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Explainer: what is credentialism and is a degree more than just a piece of paper?

Lecturer in Organisation Studies, University of Southampton

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Gaining that required qualification to put on your CV is what counts to win a job in today’s “graduate economy”. On current trends, perhaps everyone will have a degree by the end of this century. Already in Finland, a remarkable 80% of young people are now going to university.

With so many people obtaining degree qualifications there are concerns that academic credentials are losing meaning and value. “Credentialism”, a concept coined by social scientists in the 1970s , is the reduction of qualifications to status conferring pieces of paper. It’s an ideology which puts formal educational credentials above other ways of understanding human potential and ability.

Credentialism is creeping back into the higher education debate as academics and the wider public attempt to make sense of the university system we now have. Students are asking if their degrees are worth the tuition fees they are expected to pay back as long-term loans. University academics bemoan the pressures of grade inflation and systems of teaching which resemble factories. Meanwhile, online learning and the growth of accredited university certificates through massive open online courses (MOOCs) on website like Coursera offer an alternative to traditional university enrolment.

These are all important issues to debate for the future of our universities. But they ignore the fundamental value of credentials in the workplace.

Let’s take the appalling story of Victorino Chua, a Filipino nurse working at Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport, who on May 19 received 25 life sentences for poisoning and murdering multiple patients. Investigations by police and journalists have raised questions about the validity of Chua’s nursing qualifications and his academic record when studying in the Philippines. There have been suspicions that someone may have sat exams in the place of Chua and his academic transcript may have been tampered with. Fake nursing degrees have been found on sale in the Philippines for as little as £20.

In a BBC interview, the director of nursing and midwifery for the hospital defended the range of recruitment “checks” that take place, but also admitted they rely on the credentials provided by universities and professional bodies, such as the Nursing and Midwifery Council, and cannot undertake their own detailed investigation into every employee.

The Stepping Hill case tells us that many people across the world are eager to obtain a university education as a passport to employment – and some go to desperate lengths to obtain the required certificate.

A basic requirement

A recent report by The Economist on the higher education system argued that a university degree is now the ultimate status symbol for entry into the middle classes across the world. It is the basic requirement for any professional occupation.

But the world of education is still rife with corruption. Tampering with educational records is unlikely to benefit anyone – and producing cheap forgeries of degree certificates is clearly a pathetic way to attempt to make a living.

This does not mean that certificates represent meaningless qualifications. There is still a so-called graduate premium in economic terms because employers value the added skills and abilities that graduates can demonstrate. In wider social terms, research suggests a university degree provides many non-market benefits to individuals and society , including longer life expectancy, more leisure time, greater social mobility, and a lower propensity to commit crime. These effects are difficult to measure but they change society for the better, and they matter more than almost anything else.

Beware of class prejudice

There is a danger that the concept of credentialism is a form of class prejudice in the way that it devalues the qualifications of those parts of the population, both at home and internationally, participating in higher education for the first time.

Personally, I welcome the growth of higher education. I would not want us to return to the elitist world of the early 20th century when less than 1% of the population had the opportunity to get a degree.

So we need to ensure that university is more than a rite of passage culminating in a piece of paper. It is the role of the academic profession and higher education institutions to create worthwhile learning experiences. No one should discourage young people for wanting to better their life chances. If students have unrealistic expectations about education they need more education – not less.

Formal qualifications and paper degree certificates are bureaucratic artefacts, but they are not to blame for credentialism. They are simple and convenient representations of something much bigger and more important.

The fact that education is a global status symbol shows how effective education has become at giving people opportunities in life. However, education needs to be shaped as a public good, not a private commodity, and it therefore needs to be carefully regulated by governments and professional associations. Without regulation education is vulnerable to abuse, and this can lead to tragic outcomes.

We need to celebrate the value of higher education and look to its possibilities before prematurely dismissing its growth as crude credentialism.

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Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States of America once said, “Nothing can stop the man with the right character from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong character”. Your degree is just a piece of paper, your education is seen in your behavior, attitude and character. One thing graduates need to understand is that your employer is employing you and not your certificate! No matter how educated, talented, connected or rich you believe you are, how you treat people ultimately tells all.

