The Harvard examination system is designed, according to its promulgators, to test two specific things, knowledge of trends and knowledge of detail. Men approaching the examination problem have three choices: 1. flunking out, 2. doing the work, or 3. working out some system of fooling the grader. The first choice of solution is too permanent, and the second takes too long.

This article is designed to explain how to achieve the third answer to this perplexing problem by the use of the vague generality, the artful equivocation, and the overpowering assumption. Since examination period is almost over, we feel sure that it will be of little use to most readers.

The Vague Generality

It seems pretty obvious that in any discussion of the various methods whereby the crafty student attempts to show the grader that he knows a lot more than he actually does, the vague generality is the key device. A generality is a vague statement which means nothing by itself, but when placed in an essay on a specific subject, might very well mean something to a grader. The true master of the generality is the man who can write a ten page essay, which means nothing at all to him, and have it mean a great deal to anyone who reads it. The generality writer banks on the knowledge possessed by the grader, hoping the marker will read things into his essay.

Every non-mathematical field in the University has its own set of vague generalities. For instance:

"Hame brought empiricism to its logical extreme." (Philosophy)

"The whole thing boils down to human rights versus property rights." (Government)

"Moby Dick is written on three levels." (Eng.)

"The Holy Roman Empire was neither holy, nor Roman, nor an empire." (History)

"Locke is a transitional figure." (Philosophy)

"Marx turned Hegel upside down." (Gen. Ed.)

"Any theory of under consumption and purchasing power, must be grounded in the psychology of the people." (Economics)

"Berlioz is the founder of modern orchestration." (Music)

"Shaw's heroes are men of moral passion." (English 160)

"Differentiation and integration are fundamental to the dynamic maturation of the human organism." (Social Relations)