> earlier post). Now, what happens when "idea" directed comments are taken > personally--when they are taken as brow beating? This happens a lot too. A > lot of this does have to do with tone, tho, and the way the ideas are > presented, but a lot of it also has to do with the how secure the persons > reading idea directed comments are. Good point there. You're right about that, which is that some of us have higher or lower thresholds. And as I am sure Will shall point out (Aside to Will: I feel very strange saying "Will will point out."), part of the teaching process is in helping students understand that a critique of a work is not a critique of a person. Which (I think) is what we're agreeing on. I'd be interested in hearing from people who felt that they were under attack; it would make things here perhaps clearer -- and certainly add a little spice! --tim