Many current professors were forged as academics and as teachers in graduate school. A large part of that involved watching their own faculty and categorizing their traits as either agreeable or detestable. The great professors remember this fact every single day as they walk into office hours or to the head of a classroom or seminar. The worst couldn’t care less, or else they suffer from so distorted a view of themselves that they refuse to operate as accountable members of university society.

We, graduate students, are especially observant of faculty behavior. We are less concerned with workload — though this does obviously matter — and how fun a course may be than our undergraduate peers. Our foci tend to be quality mentorship, clarity of expression and professionalism. To help faculty account for what we’re feeling in the trenches, I’ve expanded upon some common graduate-student praises.

It is universally agreed upon that the best professors are organized and prepared for class. While we appreciate the ability to digress and to occasionally share interesting side notes, it is hugely frustrating to endure a course without a road map.

Creating a lesson plan containing goals and key points is deeply appreciated by graduate students. We don’t expect our faculty to provide the same lecture style and intense organization that they do for freshmen, but we do require enough structure to make a systematic advancement in our studies, even in a seminar setting. In addition, time management is a major source of jeers and cheers. Nothing irks us more than a professor who shirks office hours or can’t be bothered to return an e-mail.

We award credit where it is due; a certain professor is universally admired (though she is not alone in this) among my peers. Her work ethic is considered exhausting to watch, her dedication to making thoughtful comments on papers is impressive, and her passion for her subject and support of her students make her high demands upon our scholarship worthwhile. Her only failing is in her myriad accomplishments because many of us graduate students struggle to imitate her high standards and berate ourselves whenever we fall short.

As a word of caution, however, we also notice professors who play favorites. Graduate students like to be rewarded for their performance in class and dedication to their subjects, but those who are hardworking and quiet resent being forgotten as their more charismatic colleagues are championed. Professors who give each student a chance to prove him or herself and who are fair even to those students whose opinions they oppose are awarded all the more respect in the eyes of their followers.

Another way for faculty members to score points is to champion their students. At events and in a room full of impressive faculty and visiting speakers, it is easy for graduate students to feel lost in the crowd. We deeply appreciate when one of our professors takes the time to introduce us to important contacts or authors. Above and beyond are professors who suggest certain courses or events to us, suggest new sources of funding related to our work or who include us in an event such as drinks with a visiting scholar. This shows courtesy from our mentors, and it demonstrates confidence in our work.

A professor who keeps track of graduate students’ interests and aids them accordingly is a much appreciated boon in navigating graduate life. These types of professors write the best letters of recommendation and garner our respect after we graduate because they invested in us as students.

Reach columnist Elizabeth Brady at features@dailyuw.com.