How to talk to your professors WITHOUT upsetting them????

Post Reply New Topic

Well I've learned some things from WP (if anyone wants to add to this please enlighten me!! !)

1) Just because you have a PhD doesn't mean you know EVERYTHING in Psychology (your psychology teacher might only specialize in one main area and not know much else) (Case in point that Psych teacher specialty was ADD and she had done some other things based off of life stories from class)

2) Focus on becoming A PSYCHOLOGIST! (Not reading an article and asking do you know about this/that/this that etc. (see #1)

3) Find out office hours and ONLY come at that time (hard for an Aspie or basically myself anyway since I have NO one to chat Psychology to so I used the teacher as a "substitute" it didn't help she was nice to me. (examples: she gave good advice and I thought Freud was pronounced Frood Nanny response: OMG I can't believe you didn't know that! teacher: Oh it's a common mistake) On learning psychology parents: Oh we already knew that! How did you NOT know that?! (Uh guys the teacher could have tossed her PhD knowledge etc. in my face BUT SHE DIDN'T! (Also the teacher never called me Rude or a Rude b***h AKA like mom!) LOL!

4) to ask or NOT ask for that teachers dissertation or perhaps even my Bio teachers dissertation maybe??? Yes/No to this one not sure!! !!

Anything else???

Thanks WP.

Realize that professors are people too, and some of them may prize their rank. Don't disagree with them too strongly or you may get in trouble for it.

With some professors it is more important that you share their point of view than that you think critically about the material. If you can push yourself to do so, write material that would jive with your professor's point of view.


This might be less true in the sciences since there facts matter more.

I learned never to rely on email when contacting professors. If you really need to talk with a professor go see them during office hours. Also, if you go to see your professors once in awhile their more likely to get to know you, which may help your grade if your in between letter grades.

I'm acquainted or better with the majority of the chem department. I find just talking to them about their research is good.

Not sure exactly how I'd do that. but I never argued with my teachers I agree with there views 100%! !! ! Example( B.I.T. to remember something it has to be believable important or true) One day when I forgot we were going to the grocery store I said it must have not been BIT (mom had a cow OMG what does that mean where did you learn that?!) My teacher her: WELL IF YOU AGREE WITH THAT GO LIVE WITH HER!! !! (I told the teacher she flinched! LOL! (Later in life my mom has suggested living with a therapist,coworker,Nanny (And that psych teacher thought I HAD psychological issues she has never met my mother ROFL!

I'd like to add an addendum to number 3. Lots of teachers will let you talk to them outside of office hours if you first make an appointment. Just make sure to go to the appointment. If you have habit of talking with the professor for an abnormally long time (e.g. more than 1/2 hr), it might help to specify the length of time that you want to talk when you make the appointment. This helps professors since they can plan their time better and they won't get upset at you.

Also, it's a good idea to communicate with professors if you have any problems in class. In college I would stop communicating and start skipping class if I was uncertain of something, having problems with work, or upset. Unfortunately, avoiding the professors just made things worse.

Good luck!

Maybe limit questions to once a week and try not to corner the professor with a multitude of questions after a class (especially if it's the end of the day or they have another class to teach).

Don't ask questions before you've researched the internet and genuinely tried hard to find the answer yourself. If you're asking stuff that can be found on wikipedia, then it looks like you are either being lazy or trying to catch the lecturer out. Leave the showing-off for the exams.

Thanks guys. I'll try to gauge my new teachers while I have not much interest in Biology my new teacher goes by Dr. Horikami so I was thinking ask her atleast WHAT her dissertation was on and gauge and see if asking to read it would be right or not LOL! (Things are still hard due to this day I run through my mind OMG where did I go wrong with my psychology teacher etc.) (With my awesome Aspie memory I remember the day me her met! and her Bday is Feb.5th and her son (she was pregnant in 04) would be turning 6 in November. LOL!

Short version: Let the wookie win.

Don't forget you can always discuss topics of psychology here on WP. I have always been interested in what makes people do what they do. I knew a guy who was a grad student in psych, he had no interest in people and his stock response to people's problems were "get over it". His advisers told him he was in the wrong field but he didn't have to go into a counseling practice I guess. I lost contact with him so I don't know what he's doing now.