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   from the issue of February 21, 2008

     
 
Janovy's new book reveals secrets of university success

 BY SARA GILLIAM, UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS

College students, unplug your iPods.


IN THE FIELD - John Janovy Jr., professor of biological sciences, explains how to search for beetles while at Cedar Point...
 
IN THE FIELD - John Janovy Jr., professor of biological sciences, explains how to search for beetles while at Cedar Point Biological Station near Ogallala. File photo/University Communications.

 
Unhand your cell phones.

Log off MySpace and spend some time visiting with your professors.

These are small but mighty acts suggested in "Outwitting College Professors: A Practical Guide to the Secrets of the System," by John Janovy, professor of biological sciences at UNL.

The book project is dedicated to the nearly 20,000 students Janovy has graded since Sept. 1, 1966, "especially to the ones who have worked in my laboratory and told me endless horror stories about their various profs."

The book's edgy, subversive approach is deliberate, Janovy said. He wants to capture the attention of current and future college students in time to encourage them to make the most of their college careers. Although he only recently compiled his tips, much of the book's content has been a part of Janovy's professorial repertoire for decades. He has offered advice in his syllabus and on Blackboard for years, paying specific attention to his large freshman classes. Some students learn to master the system on their own. Others, Janovy believes, can use a few pointers.

"I've seen so many students here over the last 40 years who have been very successful at achieving their long-term goals and learning in a very rich way while they were undergraduates," he said. "They always stand out in pretty obvious ways."

These stand-out students possess a number of similar qualities, Janovy said. They're not afraid of faculty members, and are not afraid to engage in "big talk," conversations about ideas. They understand the importance of doing work for themselves, not just for their professors.

Outside of this consistent core of exceptional students, Janovy has seen aspects of the undergraduate experience change over the course of his teaching career.

"I would like to see more simple interaction between faculty members and students in one-on-one conversations, or even small group conversations," he said. "I'm in the Union for an hour every day, working on creative writing. I've been doing this since the 70s. And it's been since the Vietnam War days that I have actually seen students and faculty sitting together, drinking coffee and talking to one another."

He believes the proliferation of technology has also played a role in shifting teacher-student dynamics.

"Information technology gives us the power to do what human beings have always done, and that is be social," Janovy said. "But it's almost taken the limits off of how and when students can be social and with whom. They can get on Facebook and be sociable between classes with anyone in the world. As a result, I have seen a lot of students, particularly in the last decade, that seem to not know how to get the most out of their college experience."

Making the most of their time at the university is as simple as establishing meaningful relationships with faculty, using proper English in conversations, writing exams legibly and composing E-mails with proper grammar, Janovy said.

Early chapters in the book deal with concepts that are easy for students to pick up - social interactions, conversations, or what to do when you visit a faculty member's office. Later chapters delve into more complex strategies for acing tests, procuring highly favorable letters of recommendation (often via conducting independent research for a favorite professor) and, ultimately, getting good jobs. And though they're nearly foolproof, all of Janovy's strategies rely on some basic skills.

"My number one tip right now would be to use perfect grammar if you're speaking or writing or even E-mailing," he said. "That is the one thing that'll make any student stand out from the crowd instantly. The other thing is to simply not be afraid of faculty members."

Janovy suggests that students compile "Outwittability Profiles" on each of their professors, and record details such as how they answer student questions, their proficiency with instructional technology, whether or not the professor has a personal Web page, and whether they talk to their classes about their outside research. These profiles form the basis for individualized outwitting plans, which help students discern how best to relate to their professors.

If it sounds cheeky, it's intended. The tone may attract students who would not be inclined to pick up a book called "How to be Successful" or something equally matter-of-fact, Janovy said. And while he cares deeply about the success of each of his students, his goals extend beyond encouraging individual student achievements.

"I think the students at this university are really our most valuable resource," he said. "It's to everybody's benefit for our students to be successful in the long run, and to attribute at least part of that success to what happened here."

"Outwitting College Professors" is available on-demand at www.createspace.com/3334404. Since finishing the book project, Janovy has been completing the latest edition of his textbook, "Foundations of Parasitology."

Janovy is also working on a book about his parents.



GO TO: ISSUE OF FEBRUARY 21

NEWS HEADLINES FOR FEBRUARY 21

Tunnel Walk of the supercomputers
Chang-Barnes to play with Rastrelli Cello Quartet
Lecture by 'The Green Evangelist' is Feb. 25
Forsberg
Janovy's new book reveals secrets of university success
Teachers College Celebration
UNL scientists study delay in irrigation of soybeans

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