Thread: Help Required for letter drafting

Hello Friends,

I hope this is the right section to post my topic. I need help in drafting a letter because i am going to write this letter to my Professor. Though i've written many letters but this one is special. I've completed my study few months back and i've few suggestions that i want him to know. If you can help me with this then PM me.
Thanks in advance..

Please let us know, what these suggestions are about. I mean, you want him to improve the way he teaches, or he is too strict etc.

Originally Posted by Manish

Please let us know, what these suggestions are about. I mean, you want him to improve the way he teaches, or he is too strict etc.

Thanks for asking..It's related to his teaching style and his orthodox thinking. The way he approaches the student otherwise he's great potential to change coal in to dimond. Basically he's Scientist. Now i want to write in a way that he try to understand what i am going to write and don't be angry and tear my letter and throw it in dustbin.

well u need to write in a very nice way making sure tht he gets the point wht u r tryin to convey n not feel bad......as well...!!!!

let me kno if i can b of any help to u.....

The best idea would be you just type a letter and paste it over here and we all will do amendment accordingly. what do you think?

Originally Posted by Manish

The best idea would be you just type a letter and paste it over here and we all will do amendment accordingly. what do you think?

That's Good Idea !! I'll paste draft here very soon..
Thanks

Originally Posted by nilact

That's Good Idea !! I'll paste draft here very soon..
Thanks

No. Eeeek. Heaven forbid. That would be wrong. That is breaching the decency and privacy. Do it PMs if you wish.

I will give you some tips on feedback. Feedback is your perception of the situation. That may be true or imagined. And before giving feedback, it is essential that you set the right mood so that your feedback is received positively. Because no person likes to hear criticism - and especially when it comes from a youngster/student/child/etc.

To create the positive mood, first lay down the preamble.

First express your sincerest best wishes and measure careful words of praise even. To begin a feedback always begin with positive words first. And at least five positives must be said before you say something negative.

Then narrate instances of what happened. But do not give an explanation at this time. Do not at interpret the results. Say something like:

On this day/event, you said .... and I said .... and then <this happened>

Now start your interpretation. And ask whether your interpretation is correct. Finally, say that, the intention is clear misunderstanding and set a proper common ground. At the end of the feedback the other person must appreciate your efforts.

Give a feedback only if you wish to mend relations, improve yourself and the other person and establish cordiality. Otherwise there is no point in giving a feedback.

Excellent post, j4k.
I agree if you just want to make the prof feel bad with your letter
then skip the thought.


otherwise what is known as the turkey sandwich in HR circles.

One positive, then the bad news, then end with positive.

something like.

Dear Prof,
I enjoyed your class and learnt a lot.
The only thing I was a bit uncomfortable was your view on issue xxx
where my view happens to be different.
Thanks for all the help and hope we cross paths again.

regards
student name.


that should be ok.
-F

Thanks, F.

Originally Posted by just4kix

No. Eeeek. Heaven forbid. That would be wrong. That is breaching the decency and privacy. Do it PMs if you wish.

I will give you some tips on feedback. Feedback is your perception of the situation. That may be true or imagined. And before giving feedback, it is essential that you set the right mood so that your feedback is received positively. Because no person likes to hear criticism - and especially when it comes from a youngster/student/child/etc.

To create the positive mood, first lay down the preamble.

First express your sincerest best wishes and measure careful words of praise even. To begin a feedback always begin with positive words first. And at least five positives must be said before you say something negative.

Then narrate instances of what happened. But do not give an explanation at this time. Do not at interpret the results. Say something like:

Now start your interpretation. And ask whether your interpretation is correct. Finally, say that, the intention is clear misunderstanding and set a proper common ground. At the end of the feedback the other person must appreciate your efforts.

Give a feedback only if you wish to mend relations, improve yourself and the other person and establish cordiality. Otherwise there is no point in giving a feedback.

Thanks a lot for such explanation.. I understood it very well what you said and believe me, i just don't want to blame him. I want him to think on my views and i would certainly do the same as you suggested me and that's why i need help. Let me tell you something about this professor.

Once he told us to make report on any topic related to WAN (Wide Area Network, fellow takes this subject) and for that there were some conditions like:
-> It should be from the technical journals or magazines ( Min 2 reference and Max 3 )
-> It should be within last 2 years duration
-> There should be name of the journal which you referred, page no, author of the topic, issue month and year or date
-> Report should contain details like what is author's view and what is your conclusion
-> Content should not be from any site and it should not be simply copy paste.

