Okay so im taking this class about long term studies of animal behavior. And my professor provided us with a list of books we could choose from to read for her class and then discuss in class. Would it be a bad idea to read the book SHE wrote about HER research that she included on the list? Im not trying to be a kiss-ass, the book legitimately looks interesting. But since I have to discuss it in class (the researcher's main goal, any ethical flaws, etc) would that be a bad idea?
Okay first off, =scream= thanks for asking a question because I totally forgot that I owned this blog :D :D I’ll do my best to answer hahaha
This sort of problem is fairly rare but somewhat difficult to respond. On one hand, if the research is interesting to you, you should definitely read it. But on the other I can understand the sort of pressure you feel from your peers.
In the end, I can’t really tell you what you should do but I’ll give some reasoning for both options. (You will see a rather large amount of personal bias in here so take it with a grain of salt).
Option A: Read a different book for your discussion
I’ll tell you now that this option, while safer, also limits opportunity for you if you would like to speak with the teacher later (assuming that you want to keep in touch and maybe get a job in her lab or what not later). You won’t have problems with your peers and this is more of a non-confrontational approach but it also allows for less stress.
Option B: Read her research and discuss it in class
As long as you give a very… unbiased and unflowery report I doubt any of your classmates will blame you. Very rarely should you be embarrassed about being interested to learn anyway. And trust me, depending on the size of the class, there are sure to be at least a few who also decide to read her research (though their motivations may forever be unclear to us). Reading it also provides for a unique opportunity of getting to know the professor a little better and ask about her research personally. Getting connections from your teachers is ALWAYS useful (I’ve gotten special emails regarding talks and cool things to do just because I’ve talked to a professor and they remembered me for it). And of course there is a slight chance that a few of your peers might think of you as a suck-up but you don’t want to be near those people anyway ;P
Conclusion:
When it comes down to it, if you’re really interested in her research, you should just go for it whether you plan on reading it on your own time or actually decide to write your report on it. Even though gaining contacts and making friends/networking with people is super important, do not let it stop you from making your education uniquely yours so please pursue whatever interests YOU.
(Although whatever you choose, if you’re interested, you should definitely read it regardless of what you choose).