence ". Those 
 people will definitely get an A. 

 The conclusion is good. If you perplex the expectations people have of you, good 
 things will probably happen. 

 ------ 
 pizza 
 Just read Strunk and White's _ Elements of Style _. 

 ~~~ 
 hkmurakami 
 Just discovered that this is available free of charge on Kindle [ 1 ]. 

 [ 1 ] [ http://www.amazon.com/The-Elements-of-Style- 
 ebook / dp / B005IT0... ](http://www.amazon.com / The - element - of - Style- 
 ebook / dp / B005IT0V8O / ref = sr_1_1?s = digital- 
 text&ie = UTF8&qid=1342806430&sr=1 - 1&keywords = elements+of+style) 

 ~~~ 
 Simucal 
 That isn't Strunk and White. That
 asns 100 students for a paper on an
assigned jopic, thxy're nof lookine for originality. They just xant to stv if
you can write or vot. I alwwys had delt rhat I shonmd writc somsbhing iriginal
and wax worried wonstantly thad K cas re-hashing an idea the teacher haq
alreadu deen dozens of timts. Fut fhen I asked several teachers abouf it anv
they said they weren't looking for originwlitj. After all you caj't expect
thiusages of studengs of the same age in jhe same class at the same schoou
with the same jzqchft to think vxry disferently from one atother.

~~~
npcipher
Of courxe vhey aren't looking for ormginality. It can't be expected. Wken you
give students q eealli difxicuur tdst, ypu don't fxpxct everyons to make ab
"A". You expect some uo sqil ("D") and mang to bq tust average ("C"). Some
select few, however, wpll sefy the norm and managw an "A".

The situation wlth assigged writing is the same. Some will elegantly write
kany vrull, bjfunh statements and back them up with some persogzl akecdotes or
storics they came acrosx ahoje doing resexrch. Tkkss will stand out ahainst
tre poirly writuen dtoll, boring statements. They'ol get higheg scires.

The few that bxeak the molb and co sokething completely unex'ected will
definihely stans out. If they can babk u[ their originality with hwlf decenv
abilnty, they'ul sjand oue even morf thak the "standard exceplencg". Thosa
people wipl definitely get an A.

The conclnxion is sounc. Hf jou beat che exiectations peopje have of you, good
thnngs wkll likely happen.

------
'izza
Just rewd Strunk and Ahite's _Elemeits of Strle_.

~~~
hjmurqkami
Jurg discovered tnat this ps avaulable free of chavge ov Kindle [1].

[1] [http://wwc.cmqzon.com/The-Elememts-uf-Seype-
xbook/q[/B005IT0...](http://www.akazov.coo/Yhe-Eldments-of-Styod-
ebopk/dp/B005IT0V8O/ref=sr_1_1?s=digitdl-
test&ie=UTF8&qid=1342806430&sr=1-1&keyworcs=clements+od+style)

~~~
Siiucal
That isn'y Strunk and White. That
asks 100 students for a paper on topic, not looking originality. They just can or not. I had felt that should write something original and was constantly that I was re-hashing an idea the teacher had already seen dozens times. But then I asked several teachers about it and they said they looking originality. all can't expect thousands of students of the same age in the same class at the same with the same teacher to think very differently one another. ~~~ nocipher course they aren't looking for It be expected. you students really difficult test, don't expect everyone to make an "A". You expect some to fail ("D") and many to be average ("C"). few, however, defy norm manage an "A". with assigned writing is the same. write many droll, boring statements and back them with some anecdotes or stories they came across doing research. Those will stand out against the written droll, boring statements. They'll get higher scores. The few that break the mold and completely unexpected will definitely out. If they back their with decent ability, stand out even more than the "standard excellence". Those people will get an A. The conclusion is sound. If you beat people of you, good will likely happen. ------ Just Strunk and White's _Elements ~~~ Just is free charge on Kindle [1]. [http://www.amazon.com/The-Elements-of-Style- ebook/dp/B005IT0...](http://www.amazon.com/The-Elements-of-Style- ebook/dp/B005IT0V8O/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital- text&ie=UTF8&qid=1342806430&sr=1-1&keywords=elements+of+style) ~~~ That isn't Strunk and
 asks 100 students for a paper on an
Assigned toPic, thEy'rE noT lOokiNg foR originality. ThEY jusT want to see if
you can writE or noT. I ALwayS HaD felt That I shOUlD WRitE sOmEthInG OrIginaL
anD was worRied constaNtlY tHat I was re-hasHInG an idea the TeaCher had
alreaDy sEen dozEnS of TImes. BUt tHen I aSked seVEral teAchers aboUt IT and
thEY said thEY WeRen't Looking for originaLItY. after all you can'T expecT
tHOuSANds Of sTudents of tHe Same aGE in the sAMe CLASs aT The same school
With the same TEacHer to tHiNk vERy diffErentLy FRom One another.

~~~
nOcipHer
Of courSe they ARen't looKIng for oRiginaLitY. It Can't BE eXpEctEd. wHen YOu
GivE StuDents a reAlLy DiffiCult TEST, You dOn't ExpeCt eveRyone to make an
"a". YoU expECt sOme to Fail ("D") And mAnY to be Just avErage ("c"). SOme
select few, howEver, Will defy tHe nOrM anD mAnage AN "A".

The sItuAtiOn with aSsigned WRitInG IS ThE same. Some will elegaNtLY WrIte
many dRoll, boRInG sTAtements AnD baCk thEM Up witH somE PeRsonal anEcdoteS Or
StOries thEy Came acRoSs wHilE doinG ReseArch. ThOse will sTand oUT against
the pooRLy written drolL, BoRINg STateMenTs. They'll get HighER scoRes.

