Prof2Prof is a worldwide, interdisciplinary platform for academic professionals, including professors, instructors and lecturers, researchers, administrators, student affairs specialists, doctoral students, and emeritus faculty. Members must be affiliated with a college or university and provide their institutional role(s) and email address to join the site. It is also possible to join the site as an affiliate member if your organization sponsors affiliate memberships. Please see the FAQ titled: "How can I join Prof2Prof as an Affiliate Member?" for more information.
FAQ
Who can join Prof2Prof?
What kind of content should I post to the site?
To join Prof2Prof, you must create a profile page. You are strongly encouraged to fully complete your profile once you log on to the site. You are also encouraged to post resources that you have created for the classroom, for research purposes, for administration, and for the delivery of student support services. Possibilities include a class presentation, student assignment, group exercise, quiz or test, syllabus, video link, photo image, research paper, professional report, or academic policy. Pick things that have worked well for you and give a brief description of their past application. You can specify how you would like your resources to be used and cited. Share your intellectual products with others and be recognized for your contributions.
Do I have to contribute content to be a member of Prof2Prof?
You are welcome to have a profile page without posting any resources. However, by sharing your work, resources, and ideas, you are contributing to a repository of information that benefits other higher education professionals engaged in your areas of expertise. You also benefit by showcasing the contributions you make to your field or discipline.
What types of files can I post to the site?
The Prof2Prof platform can accommodate most file types, including word processing documents, PDF files, database files, presentations, and image files. You can also post web links to other resources, including videos and off-site works. If you have trouble uploading a file, let us know and we will work with you to try to solve the problem.
Can I see who has chosen to follow me or view my profile page?
Members are able to see the identities of their own followers, but not the identities of other site members' followers. Simply do not select the “follow” option on a member’s profile page if you do not wish to make your identity known to that member. Members cannot see the identities of individuals who visit their profile pages or who view or download their resources, even if they are followers.
What if I want the general public to see my profile?
You can choose to activate a general public view of your profile, and any of your resources that you choose. Activating a public profile allows members to use the site as a professional website or landing page. Display the link to your Prof2Prof profile in your email signature line, add it to your CV or resumé, and send it to employers and colleagues to showcase the range of contributions you make to academia and to society at large. Search for the "Prof2Prof Resources" profile page when you are logged into Prof2Prof, and you will find instructions on this feature under the "Resources" tab.
Do I have to publicize the feedback that is sent to me?
For each resource that you post, you have the option of receiving public or private feedback. The default is private. You can switch this functionality on or off at any time.
What do I do if someone is sending unprofessional feedback to me?
We expect our community to operate with professionalism and respect for others on the site. Comments should always be constructive and helpful. Unprofessional feedback does not simply mean that it is counter to the position or viewpoints of the original author. That is par for the course in academia, and is a necessary aspect of the pursuit of knowledge. If feedback crosses a line and becomes insulting, derogatory, or offensive, let us know immediately. Contributors to this site may be asked to leave the community if they are unable to maintain a professional presence.
If I join, will Prof2Prof start cluttering up my inbox and soliciting my colleagues?
No! We won’t be pushy. We hope that you will find Prof2Prof worth mentioning to your colleagues and networks yourself. Prof2Prof will build success on personal endorsements and from authentic buy-in from the academic community, and not through aggressive infiltration of your professional networks. Occasionally, you may receive emails from Prof2Prof with promotional material and advertisements.
Can I post my research publications on this site?
When you publish an article, you likely signed a copyright or licensing agreement with the publisher. You are responsible for adhering to that agreement. Some publishers allow article sharing after an initial embargo period. Others allow you to post a pre-print or non-final version of the manuscript, or share published versions with students or research collaborators for their individual use. Still others offer open access options for sharing your published work, or make text-only versions of an article available for free. The website www.howcanishareit.com offers guidance on sharing articles associated with some journals. If you are unsure of the terms of your copyright or licensing agreement, the safest thing to do is to direct site members to the publisher's website using the Digital Object Identifier (DOI) link. Unless otherwise restricted by the publisher, you may post supplemental material in the Add Resource section, such as discussion questions and summary slides, to accompany this link.
What if I have a resource that is available for a fee?
Prof2Prof does not process payments for fee-based resources on-site. If you have developed a resource that is available for purchase, such as a research measure, curriculum, or a published book, you may include a link to an external website in the Add Resource section, where site members can be directed to complete such transactions. You are encouraged to offer key words and a detailed description of your resource to accompany this link so that site members can easily find your resource using the search function.
I belong to an academic network. How can we use this site to communicate and share resources?
If you are a member of a network of individuals who share a common interest or task, Prof2Prof can serve as a home base for sharing resources and communicating information. A network lead may request a profile page for the network at customerservice@prof2prof.com. Once established, network members can “follow” that profile page, and receive email notifications when news and events are posted or resources added to the network profile. Network members can also agree on a common keyword to use when uploading resources under their own profiles to facilitate searches for resources relevant to the network group. (Note: network profiles are free to informal or organic working groups. Professional associations, academic institutions or departments, and companies wishing to establish a profile page can contact customer service for information about pricing).
What can I do with the “Workspace” function?
Lots of things! This function enables you to create a workspace for group projects and initiatives, such as building a syllabus, developing a grant proposal, managing an academic program, or simply hosting a discussion forum. You can share resources, and create and organize discussion threads. Workspaces can be “public” and accessible to all members on the site, or they can be “private” and accessible only to members invited or added by the workspace administrator. For guidance on creating workspaces, use the term “workspace” when conducting a key word search.
What is Affiliate Membership?
Affiliate members are members of professional societies, research organizations, or other entities relevant to academia, as well as undergraduate students. These are individuals who are all part of the higher education ecosystem, and whose participation on Prof2Prof helps to create synergy between teaching, research, and practice.
How can I join Prof2Prof as an Affiliate Member?
Affiliate members must be sponsored by an organization, professional association, or higher education institution. If you are an employee or member of such an entity, let us know of your interest in joining Prof2Prof by contacting customerservice@prof2prof.com. If you are an administrator of college, university or other organization and are interested in purchasing access to Prof2Prof for your students or organizational members, please contact customerservice@prof2prof.com.
How can I promote my professional expertise to academic communities and the general public?
You can use the "Professional Expertise" tab on your profile page to create items that showcase professional skills, services, and even side businesses that you would like to promote. For example, if you provide consulting services or deliver keynote addresses on a given topic, create a professional expertise item and describe your service or skill in more detail. Members can find people with particular expertise using the "Professional Expertise" tab in the search function. If you choose to activate a general public view of your profile, your professional expertise items can be made available to the general public, as well.
Can I create a course website on Prof2Prof?
Prof2Prof can serve as a home base or ancillary site for your course. There are three ways to do this:
(Option A) You can request a course homepage from customerservice@prof2prof.com and use it to share resources and news items with the general public (including your students);
(Option B) You can request a course homepage and keep it behind the Prof2Prof login. Students can join P2P as affiliate members and follow the course homepage to receive off-site notifications when the instructor adds resources and news items, or sends messages;
(Option C) As the instructor, you can join P2P and create an individual profile as well as a private workspace for each of your courses. Students can join P2P to access and share resources and communicate with class members via the workspace.
Email customerservice@prof2prof.com and let us know which option meets your needs. We can send you additional guidance and answer any questions you have.
*Note that undergraduate and master's students are not typically able to join Prof2Prof unless their educational institution has purchased access on their behalf. However, as a result of the increased need for on-line tools stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, this requirement is being temporarily waived. Prof2Prof is always free to higher education professionals employed by a college or university, as well as doctoral students.