DECODING
YOUR
PROFESSORS
Educational Development Centre
University of Windsor
Presentation Overview
Professor expectations
 How to properly address your professor
Email etiquette
Importance of communicating with your
professor
Professor pet peeves
Professor Expectations
• Each professor will have their own
specific expectations and guidelines for:
- attendance policies
- citation styles
- the use of laptops
- assignment submission
- assignment requirements and format
• Find out what each professor expects,
and find this out early!
Professor Expectations
continued…
• Professors want you to apply your
knowledge and take chances
• Professors expect you to meet the
basic requirements, but they hope you
will go beyond that and learn how to
present an argument, think critically,
and solve problems.
– Repeating back exactly what was said in class
shows you understand the information, but may
not demonstrate your ability to apply it
Course Syllabus
• Each course will have a syllabus
• Use this tool to find out what the professor
expects from his or her students
• The syllabus should become your new best
friend as it contains important information like:
–
–
–
–
–
Course outline
Schedule of due dates
Responsibilities and requirements (readings, textbooks)
Procedures (in case of illness, absence, etc.)
Grading policies
How do I Address My Professor?
• Always address your professor
formally, as Dr. X or Professor Y,
unless they invite you to address
them by their first name
• If unsure, just use “professor” or
check the course syllabus to see
what their title may be
• You should always properly
address your professor in written
communication (emails) and
face-to-face interactions
Email Etiquette
• When
sending emails to your professor, be sure
to use good email etiquette
• Use a salutation, like “Hello Dr. X”
• Identify yourself
– give your full name, the name of the course or course code,
the section number you are in etc.
• Be professional and cordial
– do not use text message slang or short forms and fully
explain your question or issue with detail
• Do not be hostile or aggressive with your
communication
– explain your concern or situation rationally to get the best
results in a positive manner
Email Etiquette continued…
• Avoid making spelling or grammatical errors
– proofread your email to make a better impression
• Write in the subject line
-include the topic, your name, or course number in the email
so the professor knows what the email pertains to
• Always use your UWindsor email address
-other email accounts will be sent to the professor’s junk
mail and they may not respond
• Allow your professor time to respond
-if you send an email at 12:30am about an assignment due
the next day, do not expect an immediate response.
- Professors need to sleep too and they are not available
24-7 to answer emails
Can you spot which emails
follow the Email Etiquette tips?
Hey prof!
why did i get a D
on that paper?
Hello Dr. Banner,
I would like to make an
appointment with you to
discuss some problems I am
having writing my paper on
Teen Eating Disorders for your
course 01-23-345. Please let
me know a time that is
convenient for you.
Thank-you,
-Sandra Hadler
I cannot believe the mark you gave me
on assignement! It was amazing paper
and I deserve at least and A! this is
unaccepteable and you need to change
my grade right now! OMG!
-Greg
Good afternoon Professor,
When I got my assignment back for the
course 02-54-123 section 1, I was a bit
disappointed with my grade. I worked really
hard on this paper and did not get the results
I was hoping for. Can I come see you during
your office hours to discuss my work?
Perhaps you would be able to give me some
suggestions on how to improve for the next
assignment.
Regards,
-Ken Raymond
Talk to Your Professors!
• Get to know your
university professors
• Approach them after
class, visit them during
their office hours, send
them an email
• Why? What’s in it
for me?
Talk to Your Professors
continued…
• Professors know lots of people in
your chosen discipline.
• A lot of professors are well-connected (e.g. people
at other universities, government and private
sector)
• Summer internships, post-college jobs, and events
where you can network
• Professors have lots of students and
you’re one name among many.
• Making personal contact outside of class can help
in terms of evaluation, feedback on assignments,
and the inside track on research projects
Talk to Your Professors
continued…
• Professors know the literature in your field.
– Directing you to books, articles, films, and other valuable
resources
• Professors know the various career paths in
their field.
– Some students approach graduation every year with no
idea of what they should, could, or want to do next
– A professor can help you understand the potential of your
degree
Talk to Your Professors
continued…
• Professors can help straighten out
administrative issues.
– they know how things work on campus or can refer
you to a person who can help
– It’s always worth a shot!
• Professors write letters of
recommendation.
• Whether you’re applying for a scholarship, heading
to graduate school, or trying to get your dream job,
having a reference letter from a professor who
knows you well can be a huge benefit
Why Ask Questions?
Why not! You have nothing to lose but an
opportunity to learn!
• Ask questions about things you do not understand or
want to know more about – they are the experts!
• It can be intimidating to ask questions, especially in
a large class, so save your questions for their office
hours, or send an email.
• Professors are impressed by students who take the
time to ask insightful questions, or any questions at
all. It shows that you are engaged in your learning
and want to succeed.
Be Aware of Your
Professor’s Pet Peeves
• Whining
– Students who whine about the workload give the
impression that they are lazy
– If you have a complaint or a conflict, approach the
situation as respectfully as possible
• Text messaging your friends in class
– Yes, this is a creative and technology savvy way
to pass the time. However, when you send a text
message, it says to the professor, “You’re boring
and I don’t want to pay attention to you.”
Professor’s Pet Peeves continued…
• Chatting
– This isn’t high school. Chatting during class
will also annoy your fellow classmates.
• Turning in papers without staples
– Nothing says, “I don’t care about my work”
more than a paper with crinkled corners
– The way your work is presented gives the
first impression. Make it a good one!
• Chronic lateness/ leaving class early
– This is distracting to the professor and other
students. If there’s a good reason as to why
you are going to be late or leaving class
early, let your professor know.
Professor’s Pet Peeves continued…
• Calling professors at home
– Unless your professor invites you to do so,
this is an invasion of privacy
• Failure to turn off cell phones
– Put your cell phone on vibrate or turn it off.
Practice good cell phone etiquette on campus.
Your professor doesn’t want to hear your new
cool ring tone.
• When students ask “will this be on the
exam?”
– It tells the professor that you only care about
your marks rather than actually learning the
course material
Professor’s Pet Peeves continued…
• Poor email etiquette
– Don’t send emails to your
professors with spelling and
grammatical errors. Use spell
check before clicking the send
button.
• Blowing off appointments
– If you make an appointment with
your professor, do not blow them
off! Your professor is a very busy
person
References
Rockler-Gladen, N. (2006). How to annoy your professors. Retrieved from
http://collegeuniversity.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_to_annoy_your_profe
ssor
Stepcase Lifehack. (2009). Back to school: Talk to your professors. Retrieve
from http://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/back-to-school-talk-toyour-professor.html