{"id":14790,"date":"2012-11-14T11:29:58","date_gmt":"2012-11-14T16:29:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/?p=14790"},"modified":"2012-11-14T11:29:58","modified_gmt":"2012-11-14T16:29:58","slug":"dear-professor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/2012\/11\/14\/dear-professor\/","title":{"rendered":"Dear Professor"},"content":{"rendered":"\"\"<\/a>\r\n\r\nUofT is the largest research institution in Canada. From history to science, philosophy to engineering, UofT churns out new breakthroughs and discoveries every year. And that means big opportunities in research for undergraduate students.\r\n\r\nUofT\u00a0 offers research courses in second, third, and fourth year. For instance, in second year students can take part in a ROP 299 project and in third and fourth year students can participate in independent study project courses like HMB395. These courses can give you the opportunity to take on your own project under the supervision of a professor or allow you to work on part of an existing project.\u00a0 Many students look for volunteer opportunities in labs as well.\r\n\r\nWe\u2019ve all heard the saying, \u201cIt\u2019s not about what you said, it\u2019s about how you said it.\u201d When it comes to approaching a faculty member or supervisor about the possibility of getting involved in research, this statement couldn\u2019t be more true.\u00a0 Professors can seem (and sometimes are) intimidating and oftentimes, it\u2019s difficult to understand the \u201cetiquette\u201d required when contacting them. I\u2019ve compiled a list of tips that will hopefully make the process more comfortable. They may even increase your chances of hearing a \u201cYES!\u201d\r\n

The Do\u2019s and Don\u2019ts of Contacting Professors for Research<\/strong><\/p>\r\nDO:<\/strong>\r\n\r\nIntroduce yourself!<\/strong> Unfortunately, UofT is much larger than any high school on the planet and it\u2019s very unlikely that a professor will recognize you by first name. When speaking to or emailing a professor in regards to a research position, be sure to identify yourself. What\u2019s your name (your FULL name)? What year are you in? What\u2019s your major? Giving yourself an identity will increase the chances of you being remembered.\r\n\r\nBe polite!<\/strong> According to the UofT Career Centre, students often forget to use a formal tone when approaching a professor or staff member. You wouldn\u2019t address a professor the way you would a friend. It\u2019s important to show them the respect that they deserve. \u00a0<\/strong>\r\n\r\nDo your homework!<\/strong> BEFORE contacting a faculty member of your choice, spend some time looking over their current research. Glance over a professor\u2019s CV or scroll through the research that he\/she has listed on his\/her website. It\u2019s not enough to know the department he\/she belongs to or the field he\/she is working in. Knowing his\/her specific area of interest indicates that you are genuinely excited about the prospect of working with him\/her. It also suggests that you know what you\u2019re getting yourself into. Remember, you don\u2019t need to understand EVERYTHING you read (it\u2019s probably far too complicated), but you should try to grasp main points.\r\n\r\nSell yourself!<\/strong> Be humble but be sure to showcase your interest and accomplishments when speaking to or emailing a faculty member. You are, in a sense, advertising yourself. And professors will opt for the individual who sells themselves the best.\r\n\r\nDON\u2019T:<\/strong>\r\n\r\nSend generic emails!<\/strong> We all do it, don\u2019t we? In first year, I remember sending a generic email for everything (jobs, research positions, etc.) It\u2019s so convenient to address an email \u201cTo Whom it May Concern.\u201d There\u2019s also a very slim chance that you will receive a positive response to a generic email. Address your emails to the faculty member of your choice. Be specific.\r\n\r\nNeglect proofreading!<\/strong> No silly spelling or grammar mistakes, please! Try to show attention to detail. This is the kind of thing that won\u2019t be noticed if it\u2019s done right. But it\u2019ll definitely be noticed if it\u2019s done wrong.\r\n\r\nGive up!<\/strong> Professors are busy. It can often take a while for them to get back to you. And sometimes when they do, they don\u2019t give you the response that you want. They may not have the time or space to supervise an undergraduate research project or they may not feel that they are the best person to direct your work. And as you apply to more and more faculty members, you may find that many of them do not want to take you on at that point in time. Keep trying! You may get 100 no\u2019s but you only need 1 yes to get to where you want to go.\r\n\r\nGood luck!\r\n\r\nTill next week,\r\n\r\nIshita","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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\nUofT is the largest research institution in Canada. From history to science, philosophy to engineering, UofT churns out new breakthroughs and discoveries every year. And that means big opportunities in research for undergraduate students. UofT\u00a0 offers research courses in second,…\n<\/div>
Continue reading “Dear Professor”<\/span>…<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>
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