Not that this will be an accurate sampling group, but based on comments with Stephanie and Jameel… Steph and I are wondering something that we’ve put together a little poll for.
- What was your undergrad major.
- Did you call your professors (or most professors) by their first name or last name?
- Was it different for grad school (if applicable)
- If you currently are (or ever were) a teacher what do you prefer?
Steph wants to do some statistics.
😮
And finally, grad school (M1 & M2):
And this is M1 and M2 for undergrads (same criteria for inclusion as above):
OK, so a bit of findings… We entered all info in a spreadsheet: undergrad major; undergrad prof address; your school (to help make the data more independent); grad major; grad prof address. We quantified the name address as: 0: “Professor” only (no name given); 1: last name only (or only one exception); 2: mostly last name; 3: mixed/variable (some first/some last); 4: mostly first; 5: only first (or one exception). So you can kind of think of this as a measure of familiarity, where higher scores show more familiarity. Overall results: comparing all undergrads to grads: The average for all undergrads (all majors) was 2.13 (~mostly last name) and for all grads: 3.01 (mixed). But this was a statistically significant difference (p(2-tailed unpaired t-test) = .01). We then sorted by major and university (separately for undergrad & grad). In our first measure (M1), we treated people in the same major and university as a single data point (because we had disproportionate responses from certain schools for certain majors due to who we know) and averaged for each major. As a second measure (M2), we averaged across all people in a given major. We first looked at how familiarity changed as a function of major and school level. In this analysis, we only included major-levels that had at least 3 people from different schools at both graduate and undergraduate levels (yes, we tracked down everyone’s undergrad & grad schools!). Here’s what we found (blue and green bars are M1 and red and purple bars are M2): (Note: Some majors (like theater/drama) had lots of undergrads but not enough grads to be included in this chart.)
Mathematics and Logic and Computation. Entered 1993, left 1998 no degree 2. Mostly last name, with a small handful of exceptions (e.g. Clark Glymour) at CMU. Teachers for classes at Pitt and Pittsburgh Filmmakers were more likely to encourage the use of first names. 3 & 4: n/a In real life people call me almost exclusively by my middle name.
Photography/photojournalism/IT Usually first name but it deepened on them No grad school but my wife calls her grad school professors by their first names I teach (but not at a university) and typically people call me by my first name.
1) Journalism / Computer Science 2) usually “Dr” or their first name. This was a public uni in Houston and having a PhD vs. being a TA or grad student. 3) grad school was almost always first name. design/architecture at CMU 4) I teach programming-101-for-art-students, physical interaction design, arduino 1010
Music-last name. But keep in mind I was in college in the 70s!
So this was for my AAS in Computer Tech (community college) so a different standpoint maybe:) 1. Data Storage and Virtualization 2. It was about 50/50 3. NA 4. When I was an adjunct, I let the students decide what they felt comfortable with calling me. I got mostly Ms. Bulger (but only if they pronounced it correctly) but got Cori from some of the people that worked at my same company and knew me.
Spanish and Education 2. Mostly last name 3. About 50/50 in grad school
Biology 2. Title ( Dr./professor) last name. There was only one first name exception, but that person didn't have a doctorate and the class was referred to as her "first name" lab.
1) Nursing 2) Last name (and often Dr. last name since many nursing professors hold doctoral degrees) 3) I’ll let you know in a few months. 😉
My wife: 1. Computer Science (Oberlin College, class of '90). 2. Mostly surname (Mr. or Ms., not Dr.), but her computer science faculty were all first-name (one, Rich Salter, was Mr. Salter to non-majors, but the others were Bob and Rhys to everyone). 3. Mostly first names for the TAs and grad students. (Indiana University, Bloomington; PhD, 1995 in CS [artificial intelligence]). 4. Dr. Susan E. Fox, PhD, Professor and dept. chair of MSCS (Math, Statistics, and Computer Science), Macalester College, 1995-present. Most professors at Mac are on a first-name basis with the students; "Professor [surname]" if not, rather than Dr. or Mr./Ms., as the MFAs cannot call themselves 'Dr.', so "Professor" works for anyone (and also for non-binary profs). Many of Susan's international students call her Professor Fox, because of their more formal relationships with teachers at home. (One int'l student several years ago called her "Professor Susan"; couldn't quite get there, haha!) Susan reminded me that more women, especially women of color, will go with Professor [surname], because it's more common for some people to be implicitly dismissive of a woman's authority and expertise if she just goes by her first name. Most men, especially white men, don't have the same problem.
