Word Problems: RIGOR

PART ONE: Introduction to “Word Problems”

I have a problem with people using perfectly good words in utterly inappropriate ways. 

This is especially true when the misuse of a particular word becomes widespread.

Widespread misuse of a word may originate as a means to grab the attention of a particular audience or make them think.  Repetition of the word as misused, however, does not result in new understanding, does not clarify.  Instead, continued misuse of a word obscures meaning and increases confusion and misunderstanding.  The once-meaningful word, through repeated misapplication, becomes a ‘buzzword.’

A ‘buzzword,’ as defined by Merriam-Webster, is “An important-sounding usually technical word or phrase often of little meaning used chiefly to impress laymen.”

Use of buzzwords is a characteristic of the speaker or writer who is more interested in creating an impression of expertise than in actually communicating.

From time to time, I will choose a misused word from the dictionary of popular culture, and attempt to restore it to its proper place in the lexicon.  Doing so will usually require consideration of some particular content area of knowledge in which the word is incorrectly employed.

Today’s rant will concern the buzzword "rigor" (or “rigorous”) and will involve the collateral subject of education. 

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PART TWO: Today’s Word Problem: Rigor

Today’s Rant:  RIGOR / RIGOROUS

Collateral Topic: Education

“Do We Really Want Training and Education to be RIGOROUS?”

Misuse of the word “rigorous” in the field of education has become widespread and rampant.  At high levels and in broad contexts, the adjective “rigorous” is used to indicate a desirable characteristic of educational curricula.  Educators, trainers, and instructors constantly extol the virtues of “rigorous” educational standards and programs.  I suggest they ask themselves whether they really want their education or training enterprise to be characterized by “rigor.” 

The word as used in academic circles today is counter to what the word actually means.  I suggest the time has come to consider a change of terms.

“Rigorous,” as used for several hundred years, is a word with profound negative implications.  A few years of misguided redefinition by education and training professionals does not change the linguistic fact.  Those who first misused the word undoubtedly did so intentionally, in order to grab the attention of their audience, or to enhance artificially an inflated sense of self-importance or an aura of expertise.  This came at the price of a loss of clarity and precision.  What they did was create a new ‘buzzword.’ 

Take a look at what Merriam-Webster has to say on the topic, from Merriam-Webster online.

Main Entry: rig·or

Pronunciation: \ˈri-gər\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English rigour, from Anglo-French, from Latin rigor, literally, stiffness…

1  a       (1) : harsh inflexibility in opinion, temper, or judgment : severity

(2) : the quality of being unyielding or inflexible : strictness

(3) : severity of life : austerity

   b       an act or instance of strictness, severity, or cruelty
2 a tremor caused by a chill
3 a condition that makes life difficult, challenging, or uncomfortable; especially : extremity of cold
4 strict precision : exactness <logical rigor>
5  a obsolete : rigidity, stiffness

    b rigidness or torpor of organs or tissue that prevents response to stimuli

Main Entry: rig·or·ous

Pronunciation: \ˈri-g(ə-)rəs\

Function: adjective

1 manifesting, exercising, or favoring rigor : very strict

2  a marked by extremes of temperature or climate

    b harsh, severe
3 scrupulously accurate : precise

synonyms see rigid

Some might argue for the definition, “Exactness.”  Possibly… but is this really what is meant by educators who discuss academic rigor?  No.  A curriculum might be quite exact, but unchallenging.  No, the term “exact” is not what the academic users of the term really mean.

Others may argue that the phrase “scrupulously accurate” is the proper meaning.  “Scrupulous” may indeed be an appropriate characteristic of effective training and education programs.  Perhaps it would be reasonable to employ the essentially positive term ‘scrupulous’ rather than the essentially negative (and misapplied) term ‘rigorous.’

Consider all synonyms of “rigorous.”  Do we as educators and trainers really want our instruction to be INFLEXIBLE, STRICT, UNCOMFORTABLE, UNRESPONSIVE TO STIMULI, HARSH, or CRUEL?

Perhaps another term would be more appropriate to describe our standards and programs of instruction. 

But I could be wrong.  Maybe I am confused.  Maybe “academic rigor” really is the appropriate phrase to describe what the professional education community is striving to attain.  Maybe the correct definition is found in the definition, “harsh inflexibility and extremism.”  The attitude of many professional educators toward those who present differing opinions on any given topic frequently does demonstrate a significant amount of inflexibility, and is often “marked by extremes.”

To be fair, the concept behind the inappropriate word is a valid and useful concept.  Here is one educator’s description of what he means when he uses the term:

“Academic rigor quite simply means giving students a curriculum that will prepare them to succeed in college or the world of work. For us, that means setting a high standard for success and then lining up each grade’s lessons to meet that high standard.”  (Jerry D. Weast, Ed.D.)

One last observation:  Those who are inclined to accept the buzzword ‘RIGOR’ as commonly misused should consider the phrase that comes to mind for most English-speaking people who are NOT professional trainers or educators when they heard the word “RIGOR,’ and ask themselves whether it is to ‘RIGOR’ that they truly aspire.

Main Entry: rig·or mor·tis

Pronunciation: \ˌri-gər-ˈmȯr-təs also chiefly British ˌrī-ˌgȯr-\

Function: noun

Etymology: New Latin, stiffness of death

Date: 1847

: temporary rigidity of muscles occurring after death

All sarcasm aside, here is my call to the intelligent, and especially to educators.  Eliminate the use of the word “rigorous” and the phrase “academic rigor” from your vocabulary.  Restore the word “rigor” to its rightful function as an adjective of negative connotation, with no place in any discussion of academic objectives.  Potential replacement words for “rigorous” (as misused) might be “adequate,” or challenging,” or “ambitious,” or even “results-driven.”  Feel free to discover your own synonyms.  Just be sure that the words you use really mean what you are trying to say.  If the concept you’re trying to convey is not related to rigidity, it should not be described as “rigorous.”


Gryphem