Elon Musk said, “My biggest mistake is probably weighing too much on someone’s talent and not someone’s personality (character). I think it matters whether someone has a good heart.” Most times people don’t really buy what you have but who you are! Can you be trusted? Do people see you as being honest? Can people hold on to your words and promises? Do you show up on time for meetings? Do you have a signature of excellence on what you do? How do you handle provocations? How do your handle people with different point of views from yours? It is actually a waste of education when you refuse to see things from other people’s point of view.

You will never rise above the limitations of your character. I have come to a diagnostic conclusion that the greatest of all human problems is the character problem. There is no amount of skills and degrees that can substitute for character. Sometimes, you need character, not just the acquisition of degrees. There is more hope in life for a poor man with the right character than a rich man with the wrong character. Socrates said, “What most counts is not merely to live, but to live right”. Beware of the impression you create with your character.

You will need to do a character audit to know the pattern of behavior and the character defects holding you down from living your best life. What is your biggest character flaw and what are the steps you want to take to overcome it? Discuss this with your mentor and work seriously to build up the character that is in tandem with your destination. Take conscious effort to work on any character trait that is inimical to your destiny.

Hear this: Do not recommend unserious people to others just because you want to help them. It can ruin your name, reputation and relationships with great people. Recommend only those who are honest, diligent, trustworthy and good at what they do, not because you know them.

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'Your degree is just a piece of paper': IAS officer's viral tweet sparks debate on education

IAS officer Jitin Yadav took to Twitter to express his opinion that "your degree is just a piece of paper". His tweet has sparked a debate on education.

Key Highlights

• IAS officer Jitin Yadav tweeted, "Your degree is just a piece of paper"
• He added that education is in a person's behaviour, struggles and experience
• His tweet has sparked a debate on the microblogging platform

While many students run the rat race of life, others believe that real-life experiences are more important to succeed in life. An IAS officer's tweet has started the debate on the importance of education after he said that degrees are "just a piece of paper".

IAS officer Jitin Yadav, in a tweet, said that education is in a person's behaviour, struggles and experiences.

"Your degree is just a piece of paper. Your education is seen in your behaviour, along with your struggles and experiences," Yadav tweeted.

Take a look at Yadav's tweet:

Yadav's tweet has gone viral, garnering more than 5,7000 likes. It has sparked a debate over education, as some netizens agreeed with his views, while others shared their contradicting opinions.

One user said, "Indian education is just a test of memory. Student scored 90% not necessarily well behave. Student scored 35% not necessarily misbehave." Another wrote, "Real education starts when one enters the professional life. With each day unfolds a new learning experience."

A third user said, "Yes, you are right but a toxic truth..you are not eligible if you don't have 60% marks in 12th. Yes i am http://B.tech Fresher." Another wrote, "But Sir, Degree is counted as Qualification in all servicing jobs. Nobody know us personally at interview, they only look at Degrees and work experience. Degree is not just a piece of paper. It’s very important document for getting good job."

What do you think about Yadav's tweet?

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“your degree is just a piece of paper,” says ias officer, sparks debate on education.

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With almost all of us trying to succeed in this race of life, some of us spend a lot of time and money on receiving the best college education in order to gain a degree. Others feel that they need to start working and gaining real-world experience out of it sooner.

An IAS officer shelled out his thinking about how your struggles and experiences take precedence over your degree in terms of education. Here’s the tweet:

Your degree is just a piece of paper. Your education is seen in your behaviour, along with your struggles and experiences. — Jitin Yadav, IAS (@Jitin_IAS) June 29, 2021

The tweet sparked a debate among desis online. Some people reasoned why they agree with the notion suggested:

Indian education is just a test of memory. Student scored 90% not necessarily well behave. Student scored 35% not necessarily misbehave. — Pawankumar N Surwase (@IamPawankumarS) June 29, 2021

Real education starts when one enters the professional life. With each day unfolds a new learning experience. — Shrabani Banerjee (@bani23b) June 29, 2021

True sir even clearing UPSC didn’t qualify you as a awesome citizen, humanity in you defines it — Yadu Saxena (@SaxenaYadu) June 30, 2021

And this can be said in the context of India because our education system is completely different from that which is necessary for us to survive in real life. — Jitesh Mahawar (@jiteshtiger) June 29, 2021

