Correspondence "WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?" PLAN: CRITICISM Two recent papers' have elaborated upon the idea that one way to arouse interest in laboratory technic is by the use of large drawings inviting criticism by the students. The author wishes to suggest that the proposed procedure is not altogether fool-proof, but might be improved. The first objection is based upon the simple psychological fact that a positive suggestion is always more desirable than a negative one. When a student sees before him a t eveiy visit to the laboratory a large drawing showing how not to set up apparatus, with only a few much smaller diagrams in his laboratory manual showing proper procedure, is not the tendency for the improper technic to be more vivid in his mind, with the danger that some of the incorrect arrangement may be put into use? The second, and more serious objection, is to the practice of combining a large number of errors in one drawing under the general title, "What Is Wrong?" The difficulty with turning students loose on a drawing with the blanket injunction to find fault with it is that no one knows when it is time to stop. A student may find five or six errors and be content, carrying away with him either consciously or u~consciouslythe idea that everything else is all right. The simplest cure for this would be to alter the title to read, "Find Seven Errors in This Picture." Experience with similar pictures of general interest in the daily newspapers has shown, however, that given such orders many pick out either non-existent or unimportant, unintentional mistakes and neglect some important ones. This general scheme is undoubtedly successful in arousing student interest, so the author does not wish to condemn i t without offeringa suggestion to overcome the important objections raised. Would not the same desirable ends be achieved by a series of drawings necessarily more numerous and so changed more frequently, each illustrating one or two errors, with the number of intentional mistakes indicated? The negative effect could be minimized either by a short class discussion or by posting beside the original, after the first has been on exhibition a sufticient length of time, a second corrected sketch indicating the errors. EARLw. PHRLAN WESTERN RESERVE ~NNBRSITY CLEVELAND, OHIO
"The Use of Drawings for Stimulating Interest in Laboratory Technic," Diwoky and Lewis, Tnrs JOURNAL, 6,1523 (Sept.,1929): "A Contest for High-School and Freshmanstudents," Ibid., 6, 1785 (Oct., 1929).
