Questions tagged [communication]
Questions about how to communicate with others appropriately and professionally; communication etiquette
1
vote
2answers
142 views
Performing Poorly on Mentor's Exam
I was recently assigned a research mentor in my Master's program who also happens to be my professor (in a quantitative economics course). We've had a brief meeting to introduce ourselves, and I made ...
-1
votes
2answers
417 views
Dealing with misconceptions when proposing a new idea as an outsider to a field [duplicate]
I have some ideas related to computer architecture/electrical engineering on which I would like to get feedback from academics.
A professor at a university I visited has the belief that something I ...
0
votes
1answer
109 views
how to reply a professor is not available for research guidance [closed]
Thanks for your interest. But I am not available for guidance or mentorship.
This is my professor's reply.
I don't know how to reply back formally. I want to know if this professor can suggest my ...
5
votes
3answers
446 views
How to respond to an e-mail asking me to suggest a doctoral research topic?
With networks like ResearchGate and Academia.edu, it's easy to connect with and follow researchers from a variety of different nations and backgrounds. I personally think this is great, and I hope ...
6
votes
2answers
219 views
Physician assistant school rescinded my acceptance [closed]
I'm in a complicated situation. I was accepted to physician assistant school and was told I'm one of the most qualified candidates. I'm also a mother of 2 children (under age 3) and living with their ...
3
votes
1answer
48 views
Writing to a professor who contributed to my research paper
I was working along with a professor on a research paper during my masters in 2014. I graduated in that year but we still worked on the paper for next year.
After that I moved to another city for my ...
2
votes
1answer
88 views
How to approach bad communication with my department
I am a mathematics student at a top 10 math department in the US. Something I have been struggling to handle is an on-going situation I have been facing with with the administration.
When I was ...
1
vote
1answer
253 views
How do you address holders of non-Ph.D. doctorates such as an Ed.D. or Sc.D. etc.?
It is customary to call Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) holders by the prefix "Dr.", but I wonder whether the same holds for other doctorates, such as Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) or Doctor of Education (Ed....
4
votes
3answers
412 views
A senior colleague that belittles my contributions, expertise and won't acknowledge a published error that I identified
I am a PhD student and the most junior person on our small team (me, a lab manager, a statistical analyst, a wet-bench scientist, a senior statistician, and our PI). The statistical analyst has been ...
3
votes
4answers
462 views
How to find out whether my advisor expects to be author of a paper to which she did not contribute?
I am a postdoc and I prepared a paper that is now ready for submission.
I did this work by myself.
I know that adding my advisor as an author would violate authorship standards, but it is a widespread ...
2
votes
2answers
747 views
How to ask a professor via email about possible postdoc positions?
I have sent emails to a few (about 10) professors in different Computer Science research labs (related to my research interests) to see if they have any postdoc position available.
However, I ...
0
votes
0answers
98 views
How to email researchers for the first time [duplicate]
Sometimes I reach out to professors (who are almost always significantly older than me) via email. Maybe I'm working on a specific question they asked in a publication, or I'm working on something ...
11
votes
7answers
2k views
How can I deal with a significant flaw I found in my previous supervisor’s paper?
Suppose that I found a technical flaw in one of the papers coauthored by my previous advisor. This mistake will substantially change their major result, but their contribution will be still worthwhile ...
1
vote
2answers
503 views
Is it rude to visit a professor's office during office hours after he/she doesn't respond to my email?
I'm currently about to enter my final semester of undergraduate life and plan on continuing graduate studies (master's) at the same institution.
Applications for the fall semester this year open in ...
1
vote
2answers
78 views
Manage communication with students (as advisor)
I feel a little unproductive in managing students as their advisor. I have both undergrads and graduate students, and especially with undergrads, it's hard to make them respect scheduled updates.
...
2
votes
2answers
374 views
Polite message for my supervisors who do unfair things that would totally leads me to lose my study [closed]
I am currently working on finishing my PhD thesis. For about 3 years and 6 months of my study, I am suffering from the absence of my supervisors. She always travels for 6 months, sometimes two months ...
