Email vs. Telephone in Academics - what's your story?

[Vader Was Framed]

I thought this would be an interesting topic to discuss as I started to ponder about it tonight, and the differences I've observed during graduate school vs. industry. Obviously, we use both. But I'd be interested in hearing about people's preferences and experiences.

In your research, relationship with your advisor(s), interactions with your cohort, TA and RA duties (heck anything) -- when do you choose to communicate via email versus phone?

In the information age, we've grown accustom to expecting quick responses from professors, peers and others. While the email is powerful, I know I've personally grown too reliant on it in my day-to-day tasks as a research analyst in my field. Sometimes I'm just starting my day by rapidly firing off emails and emails on deliverables, data and setting up meetings. I've found that cultivating relationships via phone conservations has produced fruitful collaborative results. However, I'm often dealing with people in different parts of the country/world (obviously chatting with someone in their office or a meeting room is ideal!).

So .. a few items to noodle on:

• When you are getting major feedback from your advisor outside of the office, is it usually via email or phone?
  
• When you are collaborating with researchers outside of your university, do you prefer phone or email exchange for major idea sharing?
  
• What elevates the situation from simple email to requesting a phone chat (i.e. advisor not getting back with you)?
  
• For those on larger campuses (or larger departments), do peers ever Skype or have conference calls on projects when you can't meet in person?
  
• Do you have some professors who outright prefer phone conversations over email?
  
• Do you have a recurring meeting with your advisor (weekly? monthly?) or impromptu based on your progress?
  

In my current job, I've grown accustom to scheduling meetings on people's calendars, setting up conference calls, rescheduling meetings, meetings meetings meetings etc. etc. that I've grown numb to it. Frankly, some of my team uses it as an ego thing. I'm looking forward to getting back to the basics and mostly just meeting 1:1 with advisors and students and small groups on projects.

Cheers!

[robot_hamster]

Everything is almost always email with me.

[fuzzylogician]

I only talk with my advisor (and other collaborators) on skype if we're in different countries. Otherwise everything is done via email or in person.

[ladyling]

I prefer to talk about things in person when possible, but I always follow up with an email. I find it helpful to have a record of events, both in case something happens where it might be useful and to remind both myself and the person I talk to what happened. I've found that most of my colleagues appreciate this approach as well.

[go3187]

I talk to my advisor in person, when he's around, or by email. If he's abroad for a long time (for e.g., he was on sabbatical two semesters ago) or if he's abroad and we urgently need to discuss a manuscript/some results, then we skype.

The same applies to the interactions I have with all my collaborators.

Do you have a recurring meeting with your advisor (weekly? monthly?) or impromptu based on your progress?

If my advisor is here, we normally talk daily. He has an open door policy, so when I take a break I just stop by his office to tell him how things are going. If I don't do it, he comes by my office, or often if he has to leave early, he sends me an email.

[ktel]

I think I have a more unusual situation with my advisor, we only meet once a month or so. Almost any other communication is done via e-mail.

I did a design project in undergrad and one of our supervisors was across the country. We did almost everything via phone or Skype, rarely e-mail.

[Dal PhDer]

I normally meet with my advisor 1 or times a month for 30 minutes face to face. I tend to prefer email communications with him (as it also serves as a record of our discussions!), but he is horrible at returned emails, and often the entire contents of his email is in the subject line.

example:

To: Dal PhDer

From: Advisor

Subject: CAN YOU SEND ME ARTICLES ON HEAT AND MORTALITY

Message: *blank*

I find he perferes the telephone over email. So often if we don't meet, we will have a chat over the phone.

Other people who I work with (committee members, PIs on other projects), perfer to meet face-to-face. However, I do work with a large group of professors and physicians on a project, and nearly all of our communication is via email. This allows individuals to keep track of tasks, deadlines, and work. And if we do have a meeting, we have often used conference calling to reach the individuals.

I think I am one of the few people who have not used skype in this setting. I think in the next few years, almost all meetings and phone conversations will be moved to skype! I am a bit scared of that, as I am certain if I was on skype at home this would happen:

In general, if I don't get a response from my advisor via email that I need, I don't call- I drop into his office.

I think email/phone/face-to-face might also be dependent on the person too. I know some professors don't like dropins and perfer email communication only.

Edited August 14, 2012 by Dal PhDer

[Vader Was Framed]

I prefer to talk about things in person when possible, but I always follow up with an email. I find it helpful to have a record of events, both in case something happens where it might be useful and to remind both myself and the person I talk to what happened. I've found that most of my colleagues appreciate this approach as well.

I like this approach when I think about future advisor meetings, just to keep a clear record for both parties (but mostly for me) and have some accountability around action items (e.g. send this paper, review this chapter). Neither party wants extra, unnecessary emails and reminders. Hopefully profs won't be put off by capturing notes during a meeting, but this is the norm in most office settings outside of academics for me and the note-taker sends notes to the team after the meeting. I'd rather capture good notes instead of having to reminder professors of what we spoke of, what I'd like them to review, etc.

I can imagine most profs wouldn't appreciate drop ins (they probably get enough of those with undergrads). Having a recurring meeting seems best.

Anyone go to lunch with their advisor from time to time, drinks? I think having a mix of formal/informal sessions is also ideal.