Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with professor

What do I do if my professor plagiarizes my idea?

Anonymous — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 19:11:25 -0800

I suspect one of my undergraduate professors is writing an article based on an idea I proposed to him last spring that he intends to submit for publication in a literary journal. What should I do? The only proof I have is an email I sent to the professor that details my research into an overlooked (or at least unwritten about) aspect of a specific text and my undercooked insights as to the significance of my findings. I don't have any written responses from him and we only communicated about the idea verbally, in his office. During these conversations, he admitted to me that he had never considered my reading of the text and had never read an article mentioning my findings. Subsequently, he produced some findings of his own, but on their own they were very unremarkable because they mostly augmented what I had already discovered. He presented them during lecture almost parenthetically, with a wink and a sidelong glance in my direction, but he did not discuss my findings or mention I was the catalyst for his insights.

This was not an assignment for class; I never turned anything in that he graded. He was determined to get me to write something with him and submit it to a journal, but I refused because literary studies was my secondary field of study—I have since gone on to graduate school to study in an unrelated field—and I have little desire to see my name in print (if I did, it would be on my own terms, with my coattails free of parasites). Does my reluctance to pursue this give him license to write an article presenting my research as his own? What recourse do I have if I find my ideas in print, under his name, given my limited amount of proof? Would the email I sent him be enough to get a journal to force him to share his byline with me or to print an addendum to the article?

Dear Professor Flake...

zoomorphic — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 12:00:51 -0800

Grad school application crisis: one of my professors who agreed to write a recommendation is completely flaking out. I've tried my best to communicate my needs, but she seems either too busy or suddenly, inexplicably disinterested in cooperating. I don't want to alienate her but I don't want to get screwed over when one of my references went off the grid. I emailed three of my college professors back in August or September to see if they'd be willing to write recommendations on my behalf as I applied to grad school. They all sent back really nice, affirmative responses. Whew! One professor recommended that I use Interfolio, which is like a middle man for schools and professors providing references. Professors upload one copy of a recommendation, which is given its own email address. Instead of listing a professor's email in the online application, I list that email, sparing the professors the task of email five different universities with the same email.

Two of my professors uploaded recommendations right away, but the third (who was always a bit scatterbrained) has not. I've emailed her several times, the last email two ago, and she's replied that she will get to it. But she hasn't. My first application is due, recommendations and all, on Sunday. Interfolio seems to only work on business days, so essentially the last day is tomorrow. The university will not accept late or incomplete applications.

The thing is, I don't want to alienate the professor before she writes the application by sounding impatient and high-strung, especially since I have a far less intimate, friendly history with her than with my other two references. But obviously I don't want to get screwed over because she said she'd offer a rec and then didn't.

Clearly I'm overthinking this, but in my state of hair-tearing stress, I can't formulate an email that doesn't sound completely insane or accusatory. What should I say that sounds professional, understanding and urgent?

Help me become a better professor!

Cody's Keeper — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 15:11:44 -0800

My University's Engineering Faculty offers a certificate program entitled "Prospective Professors in Training." Please help me inventory similar professional development programs at other institutions that prepare soon-to-be faculty members (i.e. grad students) for the ins-and-outs of an academic position. Details about the program from the PPIT website:

The Prospective Professors in Training (PPIT) program aims at preparing soon-to-be faculty members to the rigors of the academic position, and how to best manage their time and resources between teaching, research, and university administration. Participants are selected among students applicants nearing the completion of their Ph.D. degree based on their demonstrated research abilities and their passion for teaching and mentoring.

Engineering focussed programs are of the most interest for me, but those based on other professional disciplines are also welcome.

Thank you!

Great idea for a course--horribly misdirected.

k. — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 22:16:41 -0800

I'm taking an innovative course on using technology for humanitarian causes, taught by a professor I really like. But it's awful! How can I tell him what I think, and/or turn this disaster of a course into something worthwhile? My hopes were high at first, because I was really excited about the topic: I wanted to learn how to use my technical skills to do something good for people, instead of just to make money. I'm hoping to find a job in my field that does some kind of good, since I'm not sure I could stand it otherwise.

But the course turned out to be very different: it seems to be entirely about giving people computers. Dumping gadgets on people is of questionable long-term value, and, most importantly, it doesn't teach us students anything about how to use our skills--which are not about donating technology but about making it--to make the world better place. We read case studies of projects that gave people technology, and we're installing a computer lab made from donated computers in a local public housing project. While this kind of community-service might help some people in the short term, it sure isn't teaching us any new technical skills or any ways to use our existing skills to help people in the future.

I don't think using technical knowledge for the common good is an unreasonable idea. Engineers Without Borders does it all the time; so does the Humanitarian FOSS (Free and Open-Source Software) Project. And, given that we're adept at crunching numbers and have a GIS expert on hand, I'm sure there's a lot of climate- and environment-related stuff we could work on as well. All great things, but not what we're doing in this class.

The course is small and somewhat student-directed, so I may be able to push the class (or my own work in it) more toward something I could actually learn from. But I have to do this very carefully, for two reasons. First, our class is effectively committed to the housing project's computer lab, so any additional projects or "field work" we take on has to be in addition to our work on that (in other words, at least some of us have to continue the work on that and probably most will). Second, I don't want to seem oppositional or offensive, because I really like the professor--he's a fascinating person and one of the best teachers I've had--and I want him to like me too.