0
votes
1answer
191 views
Polite message to my supervisor
I am at the end of my study (almost 6 months). I need time to edit my English (my supervisors do not want to help with that. It is Ok for me.).
However, they asked me to add extra computation to my ...
0
votes
2answers
63 views
Permission for changing the title of a paper
I am revising a paper and want to change the title of the paper and send for editor-in-chief.
My Question: Is there an formal sentences to announce to editor-in-chief and reviewers that I want to ...
2
votes
1answer
133 views
What is the proper way to ask for ideas for a research topic to a professor on a different institution that I have no connection with?
I am planning to start a new project on a certain topic, which nobody in my institution is an expert in. I have spent several weeks on literature research on this topic (by superficially reading ...
3
votes
3answers
350 views
How to politely request payment for extra hours of TA service rendered?
My TA letter indicates 90 hours working. However, I worked for 120 hours due to the volume of the students. Now my work is finished I want to let them know by writing an email to the professor. I want ...
2
votes
2answers
240 views
How can I maximize my chances of a professor of another university accepting to be my undergraduate research advisor?
Next year I'm going to college and would like to do undergraduate research in the second semester under the supervision of a certain professor, who I'll call Prof. M.
There are three points against ...
3
votes
2answers
157 views
Same problem solved in a totally different way
If I solved a already solved recent problem with a totally different method, can I communicate my solution in a journal? How likely is the acceptance of my paper?
42
votes
9answers
12k views
How should I ask a potential advisor why they haven't published in the last 3 years?
I'm using a throwaway account for privacy. I know professors are human beings and "I can just ask", but, as this is the start of the relationship, I don't want to seem rude - or to seem that I am ...
52
votes
10answers
19k views
Is asking your PhD supervisor a basic question considered inappropriate?
I've done my Master's degree in Computational Mathematics. Then, because of several reasons, I decided to pursue my Ph.D. in the field of Quantum Chemistry.
The problem is, obviously, my lack of ...
4
votes
2answers
216 views
Asking for the second/third recommendation letter, should I tell the referee he is writing the third letter?
Many have suggested me to include a sentence like this while asking for recommendations:
"Do you feel that you are able to give me a strong reference?"
I am afraid that my third referee, who was ...
2
votes
2answers
222 views
Contributing to the cause of biology (beyond research)
I've been studying microbiology for a while (undergrad sophomore). I've been finding something to do other than my regular academic work and projects.
Someone told me that Nature allows freelancers to ...
21
votes
5answers
3k views
Letting another author know I'm using one of their results
Let's say I write a paper and use a result from someone that is rarely cited. Would it be polite/acceptable/unacceptable to email them and let them know of my application of their result before ...
31
votes
7answers
10k views
Just starting in grad school, I haven't heard from my advisor in three weeks …
I just started grad school this year. I met with my advisor over three weeks ago, on the first week of school. We talked about the school, she told me a bit about the department and showed me around ...
1
vote
1answer
102 views
How to request a professor who has moved colleges to acknowledge project work?
At the end of last semester , I had taken up some research work under a professor of a different department.
Now , I had been updating him with my progress on a weekly basis until my final exams ...
3
votes
1answer
139 views
How to ask professor to post more example?
My professor always posts solved problems on the course website but for the last chapter, he did not post any solved problems. Although we have our textbook, I think solved problems help me understand ...
5
votes
2answers
795 views
I begin researching in three weeks and I have no idea where to begin. What should I say in my email to my advisor?
I have been accepted to a funded master’s program under an advisor. I already came up with a research proposal months ago with the advisor’s help as I needed one in order to apply. The last time I ...
2
votes
3answers
262 views
How to tell my supervisor I won't use the data that a colleague prepared?
I started a postdoc about a year ago. At the time of my hire I was told another postdoc was preparing the large dataset I would eventually use. In the meantime, I was to run some sample models and ...
0
votes
2answers
553 views
email asking professor for help [duplicate]
I have been rejected by a particular university for MS two times now. I really want to get into it to work with a professor. I am thinking of emailing him to ask him what I can do to improve myself to ...
