Venus TS #11

Date/Time: Monday June 23rd at 3:30 PM

Location: Virtual 
Topic/Skill: Academic Hedging & Presentation Soft Skills

Feedback Provided to the Tutee:
This session zeroed in on a key grad school survival skill: hedging, that academic way of sounding smart without sounding like a know-it-all. We played with phrases like “It appears that…” and “This could suggest…” and contrasted them with overconfident ones like “This proves…”. Nejoud practiced rephrasing overly strong academic statements to sound both thoughtful and open to collaboration.

We also explored the cultural shift she’s navigating: where clarity is more valued than complexity, and where it’s not only okay to not know everything. We unpacked how to invite feedback with phrases like “This is still a work in progress” and how to reframe being questioned as a compliment to her ideas.

Homework:
Refine one of the dialogues from last week to include hedging language. Also, prep a short 1–2 min “research talk” where she explains a research interest clearly and confidently.

Tutoring Takeaway:
This session was a reminder that international grad students often walk a tightrope, often trying to sound “smart enough” while also not too formal or robotic. Teaching hedging isn’t just grammar; it’s coaching confidence with humility.

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