How should I express my doubts about the course, and how might I try to shift the focus more toward material from which I might actually learn something?

Professor calling female students beautiful- is that bad?

Baethan — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 12:17:28 -0800

A professor singled out a (blond, pretty) female student in a relatively small class and asked several male students and one female student to describe her beauty. The men were asked to describe her as though they were trying to tell a male friend how beautiful she is, while the woman was asked to describe her as though she was a family member. Should I register a complaint with the university? This professor went on to single out almost every female in the room over the course of the class. He something about their beauty to each one (mixed in with what he was teaching), with the exception of an older-looking woman and an overweight woman. (And me. He ignored me almost completely, but I am not considering complaining because I feel hurt- I have had enough time to cool down. I expect he ignored me because I was making eye contact throughout the class and probably started looking pissed off after a bit.)

He also asked two of the women whether they cooked. He did not ask any of the men whether they cooked, nor did he talk about their physical beauty or ask other students to describe their looks. He did not call on the men unless they indicated they had a response, but he asked for responses from women and asked a few of the women to read out loud.

This was in an English class, by the way, and all the comments he made were somehow related to his lecture. The incident in the first paragraph was apparently a demonstration of descriptive language.

I'd like MeFi's opinion on this because of a few things: this was my first class with the professor, and I have already switched into a different class- I don't know if two hours of this nonsense is enough basis to make a complaint. The class did have more women than men- I think it was something like 5 guys to 10 girls. The professor brought up discrimination, specifically related to race (he's black, and from Nigeria) at one point, and towards the end of the class said that when he started teaching at the university, some girls from one of his classes reported him for calling them "ladies"; he said he explained to them that he uses the term to honor women, not insult them.

I don't know that any complaint I make will stay anonymous and I plan to major in English, so I don't want to get on any of the other teachers' grudge lists. If I stayed in the class I would have made these comments on the teacher/class evaluation sheet, but I've decided to switch out (different teacher, same class). No one complained during class and I don't know that anyone else will be complaining to the university. So, is he harmless and should I just forget it, or should I complain? Also, my mother suggested that I explain what happened to the professor of the class I switched into if she seems nice- to me that screams DANGER! but I suppose it's an option.

Student/former professor romance

Anonymous — Sat, 30 May 2009 16:33:09 -0800

Student/former professor romance. Personal experiences and anecdotes are welcome. I am a 23-year-old female. He is 30 years older than I am. He has no significant other -- no wife, no girlfriend -- and he has no kids.

And, of course, he was my professor for most of my undergraduate degree. I've worked for him for several years, and have taken a few courses with him as well. Although I graduated last year, I still work for him as a research assistant in his lab. I will be leaving this position by July, since I will be starting my Master's degree at a university on the other side of the country in September, although in the same field. I will probably never return to my undergraduate university -- at least, not until after I get my Ph.D. -- and he will never be my professor again.

For the duration that I have been his student, our relationship was strictly professional and platonic. While we were definitely much closer than the average student and professor, it was strictly on friend-like terms and there was nothing beyond that.

More recently -- especially in the last few weeks -- things have taken a slightly different turn. Earlier this month, we began to go out for drinks and food after work. These things were never planned, and we always stayed on neutral topics.

We went out again last night, and it was revealed that we have romantic feelings for each other. We have not yet done anything -- short hugs and holding hands at most. It seems crazy to me that I am in this situation, and I feel like I've been thrown into a whirlwind.

The biggest problem is that we are in the same field. Many of his friends and colleagues are at the new institution that I will going to, and I will likely be continuing my studies in this field. Even if we don't end up dating, I don't feel that I can ever, in good conscience, ask for a letter of reference now that I know how he feels about me. This is extremely bad for me, as he was my primary reference for applying to my grad program.

I know the tone that people use when they say, "He's dating his student." I know we'll be raising eyebrows wherever we go. I fear that, if we were to date, people will never be able to take me and my work seriously. My reputation will always be dogged by a knowing look. His reputation will suffer, too, of course, but he is already a well-established and respected scholar in his field. I almost wish I could change my field of study somehow.

Even if we manage to get over the huge age difference, the potentially irrecoverable damage to our respective professional reputations, we would still be pursuing a long-distance relationship for many years to come. I've never been in one before, and I really don't understand the kinds of things that are involved. There are just so many ways things can go wrong.

Right now, we've agreed not to do anything until August, when I will no longer be his employee. This should give both of us some time to think about things while letting the feelings cool down a little. It feels so foolish to risk something so permanent like career and reputation for something so fleeting like romance. My common sense tells me to run, but my heart simply won't let me. This, I guess, means that I'm not quite as emotionally mature as I'd like to be.

What should I do, Metafilter? There are so many thoughts going through my head right now. I've read related ask.mefi posts in the archives, but was hoping to get some direct advice related to my situation.

Sigh. How do I get myself into these things...?

Asking about research assistant position.

dolemite01 — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 11:53:42 -0800

Question about asking for a research assistant position with a professor I recently asked a professor in grad school if he needed a research assistant.

His response was something along the lines of " Probably yes, but I haven't made those plans yet. If you are interested, why don't you email me your CV. "

A month ago I did so, should I follow up? If so, what do I say?

Teach me the art of seduction

Anonymous — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 04:55:59 -0800

Ladies, tell me how you seduced a man. Gentlemen, tell me how you were seduced. In both cases, preferably the seductress or the object of seduction was not someone you knew well, but an acquaintance or a near stranger.

