Spring 2018 Indian Epics

"Wikipedian Protester" Great example of constructive feedback Image Source: Wikimedia Commons I chose to focus on two articles which explored the potentially negative side effects of praise. Presence, not Praise  relates a study performed in 1998 which analyzed the effects of praise for intellect vs. praise for effort. The findings of this study support the idea that not all praise is equal; the children who were praised for effort approached their next set of problems with greater patience and a higher success rate than those who were praised for the sharpness of their intellect previously. In fact, the very act of acknowledging cleverness in many of these children was found to cause anxiety and fears of failure, reducing their ability to solve the next set of problems. This makes sound sense to me, and I think all parents should consider the praise factor while their children are still young. In a scholastic sense, this is also valuable advice. Stating that some...

Negative feedback (in the case of constructive criticism) works far more efficiently than positive feedback for me. I hate to make mistakes, and I hate being told of my mistakes even more, but I pay far more attention to feedback which indicates an error or an opportunity for improvement than I do to reading "Great job!" No one enjoys having their errors pointed out, but I try to see each instance as a chance to learn.  I was not always like this. The article 14 Signs Your Perfectionism Has Gotten Out Of Control  provides an apt summary of my earlier self. In fact, there are several statements which I still identify with today. Most accurate would be a constant knowledge that I am never finished; there is always another paper to review, another graduate school to apply towards, another set of vocabulary flashcards to review, and a fridge full of slowly rotting produce because I don't make enough time to cook what few healthy foods I buy. These things, and so many...