There are a vast number of reasons why someone may wish to have a certain title, or merely a title in general. The big question for students is what are the exceptions, when can they use them, and how do they know? Does it depend on the students position and how does one know? I took a look at different aspects of what professors wish to be called, their position, and exceptions if there are any.

The results in this section of the survey were quite similar between men and women as seen in Chart #1. The biggest difference between males and females and how they felt was in the separation between graduate student and an undergraduate student. Females were much more likely to allow graduate students be less formal with them and on a first name basis. Only one person out of the twenty six surveyed felt that there was a difference in being an English major or another major. Between males and females, the answers to "does it depend on the student?" and "Does it depend on whether you are in or out of class?" comparatively got similar numbers in the responses.

One female responded that she would like to be on a first name basis with some of students, but not all of them. She said that she does not mind being called by her first name especially if it is in a situation outside of the classroom, like downtown. This desire to be "buddies’ with some particular students addresses the problem of favoritism for the Professor.

In the section on who is offended and why, we saw that by position Assistant Professors as a whole were more likely to be offended by not receiving their desired title. However they are the ones with more exceptions, for example being in or out of class, or being a graduate or undergraduate student. "Graduate students are a bit different, and although I think that in an academic setting (i.e. class) they should call me "Dr.," in other settings I don't mind being called by my first name." In many of the responses I found that Assistant Professors felt more comfortable with graduate students being less formal with them, mostly because a graduate students respect is not as much of as issue. "There are some students--especially graduate students and advanced majors with whom I have worked closely--who call me by my first name, but not in the classroom. That is a matter of respect for other students. I don't want to create a perception of favoritism."

The main issue here is the ambiguity this leaves for the student. This social "contract" between students and their professors remains unclear and ambiguous. "However, the crucial questions (What are the terms of that contract? How are they linked to the exchange of "intimate stuff" under conditions of social distance and dominance? And: How do members of a social group know when the contract has been broken?) remains unanswered"(Watts 59). Because this answer and situation is based on personal preference it is best for the students to assume they are not "the chosen one" and to maintain the professional atmosphere both in and out of the classroom unless told otherwise.

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