Mel:
It amazes me that people don't use their name in an email letter. I get
similar requests. Usually there questions are so broad as if they haven't
even thought about the subject first. It would be nice to read what the
person already thinks about a subject prior to asking a question.
My suggestion is the following
1. Identify as specifically as you can what information you're after or what
you don't understand that requires further explanation.
2. Discuss what it is you do know about the subject prior to asking the
question.
3. Tell us what you have already done as far as researching the topic and
why you are asking for more information.
Patrick Zerr
www.apluspt.com
The easiest way to prepare for the National PT Exam!
www.summitpt.com
Summit Physical Therapy; Tempe, Arizona
----- Original Message -----
From: "Adrian Capp" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, July 06, 2002 4:58 PM
Subject: Re: Student Calls for Help
> Fantastic reply
>
> On Saturday, July 6, 2002, at 09:35 pm, [log in to unmask] wrote:
>
> > The following letter which was written anonymously to me serves as a
> > useful
> > Case Study for any students who are undertaking research projects.
> > This sort
> > of communication becomes rife on many professional user lists whenever
> > term
> > paper time comes round - it always appears as if students leave
> > everything to
> > the last minute and do everything but academic work first, then rely on
> > someone on some user group to rescue them or even to do the bulk of the
> > work,
> > in many cases.
> >
> > Here is the letter:
> >
> > Someone wrote:
> >
> > <Dear Dr, I am pleased to know that you are here for me to e-mail. I
> > am a
> > student at university and my group is doing a paper on coronary artery
> > bypass
> > surgery. One girl in my group had a cardiac arrest last year in class
> > and
> > that is why we chose this subject. I am looking for information on how
> > this
> > affects the patients family. If you have any information or know where
> > I can
> > find this information let me know as soon as possible. I have to e-mail
> > my
> > paper in tomorrow. >
> >
> > Some lessons from this Case Study:
> >
> > 1. Never contact someone without giving your full name and address.
> > It is
> > very rare for any professional to respond to anonymous, unsolicited
> > letters.
> >
> > 2. Provide full details about who you are, what course you are
> > studying,
> > what year of study you are in and why you are contacting the recipient
> > of
> > your letter.
> >
> > 3. State clearly and concisely what you have already done and which
> > references you have already consulted. If you fail to do this, it
> > appears as
> > if you have done NOTHING so far.
> >
> > 4. Never ask for urgent project help the day before it is due! This
> > shows
> > exactly where your priorities lie. If there is some good medical or
> > family
> > reason for the urgency, then state it honestly.
> >
> > 5. Word your letter so that you explicitly state your appreciation -
> > don't
> > write any letter as if it were a politely
> > phrased demand.
> >
> > 6. Phrase your letter to show that you are a keen, dedicated and
> > diligent
> > student who finds the project challenging, interesting or enjoyable,
> > not just
> > as some necessary evil that some other lecturer has inflicted upon you.
> >
> > Other academics on the list might like to add their own words of wisdom
> > to
> > what I have penned above.
> >
> > Incidentally, I regularly receive requests from senior students who
> > want me
> > to read their entire theses or dissertations to see if there are any
> > omissions, errors or weaknesses. Now, this is a task that generally
> > takes
> > many days and a great deal of effort, yet, as soon as one mentions that
> > you
> > might charge for this service as an experienced academic and technical
> > editor, students usually rapidly disappear. Apparently they accept
> > that one
> > has to pay a doctor or a lawyer for advice, but not academics!
> >
> > Many of us in academia would dearly love to have the infinite time and
> > financial resources to be able to help every student who approaches us,
> > but
> > one has to live and have family free time. If students had to pay
> > academics
> > at a fraction of the rate they pay for legal advice, they would find
> > that the
> > average 100-150 page dissertation could cost them over $20,000, so why
> > are
> > they or their parents apparently so willing to pay many thousands to
> > lawyers,
> > but not even a few hundred to academics who also happen to be extremely
> > well-qualified and experienced? Is this because academics are all too
> > often
> > regarded as non-professional and unbusinesslike?
> >
> > Dr Mel C Siff
> > Denver, USA
> > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Supertraining/
> >
>
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