Intelligence

At some level, intelligence is simply a measure of how someone communicates his or her message. To be sure, there are some people who are truly intelligent, and some that are simply good at 'smart talk', but the ability to communicate ones message is key.
I have one student in particular that struggles with this communication piece. He is very intelligent, but he often struggles with the communication piece. Sometimes it takes him so long to piece a question together that by the time he's done I've forgotten what exactly he's asking in the first place. In truth, I feel kind of bad for him.
Are you intelligent? Better yet, are people able to tell that you are intelligent? Beyond the high school level, I'm betting that level of perceived intelligence rests largely on your ability to communicate. Even as a college student, I've caught myself thinking, "What a goon" as a classmate stumbles through a presentation or an answer. Now I'm not saying that this is right or even accurate. However, it is imperative that you hone your communication. Without it, you could be that goon.