Now starts the real story.

We were supposed to submit it at the time of viva. He was taking viva for half an hour of one student. He was just humiliating the students and torturing them (asking students how did they find his subject and whether he taught us well..blah blah) for half an hour. He asked me how many classes have you attended? I said almost 75% ( i couldn't attend rest as i was working as the placement coordinator in my college and lot many issues).

According to him if the person is not attending his class then that person is dumbo (if you attended almost 85% class and tried to be good to him then he will put 50/50, you were not supposed to answer single question). But to his surprise many people were there who didn't attend his class but scored well. He was asking one student that how many marks he should give to particular student. Again if that student has any bias toward any fellow, then that particular student will get less mark.

At last he asked me for my report. Then he compared my report with someone else' report,
though the topic of both the reports were different. He asked me why there are very less technical details in your report? Now you tell me how can i write more technical detail if it's not there in particular article that i referred. The other fellow has just copied down from Cisco book with more than necessary details ( You can call me fool for following his instructions word by word).

Once his lecture was over and he was just talking to one guy (during break time) and being a placement coordinator we were supposed to make announcement for the companies that were going to come for campus. At that time one friend of mine and me entered in to class and she wasn't aware that he's in class so with a view to draw everyone's attention to what she is saying, she announce in louder voice. Then that professor insulted her in whole class and said her to give him appology letter and more than that he told her that "I am working as professor for last so many years and everyone know me, and you have to give me appology letter. you can't do anything"

There are so many issues with this professor. That's why i want to write him letter in a way that makes some difference and our juniors won't get much trouble. Now tell me am i wrong or right? should i write this letter or not? Awaiting you reponse at the earliest..

Originally Posted by farce

One positive, then the bad news, then end with positive.
something like.

Dear Prof,
I enjoyed your class and learnt a lot.
The only thing I was a bit uncomfortable was your view on issue xxx
where my view happens to be different.
Thanks for all the help and hope we cross paths again.

regards
student name.

that should be ok.
-F

Thanks. This one is good but requires better than this. Please read my this post and i will draft my post very soon and suggest me amendments in that.

Let me think of this whole episode in detail and I will have some advice for you on how to proceed.

Originally Posted by just4kix

No. Eeeek. Heaven forbid. That would be wrong. That is breaching the decency and privacy. Do it PMs if you wish.

Sorry J4k, that was my idea, I thought we all could help him out this way.

OK. Be my guest.

Kya usne practicals k marks de diye?

Originally Posted by mail2sc

Kya usne practicals k marks de diye?

Yes and he's going to check our papers also..

Then wait for some time and then give him your feedback, just to be on safer side, what do you think? I mean, ofcourse you are advicing him to help him out, to improve his skills, but who knows if the winds starts blowing in the wrong directions

Originally Posted by Manish

Then wait for some time and then give him your feedback, just to be on safer side, what do you think? I mean, ofcourse you are advicing him to help him out, to improve his skills, but who knows if the winds starts blowing in the wrong directions

You are right but i am thinking on it, why should i fear if i am right. And that's the reason i want help of you people and want to write a letter in a way that works..

Overall how will you rate your professor? I mean, Is he a friendly guy, how he normally responds to your queries in classroom etc.

Nope, he's not friednly in nature..He's very idealistic and egoistic also (After all he's a Scientist). Yes he responds to queries of students but he doesn't concern whether particular student has understood what he said..

then, I don't understand why do you want to play with fire, I my opinion you should wait for time, and when the ball is in your court,then shoot out your letter.

Originally Posted by Manish

then, I don't understand why do you want to play with fire, I my opinion you should wait for time, and when the ball is in your court,then shoot out your letter.

Bas Aag se khelne ka sauk rakhte hai..

But still i want to draft letter in a way that works!! This is prepreparation of it.

Ok, then go ahead, Best of luck, hope everything goes in well, i mean , goes well:thumbup1:

Originally Posted by Manish

Ok, then go ahead, Best of luck, hope everything goes in well, i mean , goes well:thumbup1:

Thanks!! But i will send that later on as you suggested and not now..

Hmm, I said what I felt right