Tuesday, November 29, 2005

You ain't messin' with no gold digger

Remember when we used to take quizzes in grade school? We had that quick moment of panic (especially when they were "pop" quizzes). But they were pretty easy things to take, even back then. And they were pretty short...maybe a multiple choice question or two...just to make sure we had read what were supposed to read or were paying attention in class.

Business schools, I've found, like to use the word "quiz". When we get the syllabus for the term, there are several "quizzes" scheduled. But these aren't like the quizzes we used to take. And frankly, I feel like business schools are being deceitful by using this word. It is not a quiz, but a test. A "quiz" does not last 45 minutes. A "quiz" does not have many multiple parts to each question. A "quiz" is not something that you're expected to study for, for days. This is an euphemism that needs to be banished from business school vocabulary. Call it what it is...a test. An exam. A sliver of hell on a silver platter.

But not a "quiz". It gives quizzes a bad name.

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