The Academic's Handbook.The Academic's Handbook Edited by DeNeef AI,, Goodwin CD, McCrate ES. Durham, NC 27710, Duke University Press, 1988, paper, 287 pp, $12.95 Twenty-five academicians have pooled their insights on contemporary college life, to provide the novice with a realistic sense of what is involved when one steps onto the lecture podium podium In architecture, a pedestal on a large scale. It may be any of various elements that form the base of a structure, such as the platform forming the floor and substructure of a Classical temple, a low wall supporting columns, or the structurally or decoratively . The editors organized the handbook in six parts, each introduced by a statement about the section's pertinence per·ti·nent adj. Having logical precise relevance to the matter at hand. See Synonyms at relevant. [Middle English, from Old French partenant, pertinent, from Latin and a description of the authors' backgrounds. The first section relates to the structure of universities, including the special situations of women and minority faculty members. Academic employment is described in practical terms, with emphasis on tenure and benefits. The five chapters in the third section, "Teaching and Advising," are especially relevant to members of collegiate col·le·giate adj. 1. Of, relating to, or held to resemble a college. 2. Of, for, or typical of college students. 3. Of or relating to a collegiate church. physical therapy departments, outlining methods of organizing courses and dealing with various student constituencies. Authors of other sections share their advice on funding and on publishing academic research. The handbook concludes with a brief section on academic administrations that covers how the individual department is integrated within the complex university. A succinct suc·cinct adj. suc·cinct·er, suc·cinct·est 1. Characterized by clear, precise expression in few words; concise and terse: a succinct reply; a succinct style. 2. bibliography bibliography. The listing of books is of ancient origin. Lists of clay tablets have been found at Nineveh and elsewhere; the library at Alexandria had subject lists of its books. and an index enhance the book, which was the result of a colloquium col·lo·qui·um n. pl. col·lo·qui·ums or col·lo·qui·a 1. An informal meeting for the exchange of views. 2. An academic seminar on a broad field of study, usually led by a different lecturer at each meeting. for graduate students preparing to enter the academic job market. I must agree with the statement that traditional programs overemphasize o·ver·em·pha·size tr. & intr.v. o·ver·em·pha·sized, o·ver·em·pha·siz·ing, o·ver·em·pha·siz·es To place too much emphasis on or employ too much emphasis. subject content, excluding any preparation by the student for applying that material as a college teacher. With more than a quarter century of experience as an educator in a variety of academic settings, I can confirm many of the authors' observations. Their sage advice ranges from practical counsel on examination construction to a discussion of the morality" of teaching (which involves the responsibility to impart what is both interesting and crucial to one's discipline). None of the contributors is a physical therapist, but most of the authors' comments transcend particular departments. Because no specific institutions and journals are named, readers are free to apply the authors' remarks to their own professional world. The Academic's Handbook would be a welcome reference book for any new member of a physical therapy faculty. Veteran physical therapists who have learned to continually con·tin·u·al adj. 1. Recurring regularly or frequently: the continual need to pay the mortgage. 2. hone their skills also will appreciate and learn from this engaging series of essays. |
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