Sometimes I hear professors talk about students who hold the professor responsible for their grade. The reality is that students earn grades. If a professor was going to "give" a grade to students, I don't think they would devote the time and energy into creating and grading course assignments. They would merely look at a student and say, I like that student therefore I am going to give her an A or I'm going to give everyone an A. So when you talk to your Professors about your grade, it is better to ask the Professor to explain how your grade was calculated. Not, why did you give me that grade?
Professors also frequently hear, I need an A in this class. If you need a particular grade, it is your responsibility to understand how the final grade will be calculated. You should be monitoring your own progress toward your goal grade. If you are unclear on how to calculate your grade, the professor would be more than happy to assist you.
Professors are also informed by students that the student is the professor's customer. This is an incorrect orientation toward a professor and it surely will not get a student very far. If you really need to apply a business model to higher education (which really isn't applicable), you should look at professors as your boss! Would you be late for work? Would you ask for an extension on a special project? Would you not complete the work that you were assigned to complete? If you approached your work as you do your education, how long would you be employed?
At all times, you should approach a professor with respect. If you are asking about your grade, be sure you understand the syllabus and assignment details. When students approach me about a grade dispute, the first question I ask is what did it say on the syllabus.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Thursday, April 7, 2011
The Assignments, The Whole Assignments, and Nothing But The Assignments
In a previous post, we talked about what students can do to be successful in a course. In that first segment, we mentioned that it is really important to turn in all assigned work. Students will often times think a missed assignment here and there might not impact their grades; to some extent, they may be right if there are dozens of assignments that are worth relatively few points, and they only miss one or two. But many students forget how many assignments they have missed, and too often this leads to poor final grades, even if they know the course material well.
Another issue professors typically see with poor performance on assignments is lack of following directions. Good professors provide assignments with explicit directions on how to complete the assignments they give in their courses. In fact, you may have had a professor that has given you an assignment with 1-2 full pages of directions on how to complete it, and you may have thought, "Wow - this is overkill! Does she think I'm stupid or something?" No, she does not think you are stupid - she just wants to make sure you include all that is needed to do well on that particular assignment.
Some professors require time to learn a valuable lesson, but when they do, it leads them to create assignments with lots of directions. What is that lesson? That students cannot read their minds! (I know - shocking, isn't it?) A few professors assume that students should know what to do to complete a reflection paper, or do a set of algebra problems. Those professors learn quickly that if they do not write out directions completely, then some students will ultimately not complete the assignments in the way the professors wanted them done.
What can be frustrating to a professor, though, is when she takes considerable time developing an assignment and the directions for it, and then a student simply does not follow those directions. When it comes to a difference between an "A" paper and a "C" paper, it sometimes comes down to whether or not the student followed the directions completely. It really can be that simple. Let me give you an example. One day I was sitting in my office when a student came to see another professor down my hallway about a grade he received on an assignment. For 45 minutes (this is not an exaggeration, by the way), I listened to the student and professor discussing why the student received a "D" instead of an "A". The student insisted that his writing style was "A"-worthy and that he had never once gotten a "D" on a writing assignment. The problem, as the professor pointed out, was that the assignment had four parts to it, and he only completed the first part. Thus, he actually only completed 25% of the assignment (he got off lucky with a "D", if you ask me, considering he only did 1/4 of the assignment). If he had simply done all four parts of the assignment at the level of writing he did, then he would have gotten an "A". Instead, his grade was barely passing, all because he did not follow directions to submit a complete assignment.
To be a successful student, you have to turn in all assignments AND make sure you have followed the directions carefully for those assignments. Sometimes you may feel as though the way you want to complete a particular assignment is a better way than what the professor wants you to do it. Don't fall for that urge! Though you may not recognize this, it is highly likely that your professor has designed the assignment to maximize your learning of the content, your development of critical thinking skills, and/or your mastery of a specific skill that is quirky for that discipline. For example, students taking upper level psychology courses are often told to write concisely in a boring, scientific manner while following seemingly ridiculous rules of format. This is called APA-style. Students who do poorly on APA-style papers often do so because they think that their fancy font looks better, or that flashy adjectives and rhetorical questions make for a more entertaining read. When they do this, they are not following APA-style, which is a technique that must be mastered for that discipline, as quirky as it is. When I talk to students who are in classes in which they must write APA-style papers, I tell them all the same thing when they ask what they can do to get great grades on those assignments - "Don't overthink it - just follow directions!"