Music History (Oberlin College and Conservatory, class of '89) 2. Surname, especially in the Con, but it was Mr. or Ms. [surname], not Dr., with rare exception. 3. Surname again; music schools/ conservatories were more formal then; I don't know about younger faculty now. 4. N/A
1) creative writing 2) first name 3) no 4) whatever they were comfortable with (some liked first name; some liked Professor) have fun statting it up Stephanie Siler 😊 😊 😊
Chemistry. 2. Last name. 3. In chem grad school we had a different sort of etiquette. Inside a research group, it was generally first name (acting as a team of peers, with one that was more senior…). Outside the group, we went back to last name. Outside the dept., our advisors would refer to us by last name (e.g. at conference, I became Mr. Davies, at least for the firat few times I was spoken of). 4. Faculty now, prefer last name – Dr. Davies preferred, Davies or Mr. Davies doesn't bother me.
English; professors were usually first name with dr but some were more formal; grad school was the same; I prefer dr rose
B.S. Mathematics 2. Usually honorific + last name. A few adjuncts preferred first names. 3. My grad school is online but I always use honorific + last name 4. As an adult educator/ adjunct college instructor I usually go by "just Alycia." If they say my full last name 3x during class that will take all the time. When I taught K-12, I was "Ms. B"
1) i started under grad in engineering then swapped to business then landed in English lit and rhetoric which is where I got my degree. 2) in engineering most professional went by their first name. In business most went by their last in English it was a mix. I went by what the prof asked us to call them/ relationship. Profs I respected more got last name even when they told me to go by first 😆 # raisedbyteacher s so I couldn't not if I actually thought they were worth their salt? 3) n/a 4) n/a
I want Stephanie’s final report and any conclusions she makes based on the data please?
1) BS in Education Physics Certification 2) Honorific + Last Name (some of the English Dept. was first name, but it was rare. Trisha (who’s last name I am not familiar with) and LA Smith. ) 3) MEd Math/Computer Science – I went to the same institution for both the rules didn’t change grins 4) At The Neighborhood Academy, I was Miss Kathy. At other HS/MS I’ve been Ms Habel or Mrs Willard at Pitt Greensburg, I am Professor Willard. I explicitly tell them what to call me. shrugs
1Bachelors in science 2Last name 3Grad- Masters in social work Last name
English Literature 2. When I was an undergraduate, they were all called either professor or doctor*. 3. Grad School – the programs varied. For my MA, still professor or doctor. For my PhD, first name basis. 4. My students call me Dr. Poteet. (*Interesting sidenote: As an undergraduate, in the classroom, all of my professors called students either “mister” or “miss,” as in Mr. Poteet – most all of my classmates were unmarried at the time. I don’t think I ever had an undergrad professor call me Mark in the classroom.)
Major: theatre, always first names, am currently a teacher and wish that everyone would forget my last name 🙃
1) Human Ecology with a math minor for undergrad, education for grad school. 2) Last name for professors, 1st names for TAs. 3) I called one professor by her first name, but the rest by their surname. 4) As a high school teacher, I'm Mr. Davis. At my tutoring job, they want me to go by "Mr. Tony," but at that point, I just intrigue myself as Tony.
