[MR] A&S Judging Question Part Two

[Marsaili Johnston]

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

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