The Scientista Foundation
  • Home
  • About
    • About Us
    • Team
  • My Campus
    • Find My Campus
    • Start A Chapter >
      • Chapter Application
      • Chapter Application (In Progress)
  • The Periodical
    • Career Blog
    • Plan Your Education
    • Lifestyle Blog
    • Women in Science News
    • DiscovHER Science
    • Get Inspired
  • Events
    • Events
    • Symposium 2019
    • Symposium Testimonials
  • Join
    • Subscribe!
    • Internships
    • Test Membership
  • Sponsorship
    • Our Sponsors
    • Sponsor Scientista!
    • University Membership
    • Donate
  • happymed
  • Home
  • About
    • About Us
    • Team
  • My Campus
    • Find My Campus
    • Start A Chapter >
      • Chapter Application
      • Chapter Application (In Progress)
  • The Periodical
    • Career Blog
    • Plan Your Education
    • Lifestyle Blog
    • Women in Science News
    • DiscovHER Science
    • Get Inspired
  • Events
    • Events
    • Symposium 2019
    • Symposium Testimonials
  • Join
    • Subscribe!
    • Internships
    • Test Membership
  • Sponsorship
    • Our Sponsors
    • Sponsor Scientista!
    • University Membership
    • Donate
  • happymed
Search by typing & pressing enter

YOUR CART

12/28/2014 1 Comment

The what, why, and how of office hours every student should know

Picture











 

Attending office hours is a great way to differentiate yourself from other students in the course and to get to know the professor a bit more. Office hours facilitate direct interaction with your professor, and an uninterrupted time to answer your questions about the course material. During office hours, you can ask for a review of specific questions from problem sets or of concepts that weren’t clear in lecture. As you discover whether you like your professor’s style, you can learn about other courses she teaches that you may want to enroll in.
A number of benefits can stem from getting to know your professor over office hours. Conversations may steer toward career advice as she gets to know you. Or your professor can link you colleagues who may have research opportunities. And since your relationship is class-oriented, your professor may be able to write you the ever-valuable recommendation letter later on.

Make an appointment. Your professor could have designated office hours, or may designate office hours “by appointment.” Either way, it’s a good idea to let him know you are planning to attend. This ensures he will be available and will prioritize your questions over other drop-in students. If you have specific questions outside of the course material, mention them ahead of time so he can prepare alternative explanations, if necessary.

Be on time. After you’ve made an appointment, be there when you say you will! You will leave a positive impression and both parties will use their time more efficiently.
                                                                     
Have specific questions. If your course involves problem sets, attempt to answer them independently before bringing them to the professor. This allows her to see where your train of thought may have gone astray. If you don’t understand lecture material, ask specific questions. “I don’t understand the Michaelis-Menton equation” is more specific than “I don’t understand enzyme kinetics” and is an easier place to begin. Branching into broader topics can occur more organically from there.

Don’t be test-oriented. Of course you are worried about your GPA. But if you use office hours simply to ascertain what is going to be covered on the test, your professor will not be impressed. These questions display a lack of intellectual curiosity that many professors, who have spent their lives studying these concepts, resent.

Don’t arrive with a sense of entitlement. In an ideal situation, office hours are an exchange of information between a mentor and a mentee even if it’s true that the professor’s salary may be paid in part by your tuition dollars (it may also be completely separate). Always be courteous and respectful.

Convey enthusiasm. There’s no need to pretend that you want to major in the course that you’re currently taking. However, an enthusiasm for generalized learning will positively benefit your attitude regarding the class and the professor’s attitude regarding you. Try to understand where your current course material may lay the foundation for more advanced coursework, or for on-the-job skills.

About the author:

Julie Wolf is a postdoctoral researcher studying opportunistic fungal infections at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She is an enthusiast of citizen science and spreading scientific literacy, and she writes for Scientista and Scholastic Science World.

1 Comment
Catherine Natalia
12/29/2014 12:08:20 am

Dear Scientista,
I am happy to have you all in my news feed. I am a big proponent of women in science and diversity in science. However, that makes me critical of messaging even by organizations who mean well like yourselves.
I seriously suggest that you all revise the approval chain that authorized the stock photo with the male professor and the two female students. That classic stereotype is one we need to break. Society needs to keep female scientists, as your own organization has noted, as much as we need to recruit young females. Therefore the treatment of females in authority is a critical issue. AND this includes in stock photos in news feeds of organizations like yours. Find a picture of a woman in authority and a mixed group of students in her office hours next time and I for one, will respect you more.
It was a good article with a fine message, but the photo doesn't make it for a 'scientista' message. I am disappointed.

Catherine Natalia

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Education Blog

    Picture

    RSS Feed

    About Scientista

    scientista women in STEM
    about the scientista foundation

    Subscribe!

    scientista women in STEM

    NEW!

    scientista women in STEM
    Scientista Homework Help Center

    New Posts

    scientista women in STEM
    surfing-waves.comget this widget

    What's Hot

    scientista women in science
    Click to set custom HTML

    You Might Like...

    scientista women in science


    Connect With Us

    scientista women in STEM

    Latest tweets

    Tweets by @Scientista_Talk

About

Mission  
Team


Connect

E-Newsletter
Facebook
Twitter
​
Instagram
Contact 


Press

All Press
Harvard Crimson
Harvard Gazette
Bostinnovation.com

Partner

Our Sponsors
Sponsorship Inquiries
​Partnership Inquiries
The Scientista Foundation, Inc. All Rights Reserved © 2011-2021 | Based in NY | [email protected]
The Network for Pre-Professional Women in Science and Engineering
The Scientista Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) -- Donate!

Photos from Dr.Farouk, geezycreezy | www.glennorion.com, couragextoxlive, Walt Stoneburner, redstamp.com, Walt Stoneburner