Political Science 2. Last Name 3. At USC sponsored by corporate America, first. At Drexel, last. Accounting and business law for no degree. 4. N/A
Math/CS (before they actually let stinky undergrads into SCS) 2. No (maybe 1 exception?) 3. Yes depending on the person 4. N/A
I had two teachers who I remember calling by their first name and they were both in High School. Did Math at CMU. Grad school was probably a mix.
Electrical and Computer Engineering 2. Last name 3. n/a 4. n/a
Theater. Most theater / humanities instructors were first name, science was about half and half. (Hardly anyone was a Prof. or a Dr.) No grad. I teach, kinda, but not in a classroom setting, so go my first name, except for one student, and for one of the facilities staff.
Am I supposed to remember my college professors? That whole period from 92 to 97 is kind of a blur.
English 2. I honestly don't think I ever had a conversation with a professor where I had to use their name? I only remember referring to profs by nicknames my friends and I made up. I must have emailed professors a couple of times, and hope I said "professor," but I'm honestly not sure. I grew up around professors & may have been overly familiar because of that. 3. First names. 4. First name, though most students don't take me up on it. They prefer calling me professor. I've often wondered if I should just say call me professor, since it apparently makes them more comfortable. Maybe the first name thing is more for my own ego, in a way (illusion of familiarity).
English. 2. No. 3. No (partly by my choice—needed to remind myself of the power gradient). 4. I want undergrads to call me Prof or Dr but I’m happy for grad students to do whatever they are comfortable with.
I'm really kinda fascinated by this and really looking forward to Stephanie 's data analysis.
SCS, never called anyone by their first name except Mark Stehlik, no grad school, and while not a teacher, I have no issue with people calling me by my first name.
1) engineering 2) all last 3) all last, and for a lot of it they called me by my last too 4) when I taught Sunday school, I liked “miss Channon” but I don’t think that counts. They were five.
1) Comm studies for my AA, English lit with a comm minor for my BA. 2) 90% of the time I called profs/ instructors by their last names, with the exceptions being profs from back in California that are now good family friends. 3) In grad school I continued calling them by their last names because that was a hard habit to break and also a matter of personal preference for me. 4) When I was coaching high school debate and later on a TA I preferred to go by Mrs. Primack.
1) Electrical Engineering, Physics 2) mix of both 3) Not really applicable, but the professors whose labs I worked in with grad students were first names (Manuela veloso, Red Whittaker, Rod Brooks, etc)
1) Theatre Arts 2) Theatre professors, yes to first names. Other professors, no. 3)Grad school, all first names. 4)The teens call me Ms. Eva and honestly having them butcher my last name isn't worth it 😐
CS; last name; N/A; N/A
Literary and Cultural Studies/ Creative Writing 2. Professor or Dr if the course was being taught by a prof or Dr and not by a grad student or non-PhD adjunct and then first or last name depending on what they requested. 3. In grad school it was almost always Dr or Prof by their request unless they asked that we use a first name. 4. When I teach kids they call me Ms Glowacki or Ms Glo or Mrs G and when adults they call me Lynne but if I had a PhD I might have more of a preference.
Thanks so much for outing me as OLDER, Chris! 😉 To answer your questions, agreed that within CW, we addressed all the profs by first name. It did get more formal in other depts, though. I prefer being addressed by my first name. Although, ironically, as hard as I try, I will still refer to professors I met as “Professor So and So” or as “Dr. So and So” formally. No matter how many times they ask me to call them by their first names, now that we have a different relationship, I just can’t do it!
1-journalism 2-last name 3-last name 4-I introduce myself as Dr. Nyberg; when I was advising the student newspaper, those student journalists called me Doc” ( and as alum, they still do)
1) Electrical engineering, but switched to creative writing and computer science. 2) All my English Dept teachers were first name. All my other professors were last name. (Except for Mark Stehlik, though I never had him as a professor.)