Completely true. The degree is just a piece of paper in India. You can purchase degree of mbbs, b. Tech, mba, phd , llb or any degree if you have money. You get https://t.co/XRa0vfraYN , mbbs and do irrelevant job. So, degree is just showpiece. — Manish Ranjan (@manish_r_patna) June 30, 2021

It is more important to have kind behaviour towards all than having a good degree. — AMAN VASHISTHA (@AmanVas21863227) June 30, 2021

Two relevant quotes I can remember 1- educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all 2 – education that does not mould the character is useless — Lakhansingh Rathore (@LakhanDRathore) June 29, 2021

I would really appreciate if beaurocrats understand same — Manoranjan jha (@Manoranjanjha4) June 29, 2021

Others were skeptical of the advice:

By this logic , we really don’t need degrees for being doctor your so called gyan and experience will serve the purpose … imagine to get treated by them And I guess this post itself speaks many things 🙂 — Maharshi Garg (@MgMaharshi) June 30, 2021

No..that’s not true..my piece of paper mentions 59.49% bcz of this .51% I am not eligible to apply for NIPER, ICT and any foreign university. — Rj Saharan (@SaharanRj) June 29, 2021

That’s after they have seen your degree. Let’s be honest, none of the fortune companies recruit based on the latter. Ofcource, longevity is based on the latter one. — Rajdeep Gajjar (@Imrajdeepgajjar) June 29, 2021

But Sir, Degree is counted as Qualification in all servicing jobs. Nobody know us personally at interview, they only look at Degrees and work experience. Degree is not just a piece of paper. It’s very important document for getting good job. — Bhavya Sharma 🇮🇳 (@bhavyasharma) June 29, 2021

I totally agree to your second part!! But brother, degree isn’t just a piece of paper. It includes hardwork, patience, struggle and many more!! Be realistic!!! Don’t just go with the Instagram quotes and all of that!! Stay safe and take care. — Pranami Hazarika (@PranamiHazarik7) June 29, 2021

These quotes are far from realities.. Though it appears nice but it doesn’t encourage one to work hard and study well. विद्या धन उद्यम बिना कहो जु पावे कौन । — Shivam Srivastava (@ShivamS75653261) June 30, 2021

But sir due to degree u r here & most of ppl listening to u…it’s hard truth but real truth — CHANKI NAVODAYAN🇮🇳 (@chandanchanki02) June 29, 2021

More practical answer would be – ” Aspiring for degree is not important But aspiring for mental skill is more important as the degree would follow thereafter !!” — Subhash Agarwal (@Subhagar76) June 30, 2021

What’s your take on the debate? Tell us.

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Your degree is just a piece of paper, Your education is seen in your behaviour.

"Your degree is just a piece of paper, Your education is seen in your behaviour." - Quote Meaning

Millennials understand the importance of education for a career. Therefore, many people vying for the highest possible education through self-financing or scholarships. However, not all highly educated people have good character . This phenomenon is similar to "Your degree is just a piece of paper. Your education is seen in your behavior".

Quotes Meaning

What do you think about this quote, Comment here - Write quotes meaning

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Attitude is a little thing that can make a big difference.

- Anonymous

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MIT study explains why laws are written in an incomprehensible style

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Legal documents are notoriously difficult to understand, even for lawyers. This raises the question: Why are these documents written in a style that makes them so impenetrable?

MIT cognitive scientists believe they have uncovered the answer to that question. Just as “magic spells” use special rhymes and archaic terms to signal their power, the convoluted language of legalese acts to convey a sense of authority, they conclude.

In a study appearing this week in the journal of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , the researchers found that even non-lawyers use this type of language when asked to write laws.

“People seem to understand that there’s an implicit rule that this is how laws should sound, and they write them that way,” says Edward Gibson, an MIT professor of brain and cognitive sciences and the senior author of the study.

Eric Martinez PhD ’24 is the lead author of the study. Francis Mollica, a lecturer at the University of Melbourne, is also an author of the paper .

Casting a legal spell

Gibson’s research group has been studying the unique characteristics of legalese since 2020, when Martinez came to MIT after earning a law degree from Harvard Law School. In a 2022 study , Gibson, Martinez, and Mollica analyzed legal contracts totaling about 3.5 million words, comparing them with other types of writing, including movie scripts, newspaper articles, and academic papers.