Another issue professors typically see with poor performance on assignments is lack of following directions. Good professors provide assignments with explicit directions on how to complete the assignments they give in their courses. In fact, you may have had a professor that has given you an assignment with 1-2 full pages of directions on how to complete it, and you may have thought, "Wow - this is overkill! Does she think I'm stupid or something?" No, she does not think you are stupid - she just wants to make sure you include all that is needed to do well on that particular assignment.
Some professors require time to learn a valuable lesson, but when they do, it leads them to create assignments with lots of directions. What is that lesson? That students cannot read their minds! (I know - shocking, isn't it?) A few professors assume that students should know what to do to complete a reflection paper, or do a set of algebra problems. Those professors learn quickly that if they do not write out directions completely, then some students will ultimately not complete the assignments in the way the professors wanted them done.
What can be frustrating to a professor, though, is when she takes considerable time developing an assignment and the directions for it, and then a student simply does not follow those directions. When it comes to a difference between an "A" paper and a "C" paper, it sometimes comes down to whether or not the student followed the directions completely. It really can be that simple. Let me give you an example. One day I was sitting in my office when a student came to see another professor down my hallway about a grade he received on an assignment. For 45 minutes (this is not an exaggeration, by the way), I listened to the student and professor discussing why the student received a "D" instead of an "A". The student insisted that his writing style was "A"-worthy and that he had never once gotten a "D" on a writing assignment. The problem, as the professor pointed out, was that the assignment had four parts to it, and he only completed the first part. Thus, he actually only completed 25% of the assignment (he got off lucky with a "D", if you ask me, considering he only did 1/4 of the assignment). If he had simply done all four parts of the assignment at the level of writing he did, then he would have gotten an "A". Instead, his grade was barely passing, all because he did not follow directions to submit a complete assignment.
To be a successful student, you have to turn in all assignments AND make sure you have followed the directions carefully for those assignments. Sometimes you may feel as though the way you want to complete a particular assignment is a better way than what the professor wants you to do it. Don't fall for that urge! Though you may not recognize this, it is highly likely that your professor has designed the assignment to maximize your learning of the content, your development of critical thinking skills, and/or your mastery of a specific skill that is quirky for that discipline. For example, students taking upper level psychology courses are often told to write concisely in a boring, scientific manner while following seemingly ridiculous rules of format. This is called APA-style. Students who do poorly on APA-style papers often do so because they think that their fancy font looks better, or that flashy adjectives and rhetorical questions make for a more entertaining read. When they do this, they are not following APA-style, which is a technique that must be mastered for that discipline, as quirky as it is. When I talk to students who are in classes in which they must write APA-style papers, I tell them all the same thing when they ask what they can do to get great grades on those assignments - "Don't overthink it - just follow directions!"
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Student Motivation
One of the biggest factors in a successful college career is your motivation! Are you a motivated student or are you just putting in your time? Do you look for challenging courses or are you on the lookout for a course where you can make easy A?
Professors struggle with the issue of student motivation because we know how important it is for success. Unfortunately, motivation is really how we approach life challenges and getting a higher education is certainly a life challenge!
When I reflect back on why I ended up with a doctoral degree, I realize that it was 95% my motivation and persistence; 5% smarts. I was not your ideal scholar as an undergraduate. I flunked a few classes. However, there were several factors that motivated me to continue pursuing a higher education. For example, being a woman, I knew that if I wanted a decent paying job, I had to get a college degree. I also didn’t like looking for jobs, so staying in school for graduate studies seemed easier and more fun.
As I continued to pursue my education, I realized that some classes were just boring and others unchallenging. Obviously, it is difficult to maintain your motivation under these circumstances. For me, I began taking more classes that challenged me. I looked for the more “hard” professors. I looked for subject matter that were not my strengths (math and statistics). It is very gratifying to say that you mastered a professor or subject matter that was very difficult. This is not to say that you have to take ALL “hard” classes and/or professors, but at least a try a few each term!
If you find yourself in a boring or easy class, there are tricks that you can use to stay motivated. If you are attending the class, it is fun to play "Stump the Professor." This requires you to prepare for class ahead of time and to study the material. As you are studying the material, jot down a few questions you can ask your professor about the material. The goal of the game, to get the professor to say: That is an interesting question or I will have to look into it and get back to you! For my students, they all prepare questions prior to attending class. I enjoy this as a professor because it makes the classroom environment more dynamic and it assists me in knowing the material students want to discuss in depth.
