The Ethical Professor

Thinking well and doing good in academia.

Mitchell M. Handelsman Ph.D.

Let's Ponder Sonder

"Sonder" is a new word, not (yet) listed in traditional dictionaries. Just having a word helps me think about this feeling and its relationship to other aspects of existence.

Prudence as a Goal of Ethics Training

Like any virtue, students can develop too much prudence. This can lead to ethical paralysis, the feeling like any professional action involves too much risk.

Swing Your HIPs

College is an investment—and like any investment, you want to maximize your return. However, there is more to college than “seat time.”

An Ethics Parable for Halloween

There’s a plastic pumpkin filled with candy on the little table near the front door of our house. Should I take some candy, or not? 

Should I Share Sample Papers with My Students?

Should I give students sample papers to read before they embark on their own writing assignments?

Three Dilemmas Around College Student Mental Health

A large percentage of students will experience some mental health issues—anywhere from mild feelings of anxiety and depression to serious mental illness.

Says the Graduating Senior Self to the New Freshman Self

What words of encouragement and wisdom can inspire students to persevere, to hold compassion for themselves, and to have faith that they will succeed over the coming year?

My Students Just Improved My Teaching—and Learning

I’m writing about a new wrinkle on a traditional learning method: Flash cards. This innovation was developed by the students in my graduate course on teaching.

Ten Reasons to Teach

I conduct a Teaching Skills Workshop for doctoral students. To motivate them to consider teaching in their careers, here are the reasons I'll share with them on our first day.

3 Transfer Students Walk Into an Advisor’s Office

Once upon a time, during office hours, three potential transfer students walk into my office. They want to complete their degree at my school.

An Open Letter to Ethics Students

Over the years, the students in my ethics courses have had a lot of complaints. Let me address just one.

The Overteaching Trap

There I was, walking down the street, minding my own business, when I saw it.

How to Avoid Distracted Learning in College

Think of students as drivers, and learning as driving.

How Do Professors Feel About Grading Papers?

When I get a set of papers to read, I think about which ones to read first. It’s a very deep question for me, a problem of human motivation. Bring ‘em on!

It's Not Easy Seeing Screen

Online college courses are a national trend. Like most trends, however, some folks jump on the bandwagon without considering potential pitfalls. Today I present two of them.

The Past, Present, and Future of Psychology

Reflections of a new department chair taking stock at the start of a new year.

Teaching with Reasons

Professors talk a lot about the importance of students knowing what they want to get out of college. Professors should also have reasons for their teaching decisions.

The Myth of the Good Night's Sleep

Most of us have probably heard, or said, some variation of this:  “I’m going to do the right thing because I’ll sleep better at night.” That may not be true!

Is the Socratic Method Unethical?

Let’s take a look at the Socratic Method through the lens of ethics.

Plausibility Does Not Equal Proof

One mistake I’ve encountered frequently in student papers is the assumption that because an argument is plausible, it is true. Here's how to spot the plausibility fallacy.

3 More Ways to Teach Ethics

I believe that ethics can be taught, but the method is key. Here are three active learning techniques that lend themselves well to teaching graduate students.

Should Psychotherapy Trainees Be Forced into Psychotherapy?

One of the oldest traditions in psychotherapy training is to undergo mandatory personal psychotherapy. Let’s take a look at some ethical issues involved.

Stopping Too Soon

When people stop thinking too soon, they are more prone to learn less, make bad ethical decisions, teach badly, and experience a myriad of other bad outcomes.

The Case of the Reluctant Recommender

Here's a case to ponder of a difficult interaction between a professor and student. See what you think.

Inspiration Point

Sternberg wrote: "My entire future trajectory changed, as a result of just one teacher."

Professional Self-Care to Prevent Ethics Violations

Little is known about the association between physician stress and ethical errors like boundary violations or lack of professionalism in the workplace.

Real Data in Real News About Fake Science

How do we know that some journals are fake? One way to provide evidence would be to gather empirical data and that's just what several researchers did.

Two Quick Principles for Dealing With Students

Now is the time to bolster motivation by reminding myself of some important virtues.

Real News About Fake Science

The emails started a number of years ago, and have been appearing in my inbox more and more frequently. What's going on? Fake science.

Bad Justifications for Bad Behavior

Let's say a professional engages in unethical behavior. Here are six possible excuses (assuming the behavior did happen) that may not work so well: 1. Everybody does it....

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