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3 months ago in Scholarly Etiquette By Himanshu
A professor from another institution gave a guest lecture and made several factual errors about my sub-field. Should I correct them during the public Q&A or speak to them privately afterward?
During a department guest lecture, a respected professor presented outdated information about a topic I specialize in, which could mislead students. Part of me wants to clarify for the audience, but I don't want to publicly undermine our guest. What's the more appropriate forum for a correction?
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By Megan Morris Answered 2 months ago
The cardinal rule is to prioritize the guest's dignity and your role as a host. A public correction in Q&A can easily be perceived as an attack, even if well-intentioned. Instead, use the Q&A to ask a clarifying question that introduces the correct information: "Thank you for the fascinating talk. Your point about X reminded me of the more recent work by [Author] in 2023 that suggests Y. I was wondering how you see that work fitting into your framework?" This offers a correction embedded within scholarly engagement. Then, approach them privately afterward: "Professor, I really enjoyed your talk. Regarding the point on X, I've been working on this and found the recent [Citation] particularly helpful I can send it to you if you're interested." This private follow-up is the definitive correction, offered as a resource, not a rebuttal. It preserves collegiality and ensures the error is addressed without public shaming.
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