\u201cWhat are you talking about? That\u2019s not what I said! Weren\u2019t you listening?!\u201d <\/p>\n
I love my wife more than anything. We\u2019re best friends and nearly constant companions. That said, I can\u2019t tell you how many times we\u2019ve miscommunicated. She said something that was to her was crystal clear, but what I heard was the exact opposite of what she intended. Or I\u2019ve said to her, \u201cbe at this place at this time and bring those things\u201d. Only to show up at said time and place to find her no where to be seen or without said things in hand. Surely some of these miscommunications can be attributed to mindlessness, but I can\u2019t tell you how many times I\u2019ve really tried to do exactly what I thought she wanted and screwed it up royally. Each time this happens the aggrieved party throws their hands up in with a flabbergasted look that screams, \u201cDO YOU UNDERSTAND THE WORDS THAT ARE COMING OUT OF MY MOUTH!?!?!?!\u201d[1]<\/a>.<\/p>\n When my wife speaks I am 100% interested in what she has to say, especially when we are working out the logistics of an event or day. And still, with 100% interest, miscommunication happens. Now let me ask you a question. How interested are your students in what you have to say? Probably less than 100%, yes?<\/p>\n As faculty it\u2019s easy to feel exasperated when a student seems to have either not read the directions or completely misread them. I\u2019ve heard many a faculty say, \u201cIt\u2019s not my fault if they can\u2019t read the directions!\u201d Or, \u201cPart of working in the real world is learning to follow directions, it\u2019s not my responsibility to explain every single step of the process to them.\u201d However, even under the best of circumstances miscommunication happens, so I\u2019d politely like to suggest that working to minimize miscommunication is indeed your responsibility.<\/p>\n \u201cDo I really need to write that in the directions, don\u2019t students already know that\u2026?\u201d Let me be clear, no. They don\u2019t already know that. The reason you are a professor is that you were an exceptional student. You did<\/em> \u201calready know that\u201d, but that makes you the rare exception. When you write your directions, write them so clearly a person not in your class could understand them.<\/p>\n In your directions lay out your expectations in as much detail as possible. Consider presenting your directions as a step-by-step process to communicate the approach you feel they should take. Or even better, provide a checklist or grading rubric as these make your expectations clearer.<\/p>\n A word of caution:<\/em> If the directions for your assignment are 7 pages long or as detailed as the tax code, your students won\u2019t read them. You have to find the right balance between explaining your vision for the assignment, while not overloading your students. Be concise and clear.<\/p>\n Use text formatting like bold, underline, and italics to guide the reader\u2019s eye to the crucial information. Use bullets and lists to help your student organize the steps in the process. If you expect a certain citation style, format your directions accordingly to role model the desired outcome. Well designed directions, syllabi, and rubrics can really help reduce miscommunications.<\/p>\n Miscommunication often happens because the person presumes they know what you are going to say before the read what your directions. They feel they have a handle on your expectations and give a cursory glance at the directions. Nip this in the bud, by telling your students what you\u2019re not looking for. Say it in class early and often. If you can work it in your directions, all the better.<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve ever taken a survey methodology course, then you already know that people don\u2019t read what you write, they read what they think you were trying to communicate. Once you realize that there are many possible interpretations of even the most explicit directions, hopefully you\u2019ll find it easier to sympathize with your confused students.<\/p>\n You may be thinking, \u201cwho has the time for all of this extra work?\u201d And that\u2019s a fair point. However, I\u2019d argue that if you put in the time to make your directions as clear as possible on the front end, you won\u2019t spend gobs of time answering panicked student questions or grading terrible student work. In my opinion, grading bad papers takes far longer than grading good papers. Help your students give you the work you\u2019re looking for and you\u2019ll save yourself a lot of time and stress.<\/p>\n\u201cIt\u2019s Not My Fault You Can\u2019t Read The Directions!\u201d<\/h3>\n
5 Ways to Minimize Miscommunication<\/h3>\n
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This Sounds Like Too Much Work<\/h3>\n