TOEFL: Professors should do more research or teach students?

Hi guys
Will you please help me review this essay? It's my first attempt on TOEFL essay writing. I am not sure whether I use the correct ideas to answer this topic. And I also felt terrible about my writing :(

Thank you!!

I have finished another version. Is this one better in orgnization?

These days, more and more university professors are involved in scientific research. Some are afraid that this will lead to the decline of education quality and suggest them to spend more time on teaching. However, according to my experiences, professors should be encouraged to mainly do research.

First of all, doing research is a method of self-improvement for professors. Universities are relatively fenced environment. The research projects provide communication with the outside. In addition, by doing research, professors could catch up with the latest development of modern technologies. I still remembered that my professor took part in several research projects when I was in college. He was often invited to do speech in other universities. Although my university is not in the high-ranking list, he gained a reputation by those projects. The research projects like windows opened to the wider world.

Secondly, professors should fully use the research-friendly environment provided by universities. It is very common to see state-of-the-art laboratories in the campus. Also, you could not find another place with so much talent people gathering together. Consequently, there is really no reason to discourage professors from using those advantages. We all know that Einstein developed the theory of general relativity when he was a professor in HU Berlin. Universities positively contribute the professors' success.

Last but not least, doing research could also improve the teaching quality. With the help of research projects, professors could lead their students into the practical world from the classroom. They can easily teach students how to imply the knowledge in practice. I still remembered the experience of being an assistant in one of my professor's research project. By participating in it, I had opportunities to use theories on textbooks in real life experiments. The research project provides a more efficient way of teaching.

For those reasons, it is natural to support the professors spending more time on doing research. While extending the way of their own development, the outcomes of the researches will also benefit the whole society.

First, I have an admin request - Make sure you open TOEFL essays in Writing Feedback forum (This has been moved from Grammar Usage to Writing Feedback by us) That's a forum rule and it also helps you earn more feedbacks too :)


This sentence is too long. Avoid writing lengthy sentences as they get the reader to memorize lots of things and he'd be tired of your writing :D

than you Dumi!
I will post the essay under "Writing Feedback" next time ;)
And also thanks for the introduction guide! I will avoid the long sentence in the future. I use it because I think it will be a point to help me get higher score :(

than you Pahan!

I have read the two example essays. Those are really good examples for me. I am re-writing my essay and try to add examples and to make my structure more clear.

I have another question, once I have completed my 2nd version of the essay, am I suppose to directly post it here? Is it ok? Because I really want my teachers here check it :)

Yep, if is the second version of the same essay, you can post it in this same thread and no need to open a new thread. But make sure that you open a new thread each time you write an essay on a new topic. Also, open all your TOEFL related threads in Writing Feedback forum. Try to practice your essays following those structures and with time too. The more you practice the better you would be :)

Very good quality of writing, just the structure could be better and improved. Go through thoroughly and add more sentence structure.

Let's see :D Let's have a look at your first body para;


... Ok this is your reason. However, the subject is professors and therefore you need to focus on them more and expand on this idea a little bit more;

First, universities do possess the best environment for research because they have the right infrastructure, facilities and financial support. Therefore, the professors should make use of these opportunities and produce fruitful results of such investments.

Here you have given three examples. That is not necessary. Cite only one example and move to the other para.

Some people would say that teaching should be their first priority.
Again, you don't tell the reader about what others say -


This is the core of your issue. And you need to deliver very clearly to the reader .


This should be the last sentence of your intro as it is nicer when you conclude the intro with your opinion.

Some are afraid that this will lead to the decline of education quality and suggest them to spend more time on teaching. However, according to my experiences, professors should be encouraged to mainlyto do research.

Good intro :)
Universities are relatively fenced environments.


....I still remember

Well, I think the main reason that you use to defend your position is that research efforts of the unis help them improve their standard and ranking. Isn't it?

Hey.... Why not try a new topic .... You are quite good with your writing. It's only a matter of practicing your writing to follow a certain structure to help yourself with time and score :D


...100% agree with Pahan
This attempt is very good. Here's some more help with the structure, try a new topic :)

hi Guys
I want to use this topic to brush up my writing skills. I am still studying how to organize the essay and use the correct words.

Thank you so much for helping me with the writing. I will start a new topic next week :)