Ladies: How did you work up the guts to do it? How did he react initially? Want to share the juicy details?

Gentlemen: How did she go about it? What did or did not get your heart pounding? Did you melt like butter? In your opinion, how would most guys react when sex is being served to them on a platter?

Why do I ask? I'm trying to figure out if the reward of getting this man into bed will be worth the risk of rejection, and I'm turning to you for inspiration or words of caution.

Here are the details: I'm 25 and have plenty of sexual experience - I definitely know my way around a man. Just take my word for it that I'm attractive and fit. At the risk of sounding extremely full of myself, I'm pretty sure he wouldn't turn me down if we were complete strangers.

He's in his late thirties. Both girl and guy friends of mine have seen him (either in person or in a picture) and they've all teased me about his appearance. So what if he's no Adonis, he's brilliant and I have an absolutely magnetic attraction to him. He’s the quiet, thoughtful, academic type, but certain clues have me convinced he has a fun, rebellious streak that he keeps carefully tucked away. I want so damn badly to bring that out of him.

The complicating factor is that he was my professor. Let me stress that he's not my professor anymore and I'm graduating in a couple of months, so there is no chance of me ever being in his class again. I'm also moving away right after graduation, probably never to return, so this is my only chance. I don’t want a relationship and a fairy tale ending, I just want to jump his bones. The times that we’ve spoken one-on-one, I definitely sensed sparks flying.

I’m well aware that his professional obligations will factor into his reaction if I do try to make a move. I have a couple of male friends who also teach at this university and I have picked their brains for their experiences with students hitting on them. If you’re going to tell me it’s a bad idea, don’t tell me that it’s a bad idea because it’s just “wrong” to hit on a professor, tell me it’s because I have no chance with him. If you think I should go for it, tell me how - I have three ways of contacting him: phone, email, or marching right into his office.

So in summary, stories of your own experiences or suggestions for my situation are all welcome and appreciated. Outrageous stories and suggestions are especially welcome! This is meant to be a fun thread, so please, no preaching. If you want to contact me privately (you don't want your story of seduction posted up where anyone can see, or you want more details), email me at metataka@gmail.com

Thanks!

How to deal with an intimidating professor?

Anonymous — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 06:03:29 -0800

My professor’s intimidating, confrontational style makes the classroom atmosphere difficult to tolerate. I can't drop the class or switch sections. What should I do? I’m in an advanced-level business class. The students are all seniors, post-bacs and graduate students, but the professor treats us as if we were a bunch of insubordinate kids in need of discipline. He doesn’t do this all the time, but it’s frequent enough that I’ve started to dread the class.

The class runs for two hours, and we are not given any breaks. If someone leaves their seat to go to the restroom, he will occasionally pause the lecture to interrogate them, ask where they’re going, or insist that they’re going to miss the best part of the lecture in the five minutes that they’re gone. Sometimes he laughs and tries to pass this sort of thing off as a joke, but very few (if any) of us find it funny.

When students ask questions, he often interrupts them or cuts them off before they’ve even finished articulating their questions. If they give an incorrect answer to a question he poses, he often chews them out for it, even if they can demonstrate verbally that they’ve read the assigned material and understood the concepts. At this point the only students who speak up voluntarily anymore seem to be the most thick-skinned ones. I’m not very thick-skinned, so I remain silent in class unless he calls on me directly. Sooner or later, though, he’ll probably put me on the spot and challenge me to explain why I’m so damn quiet all the time. (He’s already done that to another student).

He picks on people mercilessly. This week, for example, he loudly berated a student for not being able to answer the professor’s question:

Professor (pointing at student, after describing a long scenario): What’s the answer?

Student: Uh, I’m not sure. I was a bit distracted. I missed some of the details.

Professor (aggressively): WHY? Why aren’t you paying attention? What were you doing? What’s the matter? Don’t you take this class seriously?

Student (meekly): I’m sorry. I was reading something for a moment.

Professor: If you’re not going to pay attention and take this class seriously, then get the hell out of my class! Either you get on the ball, or you get your ass out of here!

Student (embarrassed): I’m sorry, Professor. I got it. I’m taking it seriously from now on.

At that point a couple of the students gave each other quizzical looks of disbelief, as if to say “What IS this, anyway? Reform school? The military?”

I felt sorry for the student he confronted, and wanted to stand up for him, but I feared that the professor would turn his wrath on me. If the professor ever does try to humiliate me like that, I doubt I’ll be able to endure it. I’ll probably just get up and walk out. I almost walked out today in protest of his treatment of a fellow student, but I knew I’d pay a high price if I did so, and I need this class to graduate.

Two weeks into the term, and already I dread going to class (which is very unusual for me; I love school, and my other classes are great). It’s a required class, and my class schedule is set in stone through my graduation date this summer, so I can’t drop it. There are no other sections available, so I can’t switch to a different instructor. I’m stuck with him until the end of the term.

What should I do? Is there anything that can be done, short of confronting him directly, to get him to ease up or treat the students more respectfully? I don’t want to confront him, because I fear he might hold it against me at grading time, or even try to humiliate me in front of the class and then claim it was “all in fun”.

Would this sort of behavior be considered harassment? He's never threatened or sexually harassed anyone, to the best of my knowledge. Should I document all the individual incidents in the classroom, and take my complaint to the university ombuds office? He's a visiting professor from another university; would this make a difference? Should I complain to the department head, and suggest that they confront him?