1) English lit; Latin lit; (2) Prof. Lastname; (3) yes—first names in grad school; (4) I go by Dr. St. Hilaire with the undergrads, but prefer Danielle with the grads
Psych 2. Last name 3. Mostly last name unless I knew them socially (Jonathan Schooler, Lynne Reder, etc) 4. First
1) English 2) First name in English, by title in other departments 3) Yes, the majority of my professors expected to be addressed by their title in graduate school 4) Preferred first name, was forced to be addressed by my (incorrect) married name – middle/high school though.
Physics 2. Almost always Dr. <LASTNAME> 3. No… the same. Even in seminary. 4. NA
1) Poli Sci strategic studies. 2) mostly last name *this was early 90s 3) N/A 4) N/A
Math/ computer science 2. All last name (when I talked to them at all). Even my advisor for independent study. 3. Only did a year of grad classes, still Professor or Dr. 4. Me, teach? Ha.
Biology, 2. Last name, 3. Sometimes. Some faculty I worked closely with asked to be called by first name, otherwise I defaulted to Dr. Last Name. I did the same with those that I worked closely with but had chillier interactions. 4. Dr. Ward since there's a very real chance I'll need to tell someone they've failed a class and I don't want perceived friendship to make that feel like a betrayal. This is easier now that I'm well above the average age of my students.
1) Physics. 2) Last name. 3) Same in grad school. 4) "Dr. Van Domelen" or "Professor Van Domelen" (I used to get the latter a lot at K-State where I wasn't a professor, and now I get Mr. Van Domelen" a lot).
1 – Double Major – Theatre & English 2 – Theatre profs by first name, English (and all other profs) by “Professor” or “Doctor” – worth noting that the social convention in American theatre is always first name regardless of position. 3 – First name for all grad profs, though initial written contact was always “Professor” 4 – The convention in theatre is always first name, which is fine. Anyone who addressed me as Dr wouldn’t be “corrected,” and when I taught academic classes that was not uncommon though I never asked for it. Students from cultures that tended towards formality would typically default to formal for their own comfort (one Texan compromised w Dr Meron cause she said she felt disrespectful just calling me by name). Studio classes (Acting, Combat) were always first name. When people in the stage combat community contact me about my writing it’s often “Dr” and then first name from then on.
Psych 2. ug: last 3. Grad school: first 4. It depends. Not afraid to introduce myself by first, but still expect UGs to use Dr or Prof unless they are in my lab
1) I majored in History, and I minored in Classical and Mediaeval History (this was possible because the Greek/Latin and the History faculties were separate at the time). 2) Yes, first names. To elaborate, this is normal in Denmark, and has been so since at least the 1970s. 3) No, same in grad school. 4) I am used to first names, but I have taught classes on history for foreign exchange students at the Copenhagen Business School, and some of them called me by my surname.
1) Creative Writing 2) It really depended on the Professor. But mostly last names. And I used Sir/Ma'am a lit because I'm from Texas with a Southern Baptist grandma… 3) Mostly first names 4) I preferred Ms. Humphrey when I was younger. Now I get Ms. Brandy & I'm fine with that.
Humanities. 2. Last name for most professors except for a few younger ones. 3. In grad school it was divided by age–older faculty by last name, younger by first. 4. Early in my career I actively encouraged students to call me by my first name, but undergraduates hardly ever did, while grad students typically did so after some period of time. Now I'm happy to have students call me by my first name, but I go with whatever they choose.
Performing arts management- dance/theatre 2) Some probably about half and half the dance teachers were all last names theater was more a mix/ other academics were a mix as well. The key was in class it was last names but outside it wasnt
1) Film & TV 2) 50/50 split, depending on their preference 3) Grad school was 100% first names 4) I tell my students I strongly prefer first name, but they can just call me "Professor" if it's weird to do so. I teach undergrad at a four year, and most of my students are transferring from CC. About 50% will call me by first name, and most are clearly uncomfortable with it.
