Should a Syllabus Ever Tell Students What Not to Say?
While preparing an essay for a women’s-studies course, a student writes a sentence using the word "mankind" to describe human beings. The student uses the word without thinking. But the professor makes a note on the paper, pointing out that the structure of "mankind" is flawed because it assumes the male gender. The professor doesn’t penalize the usage, but indicates that the student should make a habit of using "humankind" instead, to emphasize that the meaning is gender-neutral.