A Paper of Brilliance

Last night I read a really great student paper. Like usual, it needs a fair amount of tweaking to make it spectacular, but it employed a creative strategy that flooded light into the drudgery of grading.

First, a note on "drudgery of grading:" I would much rather check the fourteen zillion papers I have in the file folder over here to my left and in various folders on the harddrive than be withering to death in a bank window, but that doesn't mean that grading is not often boring work.

Second, I will not reveal any details of the paper: the author, the course, the creative strategy that got me so happy. The student will know the results soon enough, and it is up to the student (even avoiding gendered pronouns here) if the student wants to do anything further with the paper. I offered the student assistance in shaping the paper up for publication, but I am leaving the decision up to the student as to what the student wants to do with it.

Reading this paper energized me for the reading of the rest of the slush pile. And for that I am thankful.