Advice, encouragement, suggestions, coping strategies, personal experiences – all are welcome. Thank you!

Throwaway e-mail: merciless.professor at gmail.

Saying filter

Black_Umbrella — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 11:10:29 -0800

Quote/saying: Old grass on new green? Old knowledge on new grass? I can't remember! I dont even know if its an actual quote or just something a professor was making a statement about in class.

It was something like Old grass on new green? Old knowledge on new grass? I can't remember!

It was about the professors at ivy league schools take students under there wing. They would pass on knowledge and help shape the younger one while also supplying the younger one with political, business, etc contacts. I think he said this was linked back to the Greek societies where it was common also (with an extra pa verse side to it)

Is there an actual saying for this or not?

Why doesn't math make sense anymore?

Anonymous — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:35:56 -0800

I've got math anxiety but not the traditional kind. I'm graduating with a math degree but I feel very insecure pursuing higher math. How did something this beautiful turn into a bugbear? I've gone to a good undergraduate institution (Fields Medalists in the faculty) and I've taken higher math classes on functional analysis, algebraic topology in addition to foundational stuff (real analysis, topology, algebra). So I'm happy with the training I got and material I've been exposed to.
My problems are:
1) Self-worth: I don't feel creative or original. An English major isn't expected to be an author, but in Math you're expected to produce. I studied math because it was beautiful but the thought of making it a job has made me second guess my first love.
2) Abstractness: I never feel like I really know what's going on. I can pass the classes/tests but I feel like I'm faking it, as if I'm just parroting proofs. I've considered applied math but there's this really macho posturing between pure and applied and applied is seen as "dirty" or for the guys who couldn't hack it.
3) Intelligence: I used to breeze through lower division classes and would be the go to guy for a problem but in these upper division classes I feel like I don't get things as fast as my peers. They can follow a conversation on harmonic analysis while I have to scramble to write down notes and take several hours after class to understand. Some of my friends have papers published with professors and I feel like I'm behind the game.
4) Socialization: I don't feel like I can connect with my professors on a personal level. I'm fairly socialized and have hobbies like music but my professors are either genetically blessed or work non-stop and think about math all the time. I don't know if I can commit to that level of intensity.

I don't know if I should go to graduate school. I feel like I've put in so much time thinking about this stuff that it would be a waste to stop now but at the same time I don't know if I want to continue the abusive inferiority complex. I'm considering teaching high school math but I feel like I've failed relative to some of my friends going off to prestigious universities for doctoral studies.

Please help me think about this stuff.

Discussions: discuss.

umbú — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 11:11:39 -0800

Calling all professors and teachers: What is crucial to keep in mind in order to foster a successful class discussion? I teach undergrads and graduate students--mostly undergrads. Now that the semester is almost over, I'm in the process of assessing what has worked and what hasn't in my courses. I've come to the conclusion that I need to hone my skills in facilitating class discussion.

I've read the tips in pedagogy books like Tools for Teachers, and they are helpful, but there is an improvisatory element to what goes on in the unscripted moments in class that, I've found, books like this don't fully address.

Can you think of any specific classroom moments that taught you something valuable about how to best lead discussions? How to make them less perfunctory to more inspiring?

Some of the areas I've been thinking specifically about include: formulating thought-provoking questions on the fly; getting students to talk to each other, not just to me or for me; keeping students focused, but relaxed.

Two Master's Degrees... What are my options?

msposner — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:57:38 -0800

This spring I will be finished with my second Master's degree. I've been at my current job for almost three years and while I enjoy it immensely, I am wondering about other opportunities that having two graduate degrees might open up for me. Am hoping to obtain answers especially from individuals who have multiple degrees and have gone into somewhat different career paths. My first graduate degree is a M.S. in Secondary School Education. I am qualified to teach in public school (context area: Social Studies). I also am certified to teach at schools for the deaf but that is not something I want to focus on because of how such institutions are being shut down at an alarming rate.

My second graduate degree is going to be a M.S. in Professional/Rehabilitation Counseling, which I'll be obtaining in May of 2009. I'm not going to be pursuing my Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) certificate because I was recently on their advisory panel and signed a waiver stating that I promise not to take the CRC test for at least five years due to first-hand exposure to potential test questions. This is perfectly fine with me because I'm not planning on having my own independent counseling practice and I have no desire to work for any of the major insurance companies around here.

I currently work at a state agency as a vocational rehabilitation counselor and while I do enjoy this job very, very much, lately it seems as if I'm often hearing from people (respected professionals) that I should be doing something "better" and so forth.

For me, "better", would be to obtain employment as a researcher (researcher scientist?) or a professor at a college/university, which is actually my ultimate goal but I'm also open to acquiring other, relevant experience that might enhance myself as an educator. I'm a voracious reader and I'm always conducting research- I'd really like to go into education/rehabilitation policy if the opportunity ever presents itself.

For now, my intention is clearly to "stay put" because as I mentioned, I love my job and I enjoy working with my colleagues, however, I have my goals outside of this field and have oftentimes thought about returning to the classroom as a high school teacher.

In a nutshell, my inquiries are defined as follows:

(I) I've been told that having Master degrees in both education and counseling will make me very attractive to school systems. True?

(II) Will the fact that I do not have terminal degrees in either fields (education and counseling) hurt my chances in obtaining research-based positions and/or work as a college instructor?

(III) For someone with two Master's degrees, what are the other fields I could go into when I have specialization in both education and counseling?

