Face-to-face Meetings and Greetings Use the formal form of address ( Dr. Smith or Professor Jones ). Do not use Mr., Mrs., or Miss and NEVER their first names! Knock before opening any door Even if open, stay out of a private office unless/until invited in Always announce your presence ("hello," "excuse me" etc.)
Communicating with Instructors Follow their individual instructions Office hours is where you ll find the nice instructors Email [described in more detail below] After class if they invite you but not before NEVER Drop in without an appointment out of office hours Phone outside of business hours Catch them on the fly if you happen to bump in to them
Emails to Instructors or any other OSU official Use your ONID account Put Course, and/or reason for email in subject heading Address formally ( Dear Dr. Jones ) Identify yourself ( I am Frank Bernieri ) Describe your status in detail ( I am in your MWF 4pm section of PSY 202 ) Summarize communications completed to this point ( We talked last Friday after class and you told me to email you. ) State why you are writing ( I d like to schedule an appointment to meet with you.)
Example (embarrassingly bad) From: BadJonny HOTMAIL [mailto:xxx999@hotmail.com] Sent: Monday, October 27, 2003 2:18 PM To: Bernieri, Frank Subject: Hi! I'm a student of yours and lost my syllabus and I'd just like to know when Midterm 2 will be. Also, do you have a website? J---- L----
Example (Good) From: J---- X. N--------- [mailto:---@onid.orst.edu] Subject: Regarding Midterm 3 and Syllabus Quiz: PSY_202_002_W2009 Dr. Bernieri, Hi my name is J---- N-------, my OSU ID number is 931-000-000, and I am in your psy 202 class this term at 8:00am. I was wondering if you had added the two points to my score, or the whole classes score for midterm 3, about the extrinsic/intrinsic question. My graded exam said it was wrong, but I actually got it right because of the error. I also had another question that it said that I missed, but I marked the correct answer it said that it was, I just think I did not erase clearly enough a previous answer I had put down before. I don't know if you can do anything about these but I think it would help me. I hope to hear from you soon, J--- N----
Lecture Behavior a formal music recital Arrive on time (if you walk in after it begins then you owe the instructor an apology) Stay in your seat (if you stand up or change your seat then you owe the instructor an apology) Stay until dismissed (if you close your notebook, stand up, or put on your coat before being dismissed then you owe the instructor an apology) Do not talk (if you talk or whisper during class then you owe the instructor an apology)
Lecture Behavior a formal music recital If you consume any drink or food without first getting permission then you owe the instructor an apology If you have an open newspaper or are reading anything other than your Psychology text, then you owe the instructor an apology. If you battle sleep then you ll look silly and will be hilariously distracting and thus, will owe the instructor an apology
Asking Questions Generally, questions are GOOD! Repeat points you did not hear, see, or understand Clarify things you do not believe To simply question why Some questions are BAD! When answer is on the syllabus (this is the worse) When they are personal (you, classmates, or instructor) unless invited to ask this kind
Student Entitlements An instructor who shows up, on time, and teaches Communication and time with instructor Answers to your questions Fair treatment Fair reasonable grading schemes A class that conforms to the syllabus
Students are NOT entitled to: Passing grades because they need them (to graduate, to avoid probation, to keep financial aid, etc.) Grades they feel they have earned Miss class without penalty or consequences because they need to (wedding, vacation, job interview) Miss exam without penalty or consequences (because the need to or because it was an accident) Passing grades because they either attended every class, or did every assignment Easier grading standards because their life is more demanding than most students (e.g., single mother of 3, working full time, taking care of your sick parents, lost an arm, wrecked car, etc.)