1) Political Science (emphasis on History and Latin) 2) Some of them? It really, really depended on the Prof. 3) Political Theory in grad school, but called none of my grad profs by their first name. My dissertation director basically had to force me to once I was done. And even then I still think "Dr. []" first. 4) I don't care, other than once you start going by your first name you can never, ever take it back. So down the road if I decide I do care…
English 2. By the time I was an upperclassman, it was acceptable to call them by their first name in my major field. I went to small liberal arts school and there was a definite sense of community among instructors and students. 3. It was different depending on the department (all at Duquesne). MA in English—some were accepting and encouraging of it, others were definitely not to be called by their first names. For my MS and doctorate in Education, I definitely called more professors by their first name, especially my dissertation committee. There was more a sense of being a professional peer (and maybe less of a professional rival). 4. I teach both at the HS level (AP English/ Creative Writing/ Screenwriting) and undergrad and grad Education courses at Chatham (Curriculum and English Methods). For HS, they call me Dr. —No exceptions. Haha. At Chatham, I tell them that I'm fine with Dr., Professor, or my first name, whatever they're comfortable with.
1) Geology 2) First names. 3) No. Still first names in grad school. 4) I was a GTA and preferred first name.
Rhetoric 2. Mostly last 3 & 4. N/A
1) Physics then history. 2) Professor or Dr. The only people I would refer to by first name were those that insisted and TAs. I generally prefer to err on the side of being overly formal. 3) Took some graduate programs in international relations. Same deal as #2. 4) Not a teacher but have taught. Nomenclature depended on the context. NB: As an additional data point #2 was '87-'91 and #3 was in '93. #4 was in 94-95. I'm skipping over the tutorials and indepths I've given as part of my job.
1) What was your undergrad major Directing (drama) 2) Did you call your professors (or most professors) by their first name or last name? (primarily first names) 3) Was it different for grad school (if applicable) n/a 4) If you currently are (or ever were) a teacher what do you prefer? I believe it would depend on the ages I taught, younger would skew toward more formality, older less formality
1) Chemistry, Pre Med 2) All Dr. Last name. Except for one upper level Chemistry class that was set up as a business. Then it was first names. But that was hard after 3.5 years of Dr. Lastname. 3) Medical School was ALL Dr. Last name. No exceptions. 4) never taught. So I don't know how I would feel about what students called me. But, when I got married, part of my agreement to change my name was that I would not go by Mrs. I said there isn't a man with a doctorate who would go by Mr. (So many people I know are addressed as Dr. & Mrs.) So why should I not use my title. He agreed. We were announced as Mr. & Dr. Garrison. Many of my elderly relatives were appalled by this. But I worked hard for my degree. And, it was new & shiny (I got married 4 months after graduating med school).
Math/CS (3 years, didn’t finish) 2. All except Guy Bleloch were Dr Lastname, as I recall
1 – two degrees – theatre and english 2 – mostly last, an occasional first (like my advisor) 3 – more of a mix, but still more last names 4 – tried first name when I first started teaching – "to encourage connection" other faculty told me – but I found it problematic on occasion. I prefer last name. I need the distance because when they're in my class, I'm not their friend – I have to give them a grade. Some call me Mrs. Freim, or Miss F, or Professor F – a few of the athletes just call me Freim. (I don't correct the difference between mrs and miss – that doesn't bother me) I sign all my emails to students as Prof. Freim, and writing on their papers I sign NFreim. (After they leave the class, then they can call me Nicole if we're friends. if they're little jerks, they still need to call me Ms Freim)
Psych; 2. Mostly last; 3. Mostly first (except, e.g., Dr. Voss); 4. First
Psychology, just finished in late 2019. 2. Professors used their first names. However, this was a degree completion program for returning students. We were treated a bit like grad students in other ways, such as using the cohort model. When i was in college back in the early 2000s, i think more than half my professors used their last names. 3. Not there yet 4. Not a teacher
1) theatre/comp sci (I’m an odd duck) 2) theatre: first name; comp sci: professor so and so. Theatre departments do tend to be first-name basis. 3) MA: professor so-and-so with a few exceptions who went by first name (English department) PhD: first name (theatre department) 4) I’m in a theatre department and I go by first name, as do all my colleagues here. I would shift that with institutional norms depending on where I land.
