I need another ego-check
Sigh, for the second time this semester, I butted heads with Slightly Egotistical Prof to the point that we both had to apologize to each other an hour later. Ugh, I really need to reign in my ego apparently. He had to tell me that he was the one leading class, not I. I have this propensity to take over class, and think I'm right about everything. And I have no qualms about insinuating that the prof doesn't know what he's talking about. It's no wonder he lashed out at me. He felt really bad about it, though, while I stewed in anger and refused to contribute to class for quite some time.
We were arguing over stats. I thought that the results of his factor analysis was garbage. I thought that his questionnaire that he had factor analyzed was garbage, too. Of course, I didn't actually say that in so many words. Kinda...
So while I stewed, he tried to get the class to help figure out what meaningful psychological construct could be applied to the set of factors. Garbage! But, the class kept rationalizing the groupings of widely disparate items. Complete garbage! It was not worthwhile to attempt to figure out the factors without letting us see the factor loadings and trying different factor rotation methods. So finally I suggested that if it seemed like his factors were correlated, he should have compared a varimax rotation method to a promax rotation. He took me up on the challenge and we put his data on my laptop, since his SPSS license had expired. I proceeded to work my magic and removed items with poor factor loadings until I had a set of five factors. It was amazing because when I started listing off the new items for the factors, everyone got excited about how the factor structures actually made sense. Beautiful, absolutely beautiful, no more garbage. Slightly egotistical prof was very pleased, and wanted me to save the output, too.
Yes, ego boost, ego boost. Ooops! Too much ego.
Anyhoo, it seems that I've become the resident statistical consultant. Last week one of the students came into the computer lab and asked me to help her with her factor analysis for our class. This week one of the other students asked me to come to her house to help her with the factor analysis for class as well. Then today, completely unrelated, Slightly egotistical prof brought in that factor analysis that he didn't realize he needed help with. One of the other students said she might come in tonight to get help from me as well. I don't know if she'll actually come by, but if she does....data, data, data. Ahhh, data...give me data to play with...
posted by kiki @ 5:31 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
I just read a story that reminds me of this in a distorted sort of way: A Navy Commander was navigating a large battleship through the sea in the pitch darkness when he came upon a light. Realizing he was on a collision course with the light he radioed and sent an urgent message demanding the vessel change its course ten degrees. "Can't do it" was the reply. "I'm a navy captain, you will do it."
"I'm a seaman second class. Can't do it. You need to change your course."
The stubborn Commander replied, "I'm a battle ship and I'm not changing my course."
The Seaman Replied, "I'm a lighthouse, sir. It's your choice."
Just shows rank isn't always right but it's how we tell them that is important, I guess.
Good analogy. But, I refuse to accept that just because they are a higher rank that I should defer to them or ingratiate myself to them or change my manner of presentation toward them for any reason. In grad school, we should become colleagues with professors. If we grad students don't step into that role, we should not be surprised that the power differential remains. If professors don't allow grad students to assume that role, then I see no reason why we shouldn't push at them until they accept that role. But, choose your battles. Sometimes you are inflicting self-harm if you do battle with the wrong prof. I feel confident that Slightly Egotistical Prof can be pushed without serious repercussions, because he does believe that grad students are equals, he just doesn’t always act that out. Therefore, I will continue to push him in the future, even though it will inevitably lead to more clashes. It may not seem like it from my post, but I actually really like Slightly Egotistical Prof.
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