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Thank you David, I thought for a moment that you too had lost sight of the objective of assisting debbie in helping herself, until I came to your last paragraph. Incidentally, there have been a couple of helpful responses - off list - by people who did take Debbie's request as meant, but did not want to be involved in academic argy-bargy, going in circles. rgds John ----- Original Message ----- From: "David Quarter" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Friday, May 14, 2004 4:07 AM Subject: Re: Fw: In need of advice > She asked for *advise* on the assignment. Johnson and > company. seem to have read a lot into her comments, which I for > one don't see. It may simply be her style of communication to > phrase the question the way she did. The alternative was to *give > the appearance she was completely knowlegeable about the > subject matter* -- an ailment incidentally that affects the majority of > professors today as well as individuals vying for academics > positions. Mind you, the question (from what I can see) wasn't > intended specifically for the list. > > The more pertinent question, however, is why all the fuss? > > Graduate students ask for direction on assignments all the time. > Although I'm not a grad. student myself, I'm around enough during > the year (I use my dad's office, which is in a graduate department > at my university) to know that asking for direction on assignments > is a big part of their learning experience. > > I've even had grad. students ask me (an undergraduate student!) > for advise on academic matters. For example, two of my dad's > students (one a recent PHD graduate, the other a PHD candidate) > once asked for direction on teaching undergraduate courses > (materials to use, lecture style). What does that suggest about > their expertise other than perhaps they lack enough hands on > experience lecturing to undegraduate students to know the > expectations that students demand and therefore sought the advise > of a undergraduate student. Seems logical, no? In a similar way, > Homan is redirecting his mate's question to a list for academics > and activists interested in disability studies and related issues. > Where's the incongruity? > > My dad, a distinguished prof in his field of research and close to > retirement, has also on occasions asked me advise on academic > related matters. One time was when he needed a form filled out for > a conference he was to attend the following week. I helped him > translate part of the form because it was in French and he doesn't > understand French very well, whereas I took French for most of my > elementary schooling. I wonder if that would qualify my Dad as > incompetent? The another time I was asked by my father to proof > read a manuscript he was intending to send to the editor ? Does > that make him incompetent? > > If Homan's mate is doing her masters degree in disability studies, > it's obviously not because she bribed her way into the program. > That usually works with the sons and daughters of wealthy parents > whose parents have made a significant financial contribution to a > university, and only when applying for undergraduate entrance. > > What's also interesting in this whole discussion is that with all the > fuss made over the phrasing of the question, except for myself > thank you! ) no one actually bothered to address one of her specific > queries: > > I was hoping you could give me some advice on which one I would > have the best chance of finding information on>>> > > How bout it, folks? > > > DOQ > > > > > > > > Date sent: Thu, 13 May 2004 07:49:29 -0400 > Send reply to: Johnson Cheu <[log in to unmask]> > From: Johnson Cheu <[log in to unmask]> > Subject: Re: Fw: In need of advice > To: [log in to unmask] > > > John and all: > > > > At the risk of beating a dead horse, as we say in these parts, I wanted to > > say that I had pretty much the same reaction as the others and I think that > > was mostly because of the student asking you for your advice on which one > > she "could find the most info on and learn about" because well, at the > > Masters level, shouldn't the student have some idea what he or she wants to > > do because presumably these exam questions are course-related and didn't > > just arise out of thin air and shouldn't the student have some research > > skills at this point? It sounds as though this person hasn't even done any > > preliminary research to see what's out there, at least the way the request > > was written, and even my undergrads are savvy enough to google a topic on > > the internet before coming to my office hours. That being said, if it were > > me, I certainly wouldn't do the work for this person, (her Masters, not > > yours) though I may be willing to coffee with the person and ask leading > > questions about her initial reactions to the topics, if she has any ideas > > as to how she might respond, given what she's learned in the course that > > piqued her interest. These might help clarify her thinking and her ideas > > and settle her nervousness somewhat, though I'd argue that part of being in > > grad school is learning how to deal with the stress that large exams like > > your generals create on your own, as she goes about her work and research. > > > > Johnson > > > > At 06:00 PM 5/13/2004 +1000, you wrote: > > >Dear Claire, > > > > > >Your response is not much more helpful than that of m99. > > > > > >I believe it praiseworthy when a student will make the effort to want > > >broader info and opinion than the course tutor can provide. Incidentally, > > >Debbie's course tutor is about 800km away, and just a voice on the phone. > > > > > >rgds John > > > > > >----- Original Message ----- > > >From: "Claire Wickham" <[log in to unmask]> > > >To: <[log in to unmask]> > > >Sent: Thursday, May 13, 2004 1:12 AM > > >Subject: Re: Fw: In need of advice > > > > > > > > > > Well I thought it was an amusing reply, and raised the a valid point about > > > > the quality of the course. The initial advice can surely only be "Discuss > > > > with your course tutor who set the assignment" who should already have > > > > addressed the issues that the m99m rely noted. To the enquirer: there is > > > > nothing wrong about seeking advice but your queries are (mainly) those > > >where > > > > course tutors should be providing support and guidance. (And is this one > > > > module/unit of your Masters' qualification?) > > > > > > > > Claire > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > > From: The Disability-Research Discussion List > > > > [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of John Homan > > > > Sent: 12 May 2004 04:10 > > > > To: > > > > Subject: Re: Fw: In need of advice > > > > > > > > > > > > Thank you for going to the trouble of putting an email together. I think > > > > that the same amount of effort, or less, may have produced a message that > > >is > > > > more supportive than smart-alecky. > > > > > > > > rgds John > > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > > From: "m99m" <[log in to unmask]> > > > > To: <[log in to unmask]> > > > > Sent: Tuesday, May 11, 2004 7:17 PM > > > > Subject: Re: Fw: In need of advice > > > > > > > > > > > > > . > > > > > Eh... You can get a Masters in Disability Studies (well, the passmark > > > > must > > > > > surely be below 60%) just by drinking coffee and writing one good essay > > >on > > > > > one of these topics, or getting a pal to compile it for you? -- and > > > > > obviously without needing to attend any boring lectures, working on a > > > > > prescribed reading list about DS, taking a course on how to find > > > > > information in the modern world, or any tiresome kinda > > >textually-fixated- > > > > > european-male suffering like that? > > > > > What brand of coffee is it, anyway? > > > > > m99m > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >Subject: In need of advice > > > > > > I was hoping you could give me some advice on which one I would have > > >the > > > > > best chance of finding information on and what would be beneficial for > > >me > > > > > to learn more about. I have to write 3500 words and it is worth 60% of > > >my > > > > > marks....this scares me a little! I have to choose one of these topics. > > > > > > > > > > > >1) 'A disability implies a non-problematic pathological condition > > > > > intrinsic to the individual; it fails to recognise that the concept of > > > > > disabilitiy is socially constructed'. Discuss this statement. > > > > > > > > > > > >2) Psychology has had an important impact on how we understand > > > > > disabilitiy. Indeed the psychological test has been used extensively to > > > > > identify problems and legitimate action. Discuss this statement, > > >locating > > > > > your response in a particular historical era. > > > > > > > > > > > >3) Policy documents are texts that are interpreted by school > > > > > administrators, teachers and parents. With direct reference to a > > > > particular > > > > > policy, discuss how it has been implemented in a particular educational > > > > > setting. What tactics and strategies have been used? In what ways have > > > > they > > > > > been enabling or disabling? > > > > > > > > > > > >Any advice you could give me would be very appreciated. Let me know if > > > > > you prefer to meet for a coffee and go over anything. > > > > > ______________________ > > > > > ________________End of message______________________ > > Archives and tools for the Disability-Research Discussion List > are now located at: > > www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/disability-research.html > > You can JOIN or LEAVE the list from this web page. > ________________End of message______________________ Archives and tools for the Disability-Research Discussion List are now located at: www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/disability-research.html You can JOIN or LEAVE the list from this web page.