On the other hand, if there are a number of works that contain disturbing content, it could imply personal problems. Droz argued that free speech is not going to be an issue. Although this is a delicate subject because there is freedom of speech on campus, professors can judge writing based on the assignment guidelines, Droz said. If there is a clear departure from the assigned topic with an apparent message, they might want to look into it before a grade is given. Alarming work would be organized in an uncommon way or with themes about things like death, violence, sex, or if there is a weird shift in the writing from their behavior, Droz added.
Faculty can get a sense of the meaning of the work through a discussion with the student.
A student might reveal a trauma and might appreciate a talk. It is difficult for an instructor to tell the difference between imaginative play and violence. We need to be aware, Swenson said. Although one might draw a link, Droz and Anderson agreed that this site was not in response to any campus occurrences. Work started on this a while ago.