I think his response is PERFECTLY understandable and I agree with it
It sure sounded as if you wanted the questions from the test, regardless of the intent you may have had
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RANT: Correct me if I am wrong but.....
- Thread starter canuhandlethis8
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It sure sounded as if you wanted the questions from the test, regardless of the intent you may have had
I would apologize and just explain yourself. I don't think your professor overreacted, but I do think you are. Clearly it was a miscommunication, but it is not something that warrants a response of sarcasm. This is a professor-student relationship and you must respect the bounds. Simply go in and talk to your professor face-to-face, remember you want to make sure the situation is mutually resolved and that you both understand what was misunderstood.
And, in my opinion, the original email the OP sent was so vague and brief that the way the professor responded was a severe over-reaction.
If you read my last post I raised the important issue of what the OP's intent was. What was it, OP? Did you know what chapters the test covered and wanted more detail into what you should *wink wink* study or did you not have a syllabus with accurate information on what was testable material?
Based on how vague the original email was, I really don't see how anyone could say the professor's return email wasn't an over-reaction. And about sarcasm: EVERY response warrants sarcasm.
I strongly disagree with this notion. Professors aren't better than their students, they're usually just more knowledgeable about a subject. He might feel he has the authority by which to disrespect you, but he doesn't until what you were asking for is made clearer. I don't let any professor push me around. That being said, I would never instigate anything and I'm not that guy who raises his hand for the sole purpose of getting into a disagreement.
Both OP and the prof are mis-reacting here.
I would write an email to the prof
"Professor, I was simply asking what chapters I need to study for the exam I need to take, not any specifics of what material from those chapters you actually put on the exam. I could have been more clear in my intent etcetc"
BUT I would CC to someone higher up as well
I would write an email to the prof
"Professor, I was simply asking what chapters I need to study for the exam I need to take, not any specifics of what material from those chapters you actually put on the exam. I could have been more clear in my intent etcetc"
BUT I would CC to someone higher up as well
I wouldnt say that
intentions are never conveyed well in words
you can take it a multitude of ways and each are understandable and depending on how one took it, its not an over reaction at all
Don't send a nasty email/letter. No good can come from that.
Just visit your prof during office hours and explain what you meant.
Just visit your prof during office hours and explain what you meant.
That's ridiculous. He threatened expulsion over an email that is so vague that most of us in this thread can't even determine if he was trying to be academically dishonest or not. If something can be taken multiple ways (and rather easily, I might add, based on all the responses in this thread) it's up to the professor to ask for more information before countering with such a harsh response.
i concur with the majority, that your mail was ambiguous at best and thus your professor's answer was warranted (although i would have used a milder tone with my students).
in addition you have a few things going against you:
- mass email: annoying to begin with
- dum: included your teacher in a borderline cheating email. Really?
- first test: no previous 'virtuous' history to refer to
a couple of extra points to consider:
- since you included him in the mass email, you put your professor in a tough spot: he had to give you a stern reaction because everyone would have been looking to what he would do
- what if someone emailed you back a detailed account of the specifics of test: what would have you done then? would have you volunteered for an F?
in addition you have a few things going against you:
- mass email: annoying to begin with
- dum: included your teacher in a borderline cheating email. Really?
- first test: no previous 'virtuous' history to refer to
a couple of extra points to consider:
- since you included him in the mass email, you put your professor in a tough spot: he had to give you a stern reaction because everyone would have been looking to what he would do
- what if someone emailed you back a detailed account of the specifics of test: what would have you done then? would have you volunteered for an F?
I don't think the response was at all proportionate. Are you sure it came from your professor, and not a classmate who's playing a joke?
If it's a genuine message, reply politely and succinctly but BCC in someone you trust (father, doctor whatever) and also his 'boss', whoever that may be. You don't want this being used against you in anyway (including bias in future marking) so cover yourself.
AppleMatt
If it's a genuine message, reply politely and succinctly but BCC in someone you trust (father, doctor whatever) and also his 'boss', whoever that may be. You don't want this being used against you in anyway (including bias in future marking) so cover yourself.
AppleMatt
Well the professor only took it one way and the way he took it was against the policy of the school in terms of academic honesty
His response is warranted. As is your interpretation. Not every one thinks the same
Its the students responsibility to clear the confusion over the misinterpretation
I know I thought the same way as the prof did and im willing to bet he deals with more people cheating than you or i care to know so when some asks what the test covers, taking it as "what questions are on the test " or "what specific topics does the test cover" is completely valid
and im sure many students took the email as to asking what was on the test and may have provided info that would be considered cheating
but he's not asking for privileged information? He's only asking for what was made available to everyone else who was present in class.
