From Simon Cowell to Tim Gunn: What Reality Television Can Teach Us About How to Critique Our Students’ Work Effectively “In Reality Shows by Michael J
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From Simon Cowell to Tim Gunn: What Reality Television Can Teach Us About How to Critique Our Students’ Work Effectively “In reality shows By Michael J. Higdon and legal writing instruction, we can learn much belonging to this about the effectiveness of different critiquing styles Michael J. Higdon is a Legal Writing Professor at the class, a variety of by comparing what the judges do on reality William S. Boyd School of Law, University of Nevada in Las Vegas. television with what we do in legal writing. individuals in a Anyone who has paid even the slightest attention Furthermore, the critiques that take place on reality particular field television provide us with an additional perspective to pop culture over the last few years cannot help compete against but be aware of the recent proliferation of reality on critique that we rarely get to experience. television. However, within that broad category, Specifically, part of what makes critique so difficult one another for a it is those reality shows that fall into the “talent in the classroom is that we often return the career-advancing competition” category, like American Idol and critiqued work for the student to review (and Project Runway, that currently reign supreme. In respond to) outside of class. Thus, we do not see prize.” reality shows belonging to this class, a variety of the initial impact that our critiques have on the individuals in a particular field compete against students. Such information is crucial because of one another for a career-advancing prize. For the potential for hurt feelings, given that we are, example, on America’s Next Top Model and The in essence, critiquing the student’s mental processes Apprentice, participants compete for a large as well as his creative choices. However, when a modeling contract and the opportunity to work contestant on a reality show is critiqued by the for Donald Trump, respectively. However, despite judges, the reaction of the contestant is not just the different premises of these talent-based reality visible; it is often the focus of the segment featuring shows, each is comprised of a series of episodes, the critique. Thus, watching how reality television all of which share the same three elements: (1) contestants respond to different approaches to contestants are given a particular task; (2) at the critique can help us better understand how to completion of the task, the participants are critique in a way that is more likely to be inspiring critiqued; and (3) one of the contestants is then and less likely to be hurtful. eliminated from the competition. In this article, I focus on two particular programs: For the legal writing professional looking at these Project Runway and American Idol. On Project three elements, the last element no doubt sounds Runway, aspiring fashion designers compete for like something exclusively within the realm of a mentorship with Banana Republic. Each week, reality television. Indeed, although there might be the designers are asked to design and construct days when even the most dedicated teacher might a garment based on that week’s theme. At the end find it an entertaining idea, no legal writing of the challenge, the contestants show their program in the country allows its professors to creations in a runway show, and the “loser” is then vote students out of the classroom. In contrast, “sent home.”Similarly, on American Idol, young of course, the first two elements constitute not only singers from across the United States compete for a very familiar, but also a very large part of legal a recording contract. After a series of preliminary writing instruction. Throughout the year, we give rounds, the field of contenders is narrowed to 12 students a variety of tasks and then critique their finalists. Each week, the finalists perform a song performance. Given, then, the overlap between based on that week’s theme, and one finalist, based these essential elements of both reality television on the viewer’s phone-in votes, is then eliminated. 169 Perspectives: Teaching Legal Research and Writing | Vol. 15 | No. 3 | Spring 2007 Using these two programs as a backdrop, I give Contrast Gunn’s approach with the approach various examples of specific critiques from each frequently taken by Simon Cowell, one of the show organized under four basic principles of American Idol judges. Cowell, who is a record effective student critique. Given the difficulty we producer for Sony BMG, is well known for being sometimes face in finding helpful models of rather abrupt and sometimes abrasive with the One of the student critique in action, these examples not only contestants on American Idol. For example, on a “ provide samples but also help us better understand recent episode, contestant Chris Sligh had just main goals of a the varying success of the different approaches. completed his performance for the evening.Simon critique is to then gave the following critique: “I think you Principle 1: In Critiquing a Work, a Good murdered the arrangement. … I think you turned a inform the student Critique Does Not Focus on What Is Right beautiful song into a complete and utter drone.” or Wrong with the Work, but Instead Focuses how we, as the on the Reader’s Reaction In their two approaches, both Cowell’s and Gunn’s reader, respond We routinely tell our students that the documents critiques force the contestant to view the submission they draft are ultimately for the benefit of the through the eyes of the reader. However, Gunn’s to the draft.” reader; thus, the writing process itself must take critique is phrased in such a way that the contestant into account the reader’s expectations. One of the is less likely to feel that he, as the artist, did anything main goals of a critique is to inform the student objectively wrong.Instead, the contestant is merely how we, as the reader, respond to the draft. presented with Gunn’s reaction to the work, not to Ultimately, as we review the document, we must the designer. In Cowell’s critique, however, the ask ourselves whether the document helps to negative response is presented not as one person’s inform the reader of the law and, at the same time, reaction, but more like an indisputable truth. persuade the reader that the student’s analysis can Furthermore, Cowell’s comment is phrased in such be trusted. Furthermore, where our reaction a way that the contestant is more likely to take the indicates a possible weakness in the work, we critique personally. Indeed, Cowell’s critique is provide the student not only with our response, phrased in terms of what the contestant personally but also with the specific aspects of the work that did “wrong.” On the other hand, Gunn’s critique gave rise to our response so as to aid the student appears more thoughtful as he couches his response as she revises. in specific terms that better allow the contestant to understand the source of Gunn’s response; in To see a good example of principle 1 in action, we contrast, Cowell’s comment is more general and, need only look to Tim Gunn of Project Runway. thus, less likely to help the contestant understand Gunn is the outgoing chair of New York’s Fashion what it was exactly that he did that was “bad.” Design at Parsons The New School for Design, Accordingly, of the two critiques, Gunn’s is more which is the setting for Project Runway.Although likely to be helpful to the contestant because it not not one of the official judges, Gunn is specifically only provides the contestant with the reader’s charged with critiquing the contestants each week reaction but does so in terms that are (1) not as they design and execute the garment for that personal and (2) specific enough to better equip week’s challenge. the contestant to make revisions. In critiquing the contestants on Project Runway, Gunn understands that one of the most helpful Principle 2: A Good Critique Forces the things he can share with the students is simply his Student to Consider Other Audience Members Who May Approach the Work reaction. For example, in one episode, Gunn is from a Different Perspective critiquing an evening gown design by contestant We constantly remind our students that legal Santino Rice. Gunn states: “Can I tell you how I documents are intended for a variety of audience respond to this now without any additional members and that not all audience members will embellishment? … It looks like a costume. It looks approach the document from the same perspective. like renaissance fest to me … I see Guinevere.” 170 Perspectives: Teaching Legal Research and Writing | Vol. 15 | No. 3 | Spring 2007 Accordingly, we typically, through our critique, try of Socratic critique on our students’ papers: “I’m to force our students to consider the perspectives curious why you phrased the court’s holding in of those various audience members. For example, these terms?” or “Can you think of any other facts we may note on a student draft: “Yes, I know the from our case that might be helpful to your analysis?” facts of this precedent case; however, the judge may Unfortunately, the judges on American Idol rarely not. As a result, you need to include more facts” or ask a contestant to explain his decisions. Instead, When students “Watch your tone, the client may read this!” “ the judges simply give their critique and neither are drafting out Like the legal writing professional, Simon Cowell solicit nor even permit much response from the and Tim Gunn also employ this principle of contestant.