Although Professors can inspire you by what they are teaching and how they interact with you, motivation comes from within you. What are you trying to achieve in your life? Are you content in letting others make decisions for you? Have you selected a major that really doesn’t interest you because you know graduates are paid high salaries? Do you want to be a leader or follower? Take some time to understand what you want to achieve and then plan a course of action. Don’t forget to take advantage of what your professors can offer you! Professors love helping students succeed and make their dreams a reality.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Best Question to Ask a Professor – What Can I Do to Succeed in This Class? Part One
In the last blog, we discussed the worst question you can ask a professor – the dreaded “Did I miss anything important?” What we are going to focus on now is the best question you can ask – “What can I do to succeed in this class?”
This question is actually a complicated one. You might think that there is a simple answer; many students assume the answer is just to “study a lot”. While studying the material for tests is a good idea, there are usually many activities you should engage in to do well in a course. We will review some of these activities with you across a series of blog entries so that we can give you as much information as we can in digestible bits.
Let’s focus on one of the easiest ways to succeed in a course – doing all the work that is assigned to you. For many of you, you may be thinking, “Well, duh.” But you would be surprised how many students end up with poor course grades simply because they did not do all the assigned work for the course! In fact, in many of my courses, students who are not very good at taking in-class tests (because of test anxiety, being slow readers, etc.) can still manage a good grade (C or better) by turning in other assigned work fully completed and on time. What we have found is that when a student does not do all the assigned work, it is usually because of one of two reasons: a) he didn’t pay attention to the syllabus outlining all the assigned work, or b) she didn’t realize that those assignments would add up to a crucial proportion of her course grade.
Most professors list in the syllabus what the assignments will be for a given course. They may not give explicit directions there about how to complete them, but they usually list how many of each type (e.g. 3 exams vs. 2 papers, 9 homework assignments vs. 5 in-class group activities) and how much each of them are worth. Professors also often list when the due dates are for those assignments. Thus, your first step at succeeding in a course is to review the syllabus to find the types of grading opportunities there are, how many there are of each, and when they are due. If the professor has not provided in-depth explanations of the assignments and their due dates, feel free to ask her! That kind of initiative, showing that you care about your performance in the class, will be appreciated, and you will be more likely to get even more detail than what she would have initially provided.
Some students review the information about assignments, but assume that course work that does not include the term “test” or “exam” must not be important, particularly if they are worth less than the regular exams. In fact, other assigned work, even if worth less than tests, can have a great impact on your final course grade. When you have multiple homework assignments worth a handful of points each, those can make a difference between doing well and failing a course! For example, I teach a behavioral statistics course in which the final course grade is out of 1000 points. There are 10 homework assignments, each worth 30 points. A test is worth 150 points. A student may think, “Hey, if I miss a couple of homework assignments, it’s no big deal – they are just 30 points each. I just need to focus on the exams.” What he may forget is that missing just two homework assignments can take a “B” (830 points) and turn it into a “C+” (770 points). If a student is passing the exams with high “B’s” but not turning in homework, then that student might have to retake the course; for that statistics course, a student must have a “C” (minimum of 730 points), so if she managed to earn 390 points (getting 87% for three exams) and did perfectly on the final project for 250 points, she would only earn 640 points (a “D” for the course) because she did not turn in her homework. Guess who gets to retake the course, even though it appears she understood the material on the exams and final project?
Thus, doing all the assigned work is an easy first step in succeeding in just about any class you take. It may not guarantee you an “A”, but it will offer you the best opportunity to maximize your final course grade. In the next few blog entries, we discuss completing assignments in more detail, including why it is important to read directions carefully, managing due dates and what to do about late assignments, and understanding how your assignments are graded. But just making sure you turn in your assignments is half the battle – if you can handle that, you are on your way to being a successful college student!
This question is actually a complicated one. You might think that there is a simple answer; many students assume the answer is just to “study a lot”. While studying the material for tests is a good idea, there are usually many activities you should engage in to do well in a course. We will review some of these activities with you across a series of blog entries so that we can give you as much information as we can in digestible bits.
Let’s focus on one of the easiest ways to succeed in a course – doing all the work that is assigned to you. For many of you, you may be thinking, “Well, duh.” But you would be surprised how many students end up with poor course grades simply because they did not do all the assigned work for the course! In fact, in many of my courses, students who are not very good at taking in-class tests (because of test anxiety, being slow readers, etc.) can still manage a good grade (C or better) by turning in other assigned work fully completed and on time. What we have found is that when a student does not do all the assigned work, it is usually because of one of two reasons: a) he didn’t pay attention to the syllabus outlining all the assigned work, or b) she didn’t realize that those assignments would add up to a crucial proportion of her course grade.
