One concern is that a program such as this one will form a lazy, or even an incapable writer. Ever since the beginning of time, people have had to develop communication skills before executing them, but with an auto-correct system, most anyone can write a readable sentence without really having to think grammatically about what they are trying to write. Whether a student has been taught in grade school how to write, will their skills be diminished by a system that constantly fixes all of their mistakes for them? Technically, I believe it is a good idea to keep this concern in mind, so as to not let this ever be the case. I even find myself having more issues remembering how to spell things correctly while writing in-class essays or writing on the spot. It’s not like I skipped out on practicing my vocabulary lessons through elementary and middle school, but I rely on auto-correct on a daily basis. When I am forced to perform without it, I feel a sense of insecurity and anxiousness.
Another concern with MSGC, and programs like it, is the option “correct grammar as you type”. This option is nearly always set as default and can be changed manually. Some proclaim that it interferes with the thought process and can cause more problems than help. Whether it edits too quickly and eliminates a step of revision by the author or changes what the author is precisely trying to say, the change is too fast and can alter the point or cause confusion. This feature must not affect me as badly as it does some writers, because I always keep mine active. It has never caused me any confusion. Despite how many times it has corrected me as I type, I always find a reason to go back and revise my documents.
The final concern with the program is incorrect suggestions. In the PDF file on D2L, there is a quote which reads, “The more errors there are in a sentence, the more likely that Grammar Checker is to provide incorrect suggestions. (455)” I experience this all the time. An English major I may be, but a know-it-all, I am not. Therefore, I believe this situation will always be a good reason for me to recommend double checking the double checker!
But in the face of these concerns, there are so many positive reasons to take advantage of awesome technology like MSGC. One really thought provoking question brought up in the McGee and Erickson article that stood out was how the checker could serve as more than just an automatic editor. Is it possible the checker could serve as a teacher? There have been many instances that I have learned the correct spelling of a word or punctuation of a sentence through the checker, but the little bumps in this theory revert back to idea of incorrect suggestions. If the writer learns from MSGC, it would be better if there were no possibility of error.
Time management is probably the most common reason people use MSGC. It fixes errors in less than a second, saving so much time that would normally be filled with editing and researching corrections. My guess would even be that time management might have been the reason it was invented.
To me, MSGC is one of the greatest advantages of living in modern times. Yes, it has its bumps and blemishes, but over time, it has proved its worth. I will admit that I do not believe it belongs in the elementary classroom, because that is where the building blocks of writing and composition are established. The “lazy” factor previously mentioned can change to a whole new concept of illiteracy. Why would children want to learn how to write correctly if they can have an auto-correcting system correct their writing for them? Then when they reach college years, if they make it that far, they feel lost and cannot compose an in-class composition, or even have a decently education conversation because they do not have any grammar skills.
<technology> <MSGC> <IntermediateCompUNG> <autocorrect> <#twittlit>