Kenyon is branded as the writers’ college. “Writing at Kenyon” is a page on the College’s website, which boasts about The Kenyon Review and describes the ways in which writing is foundational to courses across our curriculum. The Office of Admissions sends prospective students notebooks with covers reading “Good Writing = Good Thinking.” Yet good thinking expands beyond good writing. In a world increasingly oversaturated with artificially generated text, being able to think well — out loud — is more vital than ever. Professors should have oral examinations throughout the semester in every humanities class to help students become better thinkers by defending their ideas in conversation. 

Several Kenyon professors already incorporate oral exams in their courses. The Department of Modern Languages and Literatures requires students to take comprehensive oral examinations for introductory classes. In Associate Professor of Political Science David Leibowitz’s seminars, students present their synopsis of the previous class’ content before being cross-examined for the precision of their interpretations; Visiting Assistant Professor of Philosophy Alexandra Bradner has students read their comprehensive exam papers aloud to her individually. Even without a formal requirement, many of my professors have heavily encouraged me to book an office-hours appointment before starting an essay, to explain my argument and evidence in person. Former Assistant Professor of Religious Studies Krista Dalton held 25-minute oral exams for her class, The Bible and its Interpreters (RLST 215), among others. More Kenyon professors should adapt her framework. In her Bible course, she gave students 10 questions to prepare for covering topics spanning the course. During the exam, Dalton would let the student choose the first question, and then asked a series of “sub-questions” that targeted a theme she wanted them to reflect on further. She’d then choose the next question and repeat the process. Using this format, she could assess how well students engaged with the course’s foundational concepts, if they could frame their own position or ideas in relation to what they had read and if they could synthesize concrete textual examples to illustrate their answers. 

Kenyon, like other small liberal arts colleges, has two distinct advantages that would make it easier to adapt oral examinations into existing courses: small class sizes and an emphasis on the humanities. Many lectures are capped at 25, and many seminars at 12 students or less. Grading and feedback can be done on the spot, lightening the professor’s workload — Dalton wrote that she finished grading oral exams the day they took place. 

Oral exams would also enable Kenyon to reassert its founding principles — teaching students how, not just what, to think — for its current students in today’s world. Students should learn how to make logical yet flexible arguments, how to draw connections between diverse sets of facts, and how to synthesize material in a critical and capacious way. These skills are fostered by a rigorous humanities core curriculum that goes beyond writing. A balance of essay writing and oral examinations would not only help prevent AI usage, but would develop our critical thinking skills in ways that will be useful for the rest of our lives.

At Kenyon, I’ve done my best thinking in conversation, whether in a seminar, in a Collegian opinions meeting, during office hours or even at a lunch table in Peirce Hall. The people at Kenyon whom I most admire are those who can, as Joe Cruz, a Williams College professor of philosophy, puts it, “carry around the resources of mind,” through their attention, memory and engagement in conversations. Oral examinations would allow us to reflect on course material in a more expansive way, encouraging personalized answers rather than standard outputs. In any field, speaking well will help us in interviews and in a rapidly changing job market. If we still want an education that makes us better thinkers, we should establish oral examinations as a vital pedagogical tool. 

Isabella Kreidler ’28 is an American studies major from Chevy Chase, MD. She can be reached at kreidler1@kenyon.edu.