Most professors list in the syllabus what the assignments will be for a given course. They may not give explicit directions there about how to complete them, but they usually list how many of each type (e.g. 3 exams vs. 2 papers, 9 homework assignments vs. 5 in-class group activities) and how much each of them are worth. Professors also often list when the due dates are for those assignments. Thus, your first step at succeeding in a course is to review the syllabus to find the types of grading opportunities there are, how many there are of each, and when they are due. If the professor has not provided in-depth explanations of the assignments and their due dates, feel free to ask her! That kind of initiative, showing that you care about your performance in the class, will be appreciated, and you will be more likely to get even more detail than what she would have initially provided.
Some students review the information about assignments, but assume that course work that does not include the term “test” or “exam” must not be important, particularly if they are worth less than the regular exams. In fact, other assigned work, even if worth less than tests, can have a great impact on your final course grade. When you have multiple homework assignments worth a handful of points each, those can make a difference between doing well and failing a course! For example, I teach a behavioral statistics course in which the final course grade is out of 1000 points. There are 10 homework assignments, each worth 30 points. A test is worth 150 points. A student may think, “Hey, if I miss a couple of homework assignments, it’s no big deal – they are just 30 points each. I just need to focus on the exams.” What he may forget is that missing just two homework assignments can take a “B” (830 points) and turn it into a “C+” (770 points). If a student is passing the exams with high “B’s” but not turning in homework, then that student might have to retake the course; for that statistics course, a student must have a “C” (minimum of 730 points), so if she managed to earn 390 points (getting 87% for three exams) and did perfectly on the final project for 250 points, she would only earn 640 points (a “D” for the course) because she did not turn in her homework. Guess who gets to retake the course, even though it appears she understood the material on the exams and final project?
Thus, doing all the assigned work is an easy first step in succeeding in just about any class you take. It may not guarantee you an “A”, but it will offer you the best opportunity to maximize your final course grade. In the next few blog entries, we discuss completing assignments in more detail, including why it is important to read directions carefully, managing due dates and what to do about late assignments, and understanding how your assignments are graded. But just making sure you turn in your assignments is half the battle – if you can handle that, you are on your way to being a successful college student!
Monday, November 8, 2010
The Worst Question to Ask a Professor!
In all the years I have been teaching in higher education, there is one question that Professors never want to be asked. Students who miss a class pose the question "Did I miss anything important?"
The answer is yes. You missed something important.
If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to find out what you missed. If you are lucky, the Professor posts PowerPoint presentations and/or class notes on a class website. However, many Professors do not do this for a variety of reasons. Here are some steps to follow if you must miss a class.
First, contact the Professor as soon as you can to let her/him that you cannot be in class. Be sure to read the syllabus. Professors will usually inform students of the missed class policy. For example, you might discover that you cannot individually turn in work that is completed in groups during a class period. You might find that you must contact a Professor within 24 hours of missing an exam or you cannot take a make-up exam. The syllabus also might state how many absences you can have before it negatively impacts your grade -- if you miss three classes, your final grade will be lowered one letter grade.
Second, be sure to have the names and contact information of at least three students in your class. These students can provide you class notes and important announcements. Do not ask the Professor for her/his notes. It is very rare for a Professor to copy notes for students and some do not use lecture notes!
Third, review the notes and ask for clarification from the student(s) who provided you the notes. If you are still uncertain, contact the Professor. You should let the Professor know that you have reviewed the class notes from another student (or two or three!), but you still had a few questions. The Professor will be most impressed by your initiative!
Again, be sure to read the syllabus about attendance policies. You certainly don't want to end the term with a lower grade because you did not understand the Professor's attendance policies! You might consider your situation unique. But, I can assure you that your Professor has probably encountered a student with a similar situation previously. Therefore, it is unlikely that a Professor will bend in their attendance policies. Professors develop such policies to make sure that all students are treated fairly.
The answer is yes. You missed something important.
If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to find out what you missed. If you are lucky, the Professor posts PowerPoint presentations and/or class notes on a class website. However, many Professors do not do this for a variety of reasons. Here are some steps to follow if you must miss a class.
First, contact the Professor as soon as you can to let her/him that you cannot be in class. Be sure to read the syllabus. Professors will usually inform students of the missed class policy. For example, you might discover that you cannot individually turn in work that is completed in groups during a class period. You might find that you must contact a Professor within 24 hours of missing an exam or you cannot take a make-up exam. The syllabus also might state how many absences you can have before it negatively impacts your grade -- if you miss three classes, your final grade will be lowered one letter grade.
