text: All someone would need to do for a report, if it has strict rules, is follow those rules entirely while putting minimal effort. People could be given a high grade for doing as the report said, even though they turned in a mediocre paper with no real care in the subject matter. There wouldnt be a way of giving this mediocre paper the grade it deserves, because the student did what they were told and they took advantage of that loophole. To avoid this mindless compliance, students should instead be given total and complete freedom on their report as long as they apply everything they've learned throughout the school year. This would be a double edged sword, while they are free to design however they want, they must also put in more effort because they will not get any help or instruction from the teacher. Some may believe that a teacher-designed project is a better alternative because if the teacher has a specific rubric, they can help the student by giving them a code to follow. It should be the opposite, They have helped their students all year, now it is time for them to finish one last report by themselves, to prove they can retain this information without any outside help. The teacher has finished their job, they have taught the entirety of the curriculum to their learners, and now those learners must utilize all the knowledge given to them in one project, on their own.