So...where's the issue? I'm confident that everyone in this thread at some point has said 'I missed XX due to YY, is there anything I should know?'
That just says to me that it's less likely to be 'cheating' and more likely to be a genuine mis-communication. Clearly you wouldn't copy your professor in on 'what will the questions in June be?' e-mail.
Completely agree.
AppleMatt
So...where's the issue? I'm confident that everyone in this thread at some point has said 'I missed XX due to YY, is there anything I should know?'
That just says to me that it's less likely to be 'cheating' and more likely to be a genuine mis-communication. Clearly you wouldn't copy your professor in on 'what will the questions in June be?' e-mail.
Completely agree.
AppleMatt
The intent seems to clearly be not cheating, but you can't blame the professor for assuming cheating. I mean I read the e-mail and that's what I got out of it. Especially because the e-mail was sent to another student, the phrasing was awful.
Everyone is going to act differntly, but most schools have a strict policy regarding cheating and it's not to be taken lightly. If I was a professor I would have reacted differently, mainly that I would have called said student into my office, but I don't think my reaction would have been much different, perhaps just more wordy. People take sarcasm to varying degrees, given that the OP was planning on b****ing out his/her professor at first, I'd say everyone should take a step back and be civil and cordial. Challenging professor's can be good, but not when on paper you look to be wrong.
I agree that professors are no better, but remember the relationship. I don't feel that the professor disrespected the OP, especially given the OP's e-mail. The OP mishandled this situation from the start IMO.
1. You should have contacted your professor
2. I understand e-mail is convenient, but if you miss that much class, sitting down and talking during office hours would seem best
3. You should reread what you type, because it seems fairly unanimous on paper to be one thing
I agree that we are all people and all equal, but when you challenge your professor and disrespect them, your life has a better chance of becoming hell and then it becomes about "standing up to the man" as opposed to learning, the whole reason why you are there. In this instance, the professor is not pushing you around at all, they are doing their job. If I thought a student was trying to cheat on my exam, I'd take it as a personal insult.
i agree that if you were smart you wouldn't, but if were not you might.
i don't know the poster nor i know his school and the average level of the students there, but i dealt with very good and very bad ones, and I guarantee you that for this to happen by mistake is absolutely not out of the realms of possibility.
also, consider that we first saw the message in a context of a rant that put it in a positive light, but to read it devoid of any other context it looks worse.
I'll preface my response with this: I am a college professor.
I'll address a couple of key points. Firstly, if you are wanting to know if your professor discussed what specific chapters/topics etc were to be covered on the test and it was this information that you were seeking in order to prepare for your rescheduled test then you would have been best to ask the professor not mass mail all the students. That way you would get the information directly from the source not a student's version of the information.
Secondly, if I saw an email like that, the way it is worded, and sent to the other students rather than to me, it would look to me like you are asking for what specific questions were on the test.
While the professor's response was abrupt, if he thought you were attempting to do what it reads like you were attempting to do he would have every right to initiate disciplinary proceedings in accordance to your college's honor code.
As far as what to do now, I would say quite simply, apologize and explain. A simple email (or in fact in person) statement like "I'm sorry, I want you to know that it was not my intention to find out the questions on the test, but rather to see if you had discussed what topics would be included during a class I missed."
Speaking as a college professor, rescheduling tests to accommodate students creates a great deal of extra work for us. So much so that some of my colleagues simply refuse to do it. If you are sick, you miss the test, too bad. I do it providing it is an unavoidable situation, because sometimes things just happen.
Finally, does your professor have a doctorate? If so, referring to him as "Mr." might be considered rude.
Anyways, it's a misunderstanding created by the lack of clarity in your words. Apologize, explain, and move on.
I'll address a couple of key points. Firstly, if you are wanting to know if your professor discussed what specific chapters/topics etc were to be covered on the test and it was this information that you were seeking in order to prepare for your rescheduled test then you would have been best to ask the professor not mass mail all the students. That way you would get the information directly from the source not a student's version of the information.
Secondly, if I saw an email like that, the way it is worded, and sent to the other students rather than to me, it would look to me like you are asking for what specific questions were on the test.