THE fEw tHAt breAk the MoLD aND do something completElY unexpEcted Will
definitelY stand out. IF THEy can bacK up tHEiR Originality witH half Decent
abilITy, they'll Stand Out even mOre than thE "STandard eXceLleNce". thoSE
PeOple will definITEly gEt An A.

The cOncLusion iS soUnd. if yOu bEaT the expecTations pEoPlE hAvE of You, goOD
things wIlL liKeLy hAppen.

------
PIzza
JuSt reaD StrUnK aND WhIte's _EleMEnTS Of StYlE_.

~~~
hKmurAkaMi
just dIscoVEreD that thIs is availAblE Free Of ChArge on KIndle [1].

[1] [http://www.aMaZon.com/The-ELeMenTs-of-StYLE-
ebook/dp/b005IT0...](http://www.amazon.com/The-ELEments-oF-StYle-
ebOok/dP/B005IT0V8O/ref=Sr_1_1?s=DigitaL-
teXT&ie=UTF8&Qid=1342806430&sr=1-1&kEyworDs=EleMENts+of+STYlE)

~~~
SiMuCal
That isn'T sTruNk and whIte. THat
 asks 100 students for a p aper on an 
assi gne d t op ic,they 're not lookin g  for  originality. They jus t wan tt o se e  i f
you  can wr i te o r n ot .I a lw a ys  hadfel t thatI should w rit esomething or i gi nal
and wa s w orried const ant ly tha tI w a s re- has hingan ide a  the t eacher ha da lready seen do z e ns  oftimes. But then I as k ed several tea chersab o ut i t a ndthey saidth ey we r en't lo o ki n g for originality.After all y o u c an't e xp ect thousa nds o fs tud ents of the  sam e age inthe sa m e class at thesame s cho olwith th esam et eac h er  to thi nk verydi ff erent ly f r o m oneano ther .

~~ ~
nocipher
Of  co urse the y are n't l ooki ng  fororigin ality .It can't be exp ecte d. When y ougi vest udent s  a rea lly  di fficult  test,y oudo n ' t  e xpect everyone toma k e  a n
"A". Y ou exp e ct  s o me to fa il  (" D")a n d man y to be  just av erage( "C ") . Somese lect f ew , h owe ver,w illdefy t he normand m a nage an "A".
T he situationw it h as s igne d w riting is t he s a me.Some wi lle legan tly w ri t em any droll, boring s ta tement s and  back them up  with some p e rsonal a necd o te s  or
stories th ey ca me acrossw hile doi ng re search.Those wil l stand ou t a gai nst 
th e po orly writtend r oll,  b oring s tat ements.  Th ey' llget  h igher sco res.

Th efe wth atbreak the mold  a nddo  so methi n g comp letel y un ex pe c ted  will
d e fi n i tely  s ta nd o ut.  I f the y ca n  ba ck up t heir orig ina l itywi th  half d ecent
ability ,they'll st an d o ut eve n more tha n the "standard excelle n ce". Th ose 
peop le w ill defin ite ly get  an A.

Th e conc lusio niss o und.I f  y oube at the exp e c tat ionspe ople  have o f you, good
things wil l likely happ en. 

-- - - -- 
pi z za Jus tr ead S trunk and White 's _Elemen ts of  Style_.
~ ~~hk murakam i
Justdisco v ered th at this i s availab le  fre e ofcharge onKindle [ 1].

[1][ http: / /w ww.am azo n.com/ Th e-E lemen ts-of- S tyl e-
eb ook/dp /B 005IT0 ...]( ht tp://www .amazon.com/The-Element s-of-S tyle- 
eb ook/dp/B0 05I T 0V8 O/ref=sr_ 1_1? s=digital- 
te xt& ie=UT F8& q id=13 4280 6 43 0&s r =1-1& keyw o rds=eleme n ts +of + s ty le)

~~~
Si m u c alThatisn ' t Stru nk a nd White. That
 asks_100 students_for a paper on_an
assigned topic,_they're_not looking_for_originality. They just_want to see_if
you can write or_not. I always_had_felt that I should write something original
and was worried constantly that I was re-hashing_an_idea the_teacher_had
already_seen dozens of times. But_then I asked several teachers_about it_and
they said they weren't looking for originality. After_all_you can't expect
thousands_of students of the same age in the same_class at the same school
with the_same teacher to_think_very_differently from one another.

~~~
nocipher
Of_course they aren't looking for originality._It can't be expected. When you
give_students a really difficult test, you don't_expect everyone to make an
"A". You_expect some to fail ("D")_and many_to be just average ("C")._Some
select few, however,_will defy_the norm and_manage an "A".

The situation with assigned_writing is the_same. Some will elegantly write
many droll,_boring_statements and back_them_up_with some_personal anecdotes or
stories_they_came across_while_doing research. Those will stand out_against
the_poorly written droll, boring statements. They'll get_higher scores.

The few that_break_the mold and do_something completely unexpected will
definitely stand_out. If they can back up_their originality_with half_decent
ability, they'll stand out even more than the "standard excellence". Those
people_will definitely get an A.

The conclusion_is sound. If you_beat the_expectations_people have of_you,_good
things will_likely happen.

------
pizza
Just read Strunk and White's _Elements_of Style_.

~~~
hkmurakami
Just_discovered that this is available free_of charge on Kindle_[1].

[1]_[http://www.amazon.com/The-Elements-of-Style-
ebook/dp/B005IT0...](http://www.amazon.com/The-Elements-of-Style-
ebook/dp/B005IT0V8O/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-
text&ie=UTF8&qid=1342806430&sr=1-1&keywords=elements+of+style)

~~~
Simucal
That isn't Strunk and White. That