(IV) Has anyone experienced negative pitfalls of having multiple graduate degrees such as frequent rejections on the basis of being overqualified?

--------

Caveat #1: I am profoundly deaf. This, unfortunately, creates a lot of barriers for me in the workplace. Many schools have refused to hire me because in order for me to instruct in public schools, they would have to also pay for a full-time sign language interpreter since I communicate primarily in American Sign Language. In their eyes, I'm not cost effective- I'm a budget burden. As I mentioned earlier, I do not want to work at schools for the deaf because of the lack of job security and their notoriously low salaries.

Caveat #2: I've mentioned that I love my current job. However, I am also trying to plan ahead (1-3 years) and have always been open to other opportunities.

Caveat #3: Not really looking to relocate anytime in the near/distant future. Wife loves her job and is pregnant with our first child. We also put a lot of work in our present home.

Caveat #4: I'm 27 years old.

Caveat #5: My current job is paying fully for my second graduate degree, which is really the only reason why I went back to school after I completed my first Master's.

Thanks in advance for all of your suggestions/insights.

Stolen education

Anonymous — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 07:07:56 -0800

I recently found out that one of my professors takes practically all of his lecture material straight off the web. Should anything be done? At what point does using reference material for lectures become plagarism?

I've taken a few courses with this one professor I have, and when I attend these lectures I always feel like my time is being wasted. I never really figured out why until I realized that practically all of this person's notes, assignments, are direct copies from web-sources.

For example, one set of slides comes from exact copies of a few different Wikipedia pages (with only minor formatting changes), an assignment I'm working on now comes from a professor's website at University of North Carolina, and some notes on the course directory I'm reading to study for an exam right now comes from a professor's website at Ramapo College of New Jersey.

I wouldn't feel so disgusted if this material was merely supplementary, or if what was used were graphics, charts, tables, etc. What I'm finding, however, is that I can just take whole sentences from his notes, throw them into google, and find out they've been plagarized... but is it plagarism if the materials themselves are in the public domain?

The professor is a computer science professor, so understandably a lot of this information is "standardized", based on logic, redundant, etc etc... One might argue that there is less room for creative maneuvering, but does that change the situation? Isn't it somehow amoral that this person doesn't write any of these materials themself (especially the ASSIGNMENTS, which are fairly elaborate)? At the very least coming up with fresh examples? It's still fraudulent to present someone else's examples as your own, isn't it, especially when you're getting paid a salary to construct educational programming, and that programming is created by a few Google searches?

I am of the position that knowledge should be free, information should be promoted and shared and all that, but that doesn't equate to education being Google search mosaics.

I get good grades in this person's classes, and this person is very friendly, but then I place value on the learning process itself, and in that regard I feel like I'm being taught by Phillip M. Parker.

What would you do?

Can/should I ask a TA to write a grad school recommendation for me?

suedehead — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 22:57:16 -0800

Can/should I ask a TA to write a grad school recommendation for me? Asking for a friend. She says:

"I'm applying to graduate school in the humanities, and I'd like to get a recommendation from a professor that I had very little contact with, as his class was a large-ish lecture (100 people+). I asked a few questions here and there after classes, but never went to the professor's office hours; as a result, I'm sure that the professor does not know me personally. Also: the professor is also well-known within my discipline.

For a discussion section for the class, however, I was really engaging and outspoken, and I also got an A- as my final grade and a A+ on my final paper. As a result, I'm considering asking my TA to write a recommendation. The TA, however, was a first-year PHD student, and thus I'm worrying that she might lack some sort of academic/institutional 'clout' if she writes my recommendation.

At the same time, I'm not sure how the professor would write a recommendation for me based on my performance in class if the class consisted of a 90-minute lecture (nobody really talked in this class).

And to complicate things; my ideal choice would be to stay at the school I'm in; it's in the perfect location for my discipline, very well-regarded, etc. So, when the director of admissions (at my current school) will be looking over my application, he'll no doubt probably know the TA by name, and wonder why I didn't get a recommendation directly from the professor.

What should I do? Any suggestions?"

Thanks AskMe!

How do I get around this minor Letter of Rec issue?

dancinglamb — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 08:25:54 -0800

Letter of Recommendation Filter: Professor said yes, but it's more complicated than that. I was accepted into an academic Honor Society (woo hoo!). The Society required two Letters of Recommendation. I was able to get one from my Dean. For the other, I asked one of my professors. I took a class with her once before and held a 4.0 GPA, and am currently holding a 4.0 this semester.

She said she's happy to write the letter. The problem lies in that English is not her primary language and there are definite issues with her written abilities - both in grammar and spelling (I've seen it firsthand in class every week).

Without a doubt, she is one of the kindest, most intelligent and knowledgeable people in her field. However, her grasp of the language just isn't there. I don't know if it's that she's just thinking too fast to to correct herself, or whatever. I've just learned to double check everything on my own, since I know, invariably, that her spelling will be off on most things.

She asked that I write down whatever it is that I need for her to write in the letter. Does this mean that I should essentially write the letter for her? I Googled around and saw all kinds of samples, but that just doesn't seem, well, right to me.

Is this a common thing? What do I do? I need to get this letter into the society within the next two weeks.

Oh, and the reason I've asked her and not another professor is that I have the closest relationship with her over any of the other professors I've dealt with at the school. One that I held a 3.85GPA with just isn't a warm person, I doubt would give me a great letter. Another, I have a good relationship, but haven't performed long enough in his class for him to effectively give a recommendation.