While the professor's response was abrupt, if he thought you were attempting to do what it reads like you were attempting to do he would have every right to initiate disciplinary proceedings in accordance to your college's honor code.
As far as what to do now, I would say quite simply, apologize and explain. A simple email (or in fact in person) statement like "I'm sorry, I want you to know that it was not my intention to find out the questions on the test, but rather to see if you had discussed what topics would be included during a class I missed."
Speaking as a college professor, rescheduling tests to accommodate students creates a great deal of extra work for us. So much so that some of my colleagues simply refuse to do it. If you are sick, you miss the test, too bad. I do it providing it is an unavoidable situation, because sometimes things just happen.
Finally, does your professor have a doctorate? If so, referring to him as "Mr." might be considered rude.
Anyways, it's a misunderstanding created by the lack of clarity in your words. Apologize, explain, and move on.
It is inappropriate for you to ask such a question. It is a common thing among your generation to not understand this.
Sounds like you have a little intellectual anemia.
Clearly it was an inappropriate thing to do; miscommunication has nothing to do with it.
Had the OP emailed the professor it would have been perfectly appropriate. However, he emailed his classmates after they had taken the exam. That is the problem and the professor did exactly what every other professor would have done.
Take my word on this. The OP should not take your advice. It will only exacerbate the problem.
And the risk of this would be academic dishonesty charges from academic affairs (i.e., Dean of Students). Right now, the OP is off the hook. An apology in person and a statement saying he'll only ask the professor about future exams is the best solution here.
^^ This. Asking what chapters or whatever the test covered is exactly what is wrong with the email in the first place.
<wistfulness>Oh Cave Man, I wish I were where you are. How I wish I could be nearer to Duesseldorf and Koeln. </wistfulness>
You're not missing anything. The neighborhood's gone to hell since the Cro-Magnons moved in.
How someone can read that email from the poster and NOT think he is trying to get the answers is.....rather scary and shows the level and denial people have with cheating.
It's clear what he wants and I applaud the teacher and would do the same thing.
I teach (part/night time) as does another family member of mine and I can tell you that the best thing to do is MOVE ON. Students who are caught red-handed like you and try to either cover it up OR deny it...only make matters worse and continue keeping the situation fresh in the teachers head.
It's clear what he wants and I applaud the teacher and would do the same thing.
I teach (part/night time) as does another family member of mine and I can tell you that the best thing to do is MOVE ON. Students who are caught red-handed like you and try to either cover it up OR deny it...only make matters worse and continue keeping the situation fresh in the teachers head.
I would just say this:
"I had no intent to get specifics on the test. Merely just a generalization on what it covered as in Units. I know how you could take this Email as an attempt to cheat on this test, and I will not do anything of this sort in the future. And I hope that it will never come to expulsion."
Something along those lines.
And No I think your proffesor response was perfect. No overeaction. He saw it as an attmept to get answers and he adressed the matter politely and very neccessary.
"I had no intent to get specifics on the test. Merely just a generalization on what it covered as in Units. I know how you could take this Email as an attempt to cheat on this test, and I will not do anything of this sort in the future. And I hope that it will never come to expulsion."
Something along those lines.
And No I think your proffesor response was perfect. No overeaction. He saw it as an attmept to get answers and he adressed the matter politely and very neccessary.
Any proper trained teaching professor would have attempted to investigate the matter further inquiring what the student meant, before acting in such a rash manner. I had my share of both patient teachers and irrational ones while I studied in college. Asking "what the test covered" is not the same as saying "dude whats the answer to number three" a patient professor would have commended a student for wanting to catch up while reminding them not to get behind any further than the teacher is capable of helping out. It is possible this professor is overworked and has a very short fuse--many college professors aren't required to have any actual teaching experience in their backgrounds and are hired only based upon the expertise in the subject they teach, but a lot of them lack basic classroom management skills and don't tend to enroll in classes periodically to enhance the basic teaching skills. Sometimes this neglect for their own continued education is due to issues with their egos and the fact that they believe that having a doctorate means they are finished learning.
The teacher didnt actaully do anything but gave a stern warning and rightfully so
Then do not email the whole class asking what the test covers. It comes across as asking "what was exactly on the test"
Go to office hrs or email the teacher alone
Uh what? This seems awfully ignorant of the facts of what it entails to be a college professor