That analysis revealed that legal documents frequently have long definitions inserted in the middle of sentences — a feature known as “center-embedding.” Linguists have previously found that this kind of structure can make text much more difficult to understand.

“Legalese somehow has developed this tendency to put structures inside other structures, in a way which is not typical of human languages,” Gibson says.

In a follow-up study published in 2023, the researchers found that legalese also makes documents more difficult for lawyers to understand. Lawyers tended to prefer plain English versions of documents, and they rated those versions to be just as enforceable as traditional legal documents.

“Lawyers also find legalese to be unwieldy and complicated,” Gibson says. “Lawyers don’t like it, laypeople don’t like it, so the point of this current paper was to try and figure out why they write documents this way.”

The researchers had a couple of hypotheses for why legalese is so prevalent. One was the “copy and edit hypothesis,” which suggests that legal documents begin with a simple premise, and then additional information and definitions are inserted into already existing sentences, creating complex center-embedded clauses.

“We thought it was plausible that what happens is you start with an initial draft that’s simple, and then later you think of all these other conditions that you want to include. And the idea is that once you’ve started, it’s much easier to center-embed that into the existing provision,” says Martinez, who is now a fellow and instructor at the University of Chicago Law School.

However, the findings ended up pointing toward a different hypothesis, the so-called “magic spell hypothesis.” Just as magic spells are written with a distinctive style that sets them apart from everyday language, the convoluted style of legal language appears to signal a special kind of authority, the researchers say.

“In English culture, if you want to write something that’s a magic spell, people know that the way to do that is you put a lot of old-fashioned rhymes in there. We think maybe center-embedding is signaling legalese in the same way,” Gibson says.

In this study, the researchers asked about 200 non-lawyers (native speakers of English living in the United States, who were recruited through a crowdsourcing site called Prolific), to write two types of texts. In the first task, people were told to write laws prohibiting crimes such as drunk driving, burglary, arson, and drug trafficking. In the second task, they were asked to write stories about those crimes.

To test the copy and edit hypothesis, half of the participants were asked to add additional information after they wrote their initial law or story. The researchers found that all of the subjects wrote laws with center-embedded clauses, regardless of whether they wrote the law all at once or were told to write a draft and then add to it later. And, when they wrote stories related to those laws, they wrote in much plainer English, regardless of whether they had to add information later.

“When writing laws, they did a lot of center-embedding regardless of whether or not they had to edit it or write it from scratch. And in that narrative text, they did not use center-embedding in either case,” Martinez says.

In another set of experiments, about 80 participants were asked to write laws, as well as descriptions that would explain those laws to visitors from another country. In these experiments, participants again used center-embedding for their laws, but not for the descriptions of those laws.

The origins of legalese

Gibson’s lab is now investigating the origins of center-embedding in legal documents. Early American laws were based on British law, so the researchers plan to analyze British laws to see if they feature the same kind of grammatical construction. And going back much farther, they plan to analyze whether center-embedding is found in the Hammurabi Code, the earliest known set of laws, which dates to around 1750 BC.

“There may be just a stylistic way of writing from back then, and if it was seen as successful, people would use that style in other languages,” Gibson says. “I would guess that it’s an accidental property of how the laws were written the first time, but we don’t know that yet.”

The researchers hope that their work, which has identified specific aspects of legal language that make it more difficult to understand, will motivate lawmakers to try to make laws more comprehensible. Efforts to write legal documents in plainer language date to at least the 1970s, when President Richard Nixon declared that federal regulations should be written in “layman’s terms.” However, legal language has changed very little since that time.

“We have learned only very recently what it is that makes legal language so complicated, and therefore I am optimistic about being able to change it,” Gibson says. 

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College degree, is it more than just a piece of paper?

One thing that really erks me is when people say "a college degree is just a piece of paper." Certainly nobody views marriage that way, so why education? Most of the time, it's people with little or no education so it's not effective to refute their claim with logic and statistics because it just seems to go right over their heads. I know that i shouldn't let it bother me, but I am even more bothered that i don't have a clever response to such dumb statement. Can reddit come up with a response that will put an end to the madness?

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