Thanks.

Therapist? Professor? Something else? Help me figure out a career/life-direction dilemma.

Anonymous — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 18:45:02 -0800

Therapist? Professor? Something else? Help me figure out a career/life-direction dilemma. Dear MeFites: You are wise. Please help me think through a tangle of career thoughts. I'm a 29-y.o. woman living in a large city in the U.S.

I currently work as a freelance writer/online project manager, and teach one section of freshman comp as an adjunct at a small college. I quit a F/T job in new media in February because I was burnt out and no longer believed in the bosses. I learned that I had a knack for people-management, yet multi-tasking on-screen all day made me feel permanently stressed out.

Before that job, I interned at a handful of small magazines and a weekly newspaper.

I have an undergraduate degree in English lit. I really enjoyed college. I went to a small school where scholarship was highly valued; I relished being part of a community whose values I could get behind. I felt completely bereft upon graduation, so I decided to apply to PhD programs in English.

I matriculated into a good one in a rather remote small town. I got there and almost immediately fell into a deep depression (it runs in my family, it's my bete noir, and it often accompanies transitions for me). I got help and went on to have two pretty good years, but I immediately noticed that grad school was not much like college; it did not feel like a community. I envied my friends in cities, decided that scholarship was disappointing, and eventually withdrew from the program.

My second year at grad school, I taught two semesters of freshman comp. At the time, I didn't like the feeling of forcing people to do things they didn't want to be doing (writing papers, mostly), but I also experienced the teaching 'high' and enjoyed connecting with some of my students.

Temperamentally, I always excelled in school, and I love to read, though I also have a hard time sitting still, and given the choice, would often prefer a conversation with a friend. All my life, I've been interested in creating things: paintings, drawings, photography, poems, short stories, novels, a journal, term papers, theses. When I was 12, I decided that I wanted to be a writer; that dream has stuck with me.

My Myers-Briggs score varies some, but I'm a hardcore NF type. Usually I come up INFJ or INFP. I'm primarily interested in people: social history, social anthropology, psychology, the human condition. I consider myself an intellectual but definitely also a feeler, which not all intellectuals are.

I've had a bit of a hard time with depression and anxiety, nothing too dramatic, but I think and talk a lot about moods and feelings. As a child, I felt lonely a lot of the time. I think that most of my interests and passions revolve around communication with other people—through art, ritual, the written word, verbally, etc. Maybe I'm looking for ways to feel connected and to help other people feel connected too.

So here's the deal. I'm here, I'm 29, I'm single, I'm doing a lot of odd jobs and sort of making ends meet, but I want more. I want a career identity, and I want to feel like I'm on a path to something. I also probably need to be making more money, at least eventually.

I'm thinking seriously about returning to grad school. I have a project that would make a good PhD, probably not in English but in a related subject. I've told a handful of people close to me that I intend to apply for PhD programs this winter, and start in 2009 if I am admitted.

But! I have these afternoons blocked off to research what programs I'd like to apply to, and I find myself almost debilitated by anxiety during them. I am scared of a feeling of hostility from advisors or fellow students, scared of loneliness and isolation, committing myself to a long career path and lousy job prospects, scared that school wouldn't make me happy or fulfilled. On the other hand, I want to make something of myself. I want to be goaded into producing good stuff. It's appealing to have a path marked out for me. I think it would be cool to be a Dr. (and many of my relatives are PhDs). And I tell myself it would be different this time. I'd no longer move someplace I don't want to live. I've realized that I do like to teach. Being a professor is a path to writing, and writing books. I could try harder to create a caring community for myself within my institution. Doing a PhD might allow me to balance connectedness (to a school and department) with independence, in the way that I like.

But alternatives flicker across my screen. I had an amazing therapist when I was in graduate school, whom I worked intensely with. I loved our time together, and I fantasize a lot about becoming a therapist. I also think about pursuing writing other ways—should I go to journalism school? Or just sit down and start to write a book? MFA programs strike me as really expensive and probably full of trust-fund kids who are a lot younger than I am now; I'd be afraid of emerging two years later, essentially in the same place where I am now, but saddled with debt. However, I'd be happy to hear from people whose opinions differ.

I'd also be interested to hear from people who have done, or started, PhDs in the humanities or social sciences—academia is such a weird little cult sometimes, I think it's hard for people who don't know it to evaluate it as a choice.

I feel scared of picking something, but even more scared of not picking, and never settling down into anything. I want to find a way to be a grown-up in the world.

I feel so close to narrowing this down, yet also so much all over the map still.

Any insights would be appreciated. Thank you.

Advice on Emailing Professors When Applying to Grad School?

davidstandaford — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 16:40:09 -0800

Any advice concerning email communication with professors who I'll be contacting at the various schools that I will be applying to for PhD programs in Political Science? As part of my application process I've been identifying the schools that I want to apply to and the professors at each campus that I would want to work with. I've been reading some of their recent writings so I can begin contacting them via email.

At the moment, my plan is to email them sometime soon letting them know I'm thinking of applying to their school, my planned research statement, and letting them know which of their articles I've read. I was going to include a comment about the articles I had read and ask them some question about something I'm unsure about or how their article might be in conflict with some other research.

If/when I get a response I was planning to follow up by asking to see any unpublished articles if they are working on something that also fits with my interest.

