[MR] A&S Judging Question Part Two

[Marsaili Johnston]

>Whenever i judge or leave comments, i always ask the entrant to come and find me for explanations. Denegrating someone's effort without offering a hand in improving it is bad sportsmanship. Personally, I prefer constructive criticism to lambasting an attempt that is well intentioned.<
   
  That's how I feel about it -- just telling me that the piece is really awful and the judge felt that I wasting their time by presenting it (yes, that was actually on the unsigned form.  BTW, several other people told me they thought it was very well done and a great piece -- go figure!) isn't helpful at all!  How am I supposed to improve on my work if I'm told is "that sucks."?
   
  I have had several useful conversations with various judges about things and frankly appreciate it -- I am not going to be offended by an honest opinion and 'this is how you could do it better.'  Thanks to all the hard-working Atlantian judges that do take the time to do this!
   
  Marsali
  


Richard Mowbray <syrrichard at yahoo.com> wrote:
  Whenever i judge or leave comments, i always ask the entrant to come
and find me for explanations. Denegrating someone's effort without
offering a hand in improving it is bad sportsmanship. Personally, I
prefer constructive criticism to lambasting an attempt that is well
intentioned.

Syr Richard


--- Marsaili Johnston wrote:

> Thanks for the many thoughtful replies and hopefully useful
> suggestions -- I'll give it a try and see if combining the 'executive
> summary' with the more complete documentation helps!
> 
> However, from some of the off-list responses, this leads to a
> second question: Why do some of the judges (who seldom, if ever,
> sign their comments!) feel that they need to be as nasty as possible
> and tear down the item submitted, as well as the person doing it? 
> While I get far more positive critique than negative, the negative
> has made me want to say, "Well, I'm never subjecting myself to THIS
> again!" I know I'm not the only that feels that way from comments
> from other people!
> 
> Is it because that person has suddenly found themselves faced with
> judging things they know nothing about? Example, Lady Whosis is an
> Expert in Old Swedish Viking Snarfleblatts -- and proud of it,
> because there's not many people that know about them! -- she agrees
> to judge an A&S competition and is faced with an Elizabethan
> Pincushion. She knows nothing about this inferior art form, so feels
> the need to let the benighted being that presented this, know what a
> lesser life form they are and what a dreadful thing this is they've
> done.
> 
> Or Lord Whatsis is an Expert in Elizabethan Pincushions and the one
> being displayed is not up to His Level of Perfection, so he must
> demolish it (and the character of the person that made it.)
> 
> Or maybe they're just having a Really Bad Day. 
> 
> Whatever the reason is, is it really necessary to be so vicious? 
> Perhaps a future university class suggestion, in addition to How To
> Do Documentation, one on How to Write Judging Comments. It IS
> possible to critique without tearing down.
> 
> Thanks for your consideration.
> 
> Marsali Johnston
> 
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
> http://mail.yahoo.com 
>
========================================================================
> The Merry Rose Tavern at Cheapside
> List Info: http://merryrose.atlantia.sca.org/
> Submissions: Atlantia at atlantia.sca.org
> Subscriptions:
> http://seahorse.atlantia.sca.org/mailman/listinfo/atlantia
> 




__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com 
========================================================================
The Merry Rose Tavern at Cheapside
List Info: http://merryrose.atlantia.sca.org/
Submissions: Atlantia at atlantia.sca.org
Subscriptions: http://seahorse.atlantia.sca.org/mailman/listinfo/atlantia



    Lady Marsali Johnston 
   



 __________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com