In Which I Get to Snark About Grammar

[djonn]

Wednesday night, I went to an Oscar prediction "party" sponsored by Portland's major daily newspaper.  It was enjoyable and informative, but I put the word "party" in quotation marks because the event consisted almost entirely of an hour's presentation by the paper's movie critic, held in a small space that was sort of a cross between a collegiate lecture room (rows of theater-style seats on two levels, some tables in the back) and a theater lobby.

As I say, I enjoyed the event well enough.  However, I got home Thursday evening to find an emailed note asking me to fill out a feedback survey on the event.  And the survey included the following question:

5. How unique was the event?

<input ... >Extremely unique <input ... >Very unique <input ... >Fairly unique <input ... >Slightly unique <input ... >Not at all unique

Now remember, this was an event sponsored by a newspaper, with the survey link having been mailed by someone with "name-of-newspaper-dot-com" in their e-address.  It may be optimistic of me in the present day and age, but I retain the fond delusion that employees of newspapers ought to use words properly.

This, therefore, is part of the response I included in the survey question where one is asked "is there anything else you'd like to share?"

Also, a note regarding one of the survey questions above: the question misuses the word "unique".  THERE ARE NO DEGREES OF UNIQUENESS.  Either something is unique or it is not.  The question therefore makes no sense, and the individual who drafted it should be required to carry a hardcover copy of The Chicago Manual of Style wherever he or she goes for at least the next two weeks, with Post-Its inserted to mark the relevant pages (170 and 231 in the 15th edition).

I don't anticipate receiving a personal response to this, but perhaps they'll surprise me....

Comments

[joycemocha.livejournal.com]

This is what happens when someone who doesn't know squat about Likert scales writes a not-so-good survey, as well.

[twilight2000.livejournal.com]

*snerk* Right up there with lousy test writers - badly written Likert scale options.

[thnidu.livejournal.com]

Once or twice a week I get an email from an organization that I fill out surveys for. Normally I don't bother to do surveys, but this one donates half a book to a charity of my choice – currently Doctors without Borders –for every survey I complete.

Now, the organization doesn't make the surveys, they just provide the software that the companies use to make the surveys. And the people at the companies don't seem always to be very savvy about surveys. So sometimes I'll get a question like "Which of these online services have used during the past month?" And there is no "None of the above." Or other, comparable stupidities, but even worse. (Un?)fortunately I can't think of any examples just now.

[thnidu.livejournal.com]

Dictated with Nuance, Incorporated's speech recognition 4 cup android smartphones. Blame them for any errors, typos, etc.

[That was supposed to be "half a BUCK to... Doctors Without Borders".]