Firstly, I was wondering if anyone involved in academia has any thoughts about communicating with professors during the application process.

Also, is there some maximum number of emails that should be exchanged and at some point I would begin to annoy them, or it's ok to email back and forth for a couple of months?

Is there some number of emails I should exchange before I tell them explicitly that I am applying to their school and explicitly ask them for any help they can provide in the admissions process?

What about arranging a time to speak to them on the phone? Also good?

And finally, anything in my emails that I should be sure not to mention/include, or anything I should be sure to tell them?

[I'm focusing on email communication because, alas, I am out of the country and not able to make any more campus visits.]

What gift to thank an advisor?

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 07:29:16 -0800

What are some good appreciation gift ideas for a thesis advisor who was kind when the project took far longer than originally planned? I did an undergraduate thesis in college. My paper took about, um, a year longer to finish than it should have due to some personal issues and some challenges with the paper itself. My advisor had to deal with some hassles because of this as well, and was always very patient and cool about it. He also went out of his way to get my paperwork submitted at the last minute (due to me taking so long). All of the paperwork was recently tied up and I'm officially done now. I want to send a thank-you note and a small gift of appreciation to his office, but I know nothing about the protocol for this or what would be an appropriate gift?
He's a fairly young professor, not super formal, and other than that I know he likes music a lot and has young kids. I hate giving non-relatives gift certificates because it seems too monetary and less thoughtful. I also am trying to avoid anything too office-ish like a fruit basket or a mug or whatever. Any suggestions on an appropriate gift that one could give in this situation? I am somewhat broke so it can't be anything too fancy, unfortunately.

Advice for faculty position job interview?

gaspode — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 09:48:56 -0800

I just found out that I have an phone interview for a faculty (assistant professor) position (biology) at a liberal-arts college this Wednesday afternoon. Yay! But I've never actually had a formal interview before. Help! Also, I'm pregnant. Questions and advice requests inside. Some background: Right now I'm a post-doc in a Neuroscience department at a medical school. This is my second post-doc position. I left the first one with several publications, but sooner than I would have wished because my husband and I were finding living in different cities untenable. I have never had any sort of interview. I did my PhD in New Zealand, where, at least at my university, there was no formal interview process, you just found a mentor, applied for a scholarship and if you got one you were good to go. My two post-docs (both in the USA) have been arranged through networking and chatting to people at meetings followed by informal and then formal job offers.

My specific questions: Most of the interview advice I read online really seems geared to business or IT-type interviews. Do academic interviews follow similar or different lines? Am I going to be asked about my biggest weaknesses, or will they be more likely to stick to asking about my research, teaching philosophies etc? I intend to do a lot of research on the institution in the next couple of days (beyond what I read about when I applied). How important is it to know the ins and outs of the research of everyone in the department? (remembering that we are just at phone interview stage?) Also, the job posting mentioned a reasonable amount of administration (they are developing a new concentration in neuroscience) which I would love, but I have no actual administration experience. Is enthusiasm enough?

When I started sending out applications, I wasn't pregnant and wasn't expecting to be due right at the start of the fall semester, so obviously wouldn't be able to start then. Is this something I should bring up from the outset?

Finally, any other advice for faculty job interviews would be much appreciated!

How hard to become adjunct teacher of philosophy?

Malad — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 12:23:05 -0800

My formal educational background/profession is in a different area, but I would be interested in teaching a seminar on spirituality, comparative religion, and philosophy at a university. I've studied these areas informally. Anyway, I want it to be mostly a participatory, discussion-oriented class, not one where I pass down my knowledge from on high. How hard would this be to do and how should I go about doing it -- esp. at a well-known university like, say, NYU? I don't need much if any compensation.

To boot or not to boot?

Anonymous — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 09:33:24 -0800

Should I give my co-advisor the boot? Question about dealing with a difficult advisor for my grad program...a nice, long read awaits you... I am in a graduate program and I have two advisors, one in my department (I will call him NP) who is very easy to get along with, and one in the professional school I wish to get into after my master's (I will call him R).

I am doing a multidisciplinary grad program, one that will look really good on my application to the professional program that I want to eventually be in. NP thought that having an advisor in that department would be helpful, so I asked R to co-advise. R is basically an ok guy...nice, listens when you have problems, and I think he tries to be helpful, but...

R is an incredibly difficult person to work with. I like to think that it is a combination of cultural backgrounds and Napoleon complex. He is coming up for tenure in about a year. He has screaming fights with his department head, and is extremely confrontational with other members of his department. I am getting tired of it, but NP is trying to give him the benefit of the doubt. So far:

1) When I asked him what tests he would like me to run on the blood samples collected, instead of 'advising' me, he told me to ask a friend of his. I found this odd. I asked the friend, who gave me limited info that was not helpful. So...

2) I am taking a class in the professional school as part of my plan of study, and asked the professor (who is in R's department) for suggestions. He told me to talk to M, and even spoke to M on my behalf. M was extremely helpful (she is an expert in part of what I am studying). The tests and protocol that M suggested were completely different from R's friend's suggestion, and are considerably more valid (the opinion of NP, the prof from my class, etc.) M has gone out of the way to train me in techniques and find information, even though I am not her student. She has been more helpful to me than R ever has. M even went to talk to another expert for me (she thought it would be useful), and when she did...

3) The expert and R were working together, and M approached the expert and asked his advice, used my name. R immediately flew off the handle and jumped M's case: "Why is she talking to you?!? She is MY grad student!!!" M was accompanied by her grad student, who asked R if he knew anything about the technology in question. No, he didn't.

