With finals quickly approaching, students have just three weeks left to get their questions answered and participation points earned.
While most questions posed by students are in good nature and beneficial to class, we ask students to take into consideration the following dos and don’ts for the sake of respecting their peers and professors with the limited classroom time left.
Do speak up and ask questions
If you missed something simple — like a name or page number — don’t be afraid to ask for a clarification. Usually, a professor can quickly steer you in the right direction and maybe help other people who missed the same point.
Don’t go too far off-topic
If you’re interested in learning more about something discussed in class, you should ask questions. But if you’re going to bring the lecture off-topic, it’s better to respect your classmates’ time by saving your question for office hours. Chances are, your professor would love to discuss the topic further outside class.
Don’t use questions as a chance to grandstand
A question ought to be the chance for clarification of the subject, not your chance to show off in front of your classmates. It is not the time to demonstrate your knowledge of something tangentially related, but which brings no value to the class.
Don’t apologize for asking a question
Just ask it. You are here to learn, and part of that is asking good, inquisitive questions to better understand the liberal arts we are learning here. Don’t feel bad for doing that.
Don’t extend the class period
If the professor asks, at the last gasp of class, “Are there any questions?” Do not have any questions. Stay late and talk to your professor after.