Second, be sure to have the names and contact information of at least three students in your class. These students can provide you class notes and important announcements. Do not ask the Professor for her/his notes. It is very rare for a Professor to copy notes for students and some do not use lecture notes!
Third, review the notes and ask for clarification from the student(s) who provided you the notes. If you are still uncertain, contact the Professor. You should let the Professor know that you have reviewed the class notes from another student (or two or three!), but you still had a few questions. The Professor will be most impressed by your initiative!
Again, be sure to read the syllabus about attendance policies. You certainly don't want to end the term with a lower grade because you did not understand the Professor's attendance policies! You might consider your situation unique. But, I can assure you that your Professor has probably encountered a student with a similar situation previously. Therefore, it is unlikely that a Professor will bend in their attendance policies. Professors develop such policies to make sure that all students are treated fairly.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Why a Syllabus is Important!
Over and over, I hear Professors say they wish their students read the syllabus. In fact, some Professors have resorted to having students sign a contract indicating they have read and understand the syllabus or have students take a quiz on the syllabus content. Why do they have this wish?
The syllabus is designed to provide students relevant information about the course. This information usually addresses frequently asked questions about the course. Most syllabus will include:
If it is in the syllabus, it is important to your Professor! Professors are most impressed by students who have read the syllabus and then ask clarifying questions.
The syllabus is designed to provide students relevant information about the course. This information usually addresses frequently asked questions about the course. Most syllabus will include:
- Contact information for the Professor -- name, office location, phone number, email, and office hours.
- Textbook information
- Course Description with course objectives
- Topic areas by week or day
- Assignments -- readings, homework, exams/quizzes, papers and so on.
- Classroom Policies -- late work, attendance, mobile phone use and so on.
If it is in the syllabus, it is important to your Professor! Professors are most impressed by students who have read the syllabus and then ask clarifying questions.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
My Professor Can't Teach! What Should I Do?
Like it or not, you will have professors who can not teach or teach in a way that you learn best. What are your options?
If you attend the first day of class, you might find some hints on how well the professor teaches. Be sure to look at the syllabus. Is the syllabus clear? Is it organized? Do you like how you will be graded? Is the final grade calculation clear? Are homework assignments included? Who is the Professor? What are her/his credentials? When you walk out of the first day of class, you should have a clear understanding of the course requirements and how to be successful in the class. If you dislike something, you should consider withdrawing from the class and looking for an alternative Professor in the future.
Unfortunately, you may find yourself in a position where withdrawing from the class is not an option (the Professor is the only one who teaches a course and/or your schedule will not allow you to take the class at a different time). If this is the case, it will be up to YOU to learn the material independently. This might require you to read the course text/material and additional material suggested by your readings. I recommend that you take notes on your readings and identify difficult concepts/ideas. Work on developing specific questions for your Professor to answer in class (you should continue to attend class!). If this fails, you might be able to further clarify difficult ideas by seeking out reputable websites on the topic. Sometimes a University/College will have tutoring labs. Can you locate a tutor? Other Professor's might be able to help you to understand difficult material -- just be sure to make an appointment.
Remember, Professors are not often trained on how to teach. In higher education, it is your responsibility to make certain you are learning the material. It will mean extra effort on your part, but it can be rewarding!
If you attend the first day of class, you might find some hints on how well the professor teaches. Be sure to look at the syllabus. Is the syllabus clear? Is it organized? Do you like how you will be graded? Is the final grade calculation clear? Are homework assignments included? Who is the Professor? What are her/his credentials? When you walk out of the first day of class, you should have a clear understanding of the course requirements and how to be successful in the class. If you dislike something, you should consider withdrawing from the class and looking for an alternative Professor in the future.
Unfortunately, you may find yourself in a position where withdrawing from the class is not an option (the Professor is the only one who teaches a course and/or your schedule will not allow you to take the class at a different time). If this is the case, it will be up to YOU to learn the material independently. This might require you to read the course text/material and additional material suggested by your readings. I recommend that you take notes on your readings and identify difficult concepts/ideas. Work on developing specific questions for your Professor to answer in class (you should continue to attend class!). If this fails, you might be able to further clarify difficult ideas by seeking out reputable websites on the topic. Sometimes a University/College will have tutoring labs. Can you locate a tutor? Other Professor's might be able to help you to understand difficult material -- just be sure to make an appointment.
Remember, Professors are not often trained on how to teach. In higher education, it is your responsibility to make certain you are learning the material. It will mean extra effort on your part, but it can be rewarding!
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