Making Use Of Professors' Office Hours

[praxismakesperfect]

So, I just started my first grad school courses and I am already starting to feel the imposter syndrome symptoms--coming into my program without a masters definitely is not helping matters. I feel like everyone has a much better grasp of theoretical concepts and language than I do at this point; in short, I feel pretty dumb. This is not discouraging per se--I like being surrounded by people who can push me-- it just makes me know that I have to work extra hard and really be on point.  I was thinking of using professors office hours to go over material that I may have issues with, and just make sure that I'm really understanding things--is this frowned upon in grad school? Should I be doing the "heavy lifting" by myself/with my peers--do you think professors would be annoyed at a grad student coming to their office hours for reassurance?

[bsharpe269]

Not at all. I mean come with a legit question, not something that is stated clearly in your book that you decided not to read. Coming with concept sort of questions , especially if you did some additional reading and can discuss exactly what you don't understand will be very useful. You should network with professors like you did in undergrad. You can go to them to discuss research or work or whatever. I personally try not to to overboard with it since I know they are very busy people but stoping in once or twice a month with a topic to discuss sounds like a great way for you to keep up.

[TakeruK]

I can see how this is a topic that can really vary from program to program and field to field. I would spend some time to figure out what is the norm in your department/program. I'm not saying that the professor is not a good source of information for class material, but usually I would not expect a grad student to immediately go to the professor for help. 

 

I'll share what I think is the norm in my program for another perspective. Here, I think graduate students are expected to be fairly independent in their learning and the first people they should go to when they get stuck on coursework is their peers/classmates. Usually one person in the class will have figured it out and they will teach the rest how to do it. If they are still stuck, the next person they should go to is the TA. If the TA cannot help them then the professor is a good last step. In my program, professors rarely have dedicated office hours--seeing a professor for class help means you need an appointment. However, the TA almost always has dedicated office hours. 

 

My strategy has been to always do the "heavy lifting" with my peers, usually we attempt to solve the problems by ourselves a day or two before the TA's office hours, and then go to the TA office hours as a group. I've only gone to a professor for homework help only once or twice in the entire time here, and almost always as a group. 

 

The above is mainly about help on problem sets/homeworks, which is the main reason people seek coursework help in my field. I would say you want to avoid going to professors about this as much as possible, especially as a graduate student. 

 

However, it's definitely a great idea to go to the professor for help on bigger picture things regarding coursework. Especially to get a better understanding of how material from week 2 connects to material from week 6, for example. So, stopping by a couple of times a month like bsharpe suggests is a very good idea for this kind of support.

 

In summary--to make the most of professors' office hours, make the most of your other resources (peers, TAs) for lower level / heavy lifting stuff like homework or small questions first. Spend time with the professor discussing the bigger picture and other important conceptual connections!

Edited September 26, 2014 by TakeruK

[music]

There is a big difference between 'making sure I'm really understanding things' (which sounds like a self-confidence issue, and a fear of giving a 'wrong' answer in class) versus a fundamental lack of understanding of the reading/topics. I doubt it's the latter, or you probably wouldn't have been accepted into the department in the first place.

 

So let's assume that you are capable of understanding the materials in question. Your first port of call on issues like verbal presentation, language, time management and study skills would likely be outside of the department with the university's graduate student organisation, or some similar body, depending on what your university provides. For issues relating to imposter syndrome, I would check out the counselling centre and any related inter-departmental group sessions which might help you. Then, as TakeruK says, start with your peers, then go to a TA, then the prof, if your issues are not resolved.

[TMP]

Professors would not want you to leave their courses still "clueless" because you will be expected to know the materials for your comprehensive exams.  Go to their office hours and see how they respond to your questions.  It's likely that they already picked up on that you're not grasping the materials and are just waiting for you to come in (they don't really chase down grad students like they do for undergrads as we are supposed to take the initiative for our own successes.).

[fuzzylogician]

Honestly, as a TA and as a primary instructor, I want my students to come talk to me if there is anything that they are not sure about or if they feel that they are not keeping up with the class. Falling behind even one week can be a lot to make up and might lead to an eventual low grade or even an inability to finish the class. Sometimes it's hard to know that someone is struggling until it's too late, and not everyone will notice and reach out to you. However, professors have a vested interest in your success. If you feel unsure about how you're doing, I think it's fine to ask the professor how you're doing. It's probably more useful to come with a specific question or talk about anything that wasn't clear in class. Go to their office hours, or talk to a TA. Don't be afraid to use all the resources that are out there!

[dr. t]

This is phrased somewhat negatively and the author isn't my favorite person, but it's sound advice:

 

 

...most of them are so foolish they think it is better to keep their stupidest thoughts to themselves. You, however, understand the profound truth that you must reveal your stupidity openly. To hold your stupidity inside you is to embrace it, to cling to it, to protect it. But when you expose your stupidity, you give yourself the chance to have it caught, corrected, and replaced with wisdom. Be brave, all of you... make sure to make some noise, to let your mental limitations squeak out some whimpering fart of a thought, so that you have a chance to learn. - Ender's Shadow, by Orson Scott Card

 

Grad school is one of the last opportunities you will have to freely admit ignorance, make mistakes, or explore new intellectual ground and get feedback on it not only from your peers, but also from your supervisors without repercussion. Failing to take advantage of this only hurts you.

 

You should also remember that 'talent' is, more or less not a real thing. When I first started, the distance I perceived between myself and other graduate students was immense. They were so good at this. They should be - they've been doing it longer. After two and a half years, I still recognize that some of these people are significantly smarter than me, but the distance between us is less than it was. 

Edited September 27, 2014 by telkanuru

[reinhard]

Lol in my department unless you are a Ph.D student, all of us are so independent to the point most people don't even want to help each other. Myself excluded, because someone asks for me help, I just show them everything. I was kind of shocked by this behavior even in grad school.

 

To answer the question though, I don't see why being a grad student suddenly removes any right of going to the prof's office hours. I mean if you can, discuss it with your peers first and a TA if one even exists (at my school, there are none for grad classes, even if they do they are only there to mark).

 

And Takeru got some stars on him!

Edited September 29, 2014 by reinhard

[maelia8]

In my department we spend a lot of time in the grad lounge together, so there's always someone there that you can approach if you have a question. I only go to my prof's office hours if it's for Big Stuff like concentrations or a major paper or discussing my dissertation. It would be inappropriate to go more often as he only holds office hours once a week and he's a popular prof so his 15-minute slots get snapped up quickly.

[St Andrews Lynx]

I was thinking of using professors office hours to go over material that I may have issues with, and just make sure that I'm really understanding things--is this frowned upon in grad school? Should I be doing the "heavy lifting" by myself/with my peers--do you think professors would be annoyed at a grad student coming to their office hours for reassurance?

Phrased like this, I'd say that if it is "reassurance" you want, you shouldn't go to the professors office hours to get it. 

 

It's a balance. You want to come across to your coursework professors as someone who is (i) interested in the material (ii) keen to improve their academic performance (iii) not too arrogant or know-it-all about the coursework. However...you really don't want to come across as needy or over-anxious to the faculty. Especially not if these people might be writing letters of recommendation for you in the future. 

 

A better approach is to ask your peers in the class for clarification/advice. It's a great way to get to know folk, and it might help you realise that your peers aren't as intimidatingly super-intelligent as they first seemed.