1
vote
1answer
166 views
How to inform the editorial office that a special discount has been received?
I just submitted an article in a special issue. This article is based on a talk given in a conference, and we received a discount. So after I submitted the article, the website told me to contact the ...
1
vote
1answer
384 views
How should I phrase a question about an *ordinary academic matter* to a Professor?
Question: Suppose you need to communicate with an academic about some ordinary academic matter that is not especially important. Perhaps this is a standard administrative or pedagogical matter that ...
8
votes
2answers
4k views
How to write an apology letter for a professor?
A couple of months ago, I defended my Master's thesis and got graduated. One of the referees, a professor of mine with a history of verbal contentions between us, did me an overt injustice and despite ...
3
votes
2answers
143 views
How to get the word out about an academic competition?
I'm hosting an academic competition, and I need to get the word out to any peers that may be interested in participating. My advisor told me to search for academic mailing lists, but I can't find any. ...
3
votes
3answers
286 views
How formal should I be when sending an email to the University's staff?
I'm about to write an email to the department of an English speaking University (I'm not a native speaker) to clear up some doubts I have regarding enrollment. I have never spoken to them before. How ...
2
votes
0answers
160 views
How do you deal with aggressive and rude (irrelevant) questions in a conference? [duplicate]
I was at a conference recently as a member of the audience and during the Q & A segment, an audience member (unsolicited) jumped up and said that the presentation was 'absolutely wrong' quite ...
13
votes
2answers
3k views
How can I tactfully ask a professor to bring requests to me earlier?
I'm a PhD student. A professor that I collaborate with (not from my university) asked me on two separate occasions to help with grants that were due in a week. In both cases I managed to squeeze out ...
18
votes
8answers
7k views
How can a PhD student defend their correct ideas or claims to their supervisor?
I am a PhD student who works in theory. Too many times, I have to defend my ideas or claims in front of my supervisor. I have failed to do so in the past and it worries me.
Please note that I am only ...
2
votes
3answers
444 views
Is it possible for non-debating person to survive in research?
I am a computer-science PhD student. I like to work on things and I enjoy doing computer science. But here is a problem: I am not that much into debates. When I meet with my supervisor, he asks me ...
21
votes
5answers
7k views
How to deal with the (hidden) feedback from research supervisor?
I am a PhD student who works in a theoretical field. Often times, I have discussions with my research supervisor, and I try to do as much work as possible.
It seems that many times these days my ...
-5
votes
2answers
282 views
Thank you note was never answered
I recently sent a thank you note to one of my college professors via email and never got a reply from her. I have not heard from her in a week and being that she is retired I would have thought that ...
4
votes
2answers
223 views
How to keep discussions with supervisor on interest?
I am a Master's student. I have one problem. I have regular meetings with my research supervisor, but during the discussions he takes me in the wrong direction. This often leads to him coming to the ...
3
votes
1answer
212 views
Professor expressed interest in working together, is not responding to emails?
Recently I received contact info for a professor close to me, with similar interests (Professor B), from another professor I have a long-standing working relationship with (Professor A).
I spoke with ...
5
votes
1answer
184 views
Life after graduation; should I update my academic reference on my career progression?
In my undergraduate years, I have forged a rather close relationship with some of my professors including the head of school – they were supportive as I did struggled with mental-health issues and ...
6
votes
1answer
659 views
Should I write a rigorous draft before asking for comments?
I have a 10-page manuscript of my independent research and would like to ask a professor for comments. In short, I claim that I've seen a bridge between Shannon's information and semantic information....
-3
votes
2answers
627 views
How to save one's ass in the last year of PhD with supervisors that never keep up with the project?
It is a doctoral project in engineering, a long, tedious, and grumbling story. I was contracted as a PhD candidate for another project but when I started, the director suggested me to change for the ...
9
votes
3answers
850 views
How to ask new advisor about her “style” in a professional way?
In the first meeting my new advisor, how should I ask her what her "style" is when supervising students, in a way that is straightforward but not cheeky?
Bonus question: what are good questions to ...
