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In
the university setting, faculty interactions with students
tend to be informal. Often graduate students and faculty become
close friends and work together on an almost equal basis.
Since U.S. educational philosophy stresses analysis and critical
thinking as well as mastery of information, class formats
are designed to stimulate exchange of ideas. Students, whether
graduate or undergraduate, do not hesitate to challenge professors
in class; in fact, most professors encourage such challenges
as a sign of intellectual independence. Encouragement of questioning,
however, does not mean that professors lack respect from students.
Despite informality, students and faculty maintain a certain
personal distance, with students deferring to faculty members.
Faculty members usually construct their own examinations,
and students expect that examinations will be given frequently.
In most cases, faculty grade examinations and papers for their
courses themselves, unless the course has a very high enrollment.
In that case, they may rely on teaching assistants to do at
least some of the grading.
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