In a message dated 9/30/98, Sheri Mitchell<[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>. . . . I am sorry you have come to the conclusion that the students who are
requesting information are lazy and have not "done their homework" prior to
using this service to request information.
***My original letter very specifically did not make any generalisation that
students who ask members of user groups for help are lazy. It stated:
"There seems to be a very disquieting increase in the number of students
requesting help with preparing projects at undergraduate and postgraduate
level without displaying any evidence at all that they have first tried
sincerely to obtain information from libraries".
As a matter of fact, my sample letter with which I introduced the topic was
only slightly modified from two actual student posts to this user group. The
emphasis was on students who do not display ANY evidence of prior efforts to
obtain information. My comments on this increasing trend are not unique, but
reflect the observation of many others on this group and of university staff
with whom I have had considerable contact in physical therapy.
In sharp contrast, the letters from other students clearly show that they have
put a great deal of thought and effort into their problems before rushing off
to the Internet just before their processes of creative thinking had a chance
to intensify.
It is quite simply this attitude which I was hoping to encourage by writing
that letter, which I knew would seem harsh and judgmental to some.
Judging from her clearly articulated letter, I would tend to conclude that
Sheri Mitchell is precisely one of those more diligent and meticulous students
who would hesitated to have written a lazily constructed, weakly disguised
demand for help. Any fears that she may have of requesting information in the
same manner as her letter should be laid immediately to rest and I am sure
that she is well aware of that fact, despite what she may say to the contrary.
After all, she remarked:
"......I agree that having someone else do the research is totally uncalled
for..."
She then went on to make this conclusion:
" .....but I feel it is unfortunate that you have grouped all these requests
together as a nuisance".
***Again, Sheri has misrepresented what I wrote. Never once did I mention
anything about nuisance - I continually stressed the importance of showing
that students had done SOME groundwork first. I simply exhorted students as
follows:
"So, before any students dash reflexively to the user groups for help, may we
encourage them to use some of the above resources first, impress the rest of
us that you are not lazy to do some serious groundwork first and that you have
already put a lot of determined effort into undertaking a research project
which you want to do to the best of your ability. You will be pleasantly
surprised to see how much more help you obtain via this approach! "
Instead of being destructively critical, as is so often the case, I went to a
great deal of effort to constructively compile a list of guidelines and
websites to help students who are stalemated in their quest for information.
I wrote:
"HINTS TO ENCOURAGE RESPONSE
While it is a pleasure to assist any dedicated students and seekers after
knowledge, professionals on the web always tend to respond more rapidly and
helpfully if students: . . . . <list of HINTS follows>
Sheri's letter regularly alludes to rules and structure and once again saddens
me to see how much she has distorted the intention of my letter. I very
explicitly stated that these were HINTS or guidelines.
> Personally I do not feel it is necessary, nor required, that a reference
>list is included with the request for information in order to validate
>the request.
***My letter did not say that references were necessary or required. I said
that it was helpful if the student:
5. Posts a summary of information and/or a list of references obtained from
list
members
This is regarded as the sole 'payback' on most academic and professional user
groups AFTER list members have submitted info to anyone else asking for it.
Once adequate discussion has taken place, the original requester summarises
all information and references received so that everyone can benefit from the
exchange of ideas.
CONCLUDING EXAMPLE
It may be appropriate to conclude by presenting the original example of a
student request and following it with another one (also based on an actual
letter submitted by a student) which takes a somewhat different approach. I
leave Sheri and any others who support the sentiments of her letter to judge
which letter would be more likely to attract the unhesitant attention of list
members.
Letter A
"Hi, guys, I have to do a research topic on something in sports physio and I
cannot think of any suitable topic. Can you help? I'm also looking for some
good books on that topic, so let me have your suggestions on that, as well.
Oh, can you do that as soon as possible, because the project is due next week.
Thanks". No name.
Letter B
"I am a final year physical therapy student at ABC University in LA. We have
to complete a four month long major research project on a topic of our own
choice, but few of us know which fields offer the most useful and pressing
opportunities for such research. The general field of sports physio interests
me the most, with disability issues a close second. Maybe a topic which
integrates both fields would be possible, such as sports training as part of
post-acute rehabilitation. I would be most grateful if anyone could suggest
possible topics in this field which may be of definite practical value to
physical therapy.
Jeanette Brown
Address etc "
My case rests.
Dr Mel C Siff
Littleton, Colorado, USA
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