My department is currently, temporarily, housed in what used to be a hospital. So there are things like this in the mailroom.

I don’t know who thought lining up the end of 8-week courses with the Ides of March was a good idea, but I’d like to talk to him/her. Now.

I am in the library’s cafe, listening to the students at the table next to me talk about how they don’t have to bother getting good sources for their composition papers, as the instructor doesn’t notice/care. To wit -

“I just ran some Google search and took the first three things.”

“I read the back of the book and whatever, but of course I didn’t read it.”

“The library homepage doesn’t make any sense, so I didn’t bother.”

Writing instructors, you needto hold students to account for the quality of their sources and how they use them. They notice when you don’t and it teaches them bad habits that will follow them through their working lives. If you don’t have time/don’t know how to do this yourself*, please come find someone like me who knows how to teach and assess research skills.

* - Because your composition instructor also neglected this part of your education and the bad habits it taught you are impacting your work to this day. See how that works?

Dave is guest lecturing in my class today. Hip-hop, sampling, copyright law, and, apparently, Van Halen references.

For all the academics in the house, inspired by Brofessor Hoffmann.

Internet, meet Dave’s Weekend. Dave’s Weekend, Internet.

Graduate school applications everywhere should be quaking in fear.

Book Chapter Update, IM edition.