I earned a Ph.D. in a so-called "soft science". Outside of a college/university environment, I think addressing me as "professor" is as unnecessary as a civilian addressing a military person by their armed forced title. I wouldn't mind being addressed as "Dr.", but I prefer to be called by my first name, or "Mrs." or "Ms.". I think "Professor" is appropriate if I'm your college teacher. My mother is having a cow over this. I don't get it. I just prefer to reserve the title "Dr." for physicians. Am I the only one who feels this way?
2007-12-16 12:49:17 · 7 answers · asked by Ada Q 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Higher Education (University +)
Yes, I am a professor at a college. That environment is the only place I feel addressing me as "professor" is appropriate. "Ms." or "Mrs." is fine, too. I do feel that a student addressing their teacher by their first name is borderline disrespectful, but I was raised in The South (tm), where everybody had a title...usually "Mizz" or "Mister" or "Auntie" or "Uncle".
2007-12-16 13:10:50 · update #1
Ooh, a snotty answer already, "Lakewood". I think that someone who criticizes proofreading skills of an anonymous nobody (me) would know not to end his/her sentence with a preposition, but I guess not! Tee hee.
Zing!
2007-12-16 13:12:44 · update #2
Professor is definitely NOT appropriate if you are not engaged in that profession. However, while it is your right to choose not to be called Dr. if you choose (just as a married woman can choose not to be called Mrs.), you do have MORE of a right to be called that than does any physician. The term "doctor" means teacher. You can reserve it for physicians if you want, but physicians are NOT the only teachers, and the Ph.D. is actually a higher degree than is the M.D. Having said that, if you choose to be called "buddy", "pal" or "sis", that is your choice, and others should abide by it!
2007-12-16 12:56:05 · answer #1 · answered by neniaf 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Well I agree that the word "professor" would be the incorect title for you as you dont intend to teach. However, I have a feeling that your mother is proud of you and of your acomplishments. You see as we go back through generations, there was less and less schooling. So, to complete your degree with a Ph.D. was something to really be proud of. It was a status symbol... if you were able to afford to recieve that high of an education, it ment that you had money. That your family was well off, and that you could provide for your family.
Unfortunatly in todays sociaty a BA gets you the same job that 30 years ago was obtained with a High School GED. A Masters is the same as a BA would have been 20 years ago and your Ph.D. is more afordable (although the work load is still hard) so more people have them. The title Dr. is not as important in todays sociaty as a status symbol. There for, you do not have to use it in order to refer to yourself as a highly educated person. Your mom is proud of you, and wants you to use the title that you worked so hard to earn. It may be hard for her to understand as if she went that far in shcool she would have used the title.... but todays young sociaty is a bit different. Feel free to use whatever title makes you feel comfortable. Congrats on your recent acomplishements!!!! Happy Holidays!!
2007-12-16 21:13:33 · answer #2 · answered by shadowsthathunt 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think that is perfectly fine! I'm actually glad to see something like that. I've heard people actually advise against it because it makes the Ph.D. seem superior and better than whoever you are interacting with. There's more to life than school, even if you are a professor.
2007-12-16 21:29:24 · answer #3 · answered by Brian H 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nope. I'm almost done with mine (congrats, by the way!) and I don't plan to have people call me 'Dr.'. It's not that I don't think we deserve it - it takes far longer to earn a PhD in my field than a medical degree would take - but it just seems like a bit much, and most people just assume 'medical doctor' when they hear 'dr'.
2007-12-16 20:53:34 · answer #4 · answered by eri 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A lot of people find it kind of pretentious to use the title all the time. I have a friend who has her doctorate in chemistry and works in a research lab, and she says that people in her field rarely call themselves "Dr." It's actually a little bit of refined snobbery...it's just assumed that *of course* you have a Ph.D., so needing to announce appears insecure and...déclassé.
2007-12-17 20:32:53 · answer #5 · answered by Mary M 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Congrats Ms. Ada Q, PhD.
I feel the same aversion. In writing, the above is an accepted form
2007-12-17 04:34:28 · answer #6 · answered by A.V.R. 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Go with your preference. I do think, however, that a PhD would
proof-read her writing better.
2007-12-16 20:55:07 · answer #7 · answered by Lakewood C 7 · 0⤊ 3⤋