Psychology 2. Dr. Last name 3. Yes 4. N/A
Religious studies 2. Most professors were Dr. So and so. 3. Grad school – public health. Most are Dr so snd so. Only 1 was first name. 4. I teach adult learners. First name is fine for me. I want to be approachable.
Psychology 2. Mostly last with a couple exceptions 3. Masters – last, doctoral – all first 4. First/whatever the student is comfortable with.. despite explicitly stating that I really do prefer to be called Ashley and that it's not some weird academic trick, some students still call me Professor Bobak, which feels strange
1) English Lit (medieval focus) 2) professors were Professor at University of New Mexico and San Francisco State; Mr or Ms at Berkeley. 3) SF State and Berkeley were the grad schools. 4) I was Dr Brannen when I was teaching, or Professor. Either was ok with me. 5) side note — the person who is not in my family that I am closest to was one of my doctoral students. It’s been 20 years, but she still doesn’t call me Anne. Except in emails and such. Talking, I don’t have a name. Cause Dr Brannen would make no sense. Lol. I find this adorable.
Computer Science, Last Name, Same. I did have a couple exceptions there though, in the case of professors I also worked with as an RA or TA, but they still got the last name when in a class.
1) English with a Creative Writing concentration 2) entirely last name 3) entirely first name 4) I prefer they call me Josh, but I make sure they know they’re free to do what they’re comfortable with. Usually it’s about 50/50. This semester was the first ever where I didn’t have a single student use my first name.
1) Theatre 2) First name for those teaching the courses in my major. Last name for everyone else, I think. 3) Grad school: English/ Creative Writing. First name. 4) I tell my students to call me by either first or last name. Most students call me Professor Humphrey, and many call me Dr. Humphrey, even though I don't have a PhD. Very few call me Justus. Some call me Professor Justus, which always feels weird to me but I'm not sure if it's a cultural difference or confusion on their part about my name. I typically feel a little strange being called Professor Humphrey by nontraditional students close to my own age.
1) English lit 2) Last name to their face (first name among students sometimes) 3) Grad school was a mix – depended on prof’s preference 4) Not a teacher
1) BA + MA in Communication 2) Professor/Mr/ Ms Last name 3) Yes, I used some first names and some last, depending on preference. Advisors/ advisees and research teams usually were on first name basis 4) Whatever is easier/more comfortable for the student.
English lit, “Prof. Smith” or just professor. Law school was the same. Fun fact I briefly dated one of my law school profs AFTER law school and I still called him professor. I’d prefer professor if I were in that role.
1) physics 2) Last name. 3) yes (in psychology though) 4) last name
In my ECE degree everyone was Prof Surname. In my music degree everyone was Firstname except for the elder statesmen and head, who were Prof Surname. The conductor was Maestro Surname. In grad school everyone was firstname. Only the undergrads would call profs by surname, and it was rare. I think in general it’s rare for arts profs to be called professor. In my current dept (computer science) all the media students call us by firstname but the computer science students call their profs by surname. (Though not Prof just Dr because euro system where only the top level is a prof and everyone else is a form of lecturer)
1) biological sciences 2) last name 3) yes, although my masters program was for working professionals and the instructors were people also working in the industry 4) (very thankfully) not applicable
Philosophy with an almost second major in graphic design 2. Last name 3. N/A 4. N/A but if I had become a teacher (went back to school for awhile to do so), I’d have preferred first name.
English 2. Mostly last name with a few exceptions 3. Same as undergrad and I’m wondering if the fact they were religious universities was a factor. The older generation of professors wanted to be addressed as Dr. 4. As an instructor I went by first name
English Creative Writing 2. Last Name 3. Last name as Undergrad, last name in my short time in Grad School too.
When I trained with chefs most required me to call the chef, as in "Yes chef." "Order up chef." etc. When I got my own place I just went by Jim.