The next time I was training in M's lab, she approached me and said that it wasn't her place, but she didn't want me to be blindsided when he confronted me about it (coming up). She also gave me advice, which was to get him off of my committee. She says that he is a loose cannon, and is confrontational with most everybody. She also said that in her annual review, the department head had read R's comments and dismissed them as BS, saying that he had contributed very little to the department, and had blown his startup package on traveling to seminars all over the world (he did not present at any of them). She said that she doesn't usually have problems with R, but the way she deals with him is just to tuck her tail and run.

4) So NP and I and gone to pick up supplies for the field work (R was out of town at a seminar-not presenting). He had wanted us to drop off the list and then he would pick it up. The supply clerk would not let us do that, so we had to take the supplies and store them in M's office. I emailed R and told him where the supplies were. He sent me a fairly nasty email, asking why I had done that, etc. Then, he called me, on a Friday night, and starts out with, "I'm not mad, BUT..." and confronted me about the supplies and meeting with M, and that I should tell him who I am talking to in his department. I told him that he was my advisor, not my parent, and I can talk to whomever I wish. I had forwarded the email to NP, who had also received an email, but a considerably more polite one. NP was thrilled that I was talking to other experts for their input, R seems to be threatened. Did I step on toes? Am I not supposed to ask for outside advice?

I don't know if this happens alot, and if I should just suck it up and deal. I know two other grad students who deal with R, one who has him as an advisor, and the other has him on her committee. The one that he advises, L, is having huge problems, as he has just left her to fend for herself. The other one has found him to be pompous. L said that he calls and yells at her as well, and that when she goes to his office he is sympathetic, but not helpful.

R was already kicked off of one committee that we know of, and R's major professor did not recommend him for his current position. He has not published since he arrived 3 years ago, and has received an ultimatum from his department head. I think he is clinging to my project because of the travel aspect and because of the publishing potential. I question his value as a contributor for this project, and could probably pick up M in his place. M has been here one year less than R, but has published 6 papers since her arrival. Has anyone else experienced this particular flavor of hell? Any thoughts or opinions as to how to handle this? I apologize for the length, but I wanted to give an idea of the situation. This is completely stressing me out.

Till tenure do us part?

phaded — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 19:11:17 -0800

Throughout my college career, I could probably count on one hand the number of professors I've seen who wear wedding rings, and this includes professors who mention their spouses. Is this just coincidence, or is there something to it? I'll [hopefully] be graduating college at the end of this semester. One thing I've noticed during my four years of college is that very few of the professors I've had have worn wedding rings. I'm sure some of the professors I've had haven't been married; however, a good number of them mention their husband or wife during the course of a semester, and yet I've seen maybe two or three of them wearing any sort of rings--wedding rings included. This isn't a case of just one school, either; I'm on my fourth school (yes, fourth; I've transferred a few times), and I've noticed it at each of the four. Is this just a coincidence, as I suspect, or is there some unspoken rule in academia about wearing a wedding ring? This can be filed under ObservationFilter or CuriosityFilter, I suppose.

Adjunct Instructor, Lecturer, Professor...?

Anonymous — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 20:49:22 -0800

My contract said "Adjunct Professor." My faculty ID card said "Adjunct Instructor." My paycheck said "Lecture/Adjunct." I never cared since this was just a two-year, part-time gig and I had no further interest in academia... but I do need to call it something in my bio. I don't have a terminal degree, suggesting and the contract was wrong and the ID card was right. I emailed the department; they said they'd check but didn't email back (I'll ask again). This was at a large private university in the U.S. I have to finalize a bio tonight -- should I just say Adjunct Instructor?

How do I let him know I'm interested?

Anonymous — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 11:45:49 -0800

How do I go about hitting on (and sleeping with) a man with whom I have an unequal power relationship? (Asking anonymously because too many people in my program use AskMe and I'd like to keep this on the down low.)

Background: I am working toward my Master's in a relatively small program at a relatively large university. It's a two year program, and I am in my first year. He's a professor in my program. I currently have him for class, but will not next semester, although I may in the future.

Simply put, I am incredibly attracted to him and I want to have sex with him. I have no idea how to initiate this, or anything, with this man. A few things:

1. This is in absolutely no way related to my grade. I'm getting an A in the class I have with him and don't need any help in that department.

2. He has gone through a divorce within the last year or so. His wife lives in a different state.

3. I live with my significant other. Before you get on your moral high-horse, we have a quietly open relationship. Quietly means that nobody knows that it's an open relationship. It's just easier that way. I would prefer to keep it that way.

4. He is about 15 or so years older than me. The age difference doesn't bother me.

5. I have no interest whatsoever in a relationship with this man. I just want to have unannounced casual sex with him.

My gut reaction is to start inviting him out for coffee or other such things (it's very normal for students in my graduate program to socialize in such ways with their professors), and see if I can subtly let him know I'd be interested. But I'm not so good at being subtle, and I'm not so good at picking up signals that other people are giving off.

The question, then, is how can I let him know I'd be interested in sleeping with him, without crossing any sexual harassment lines? Is it too sticky of a situation to even attempt? What would you do?

As a side note, please avoid moral judgments about me, the situation, or my relationship. They're unwanted and unwelcome, unless they somehow relate to this specific situation.

throw away email: sleepwithprof@gmail.com