Osler's Razor

RG recently commented on the fear of giving a wrong answer in class. Since I started teaching, I have thought a lot about the way I feel about student answers, and my thinking is somewhat complex. I'd group the answers this way:

1) The uninformed answer.

This is the answer, usually accompanied by furious paper-shuffling or a blank look, that shows the student either did not do the reading or did not brief the case sufficiently. I have learned to be patient-- sometimes what at first appears to be this type of answer morphs into a more informed one once the student thinks a second or two.

2) The informed wrong answer

This is an answer where the person knows the case but misread something, or applied the wrong doctrine. This answer is ok; it makes for a good opportunity to work through an issue.

3) The informed answer I disagree with

This is my favorite. Sometimes I have had students convinced me that the informed answer I disagree with should become the informed answer I agree with. Usually, the answerer and I agree on the basic facts and disagree about policy or potential effects.

4) The informed answer I agree with

You might think this is the easiest to handle, but it isn't. The problem is that I am tempted to finish the answer for the students once she is going in the right direction, instead of letting her complete the job.

The painting above is of my grandmother, painted by my grandfather. She had answers of all four types, I came to learn.