Understanding Your Professor

When Your Professor Says…	What Your Professor Means…
You’ll be using one of the leading textbooks in the field.	I used it as a grad student.
If you follow these few simple rules, you’ll do fine in the course.	If you don’t need any sleep, you’ll do fine in the course.
The gist of what the author is saying is what’s most important.	I don’t understand the details either.
Various authorities agree that...	My hunch is that…
The answer to your question is beyond the scope of this class.	I don’t know.
You’ll have to see me during my office hours for a thorough answer to your question.	I don’t know.
In answer to your question, you must recognize that there are several disparate points of view.	I really don’t know.
Today we are going to discuss a most important topic.	Today we are going to discuss my dissertation.
Unfortunately, we haven’t the time to consider all of the people who made contributions to this field.	I disagree with what roughly half of the people in this field have said.
We can continue this discussion outside of class.	I’m tired of this---let’s quit. You’re winning the argument---let’s quit.
Today we’ll let a member of the class lead the discussion. It will be a good experience.	I stayed out late last night and didn’t have time to prepare a lecture.
The implications of this study are clear.	I don’t know what it means either, but there’ll be a question about it on the exam.
The test will be 50 multiple-choice questions.	The test will be 60 multiple-guess questions, plus three short answer questions, and no one will score above 55%.
The test scores were generally good.	Some of you managed a C+.
The test scores were a little below my expectations.	Where was the party last night?
Some of you could have done better.	Everyone flunked.
Before we begin the lecture for today, are there any questions about the previous material?	Has anyone opened the book yet?
It’s been very rewarding to teach this class.	I hope they can find someone else to teach it next year.