Call Your Guide

I've made myself available by telephone to answer some questions that are best handled that way, or for people who prefer the personal touch.  Here are answers to some of the questions that you may have, and some ground rules:

Can I really talk to you on the phone any time I want?

The answer is yes... and no. Some About Guides have registered with Keen to provide you with an extra service in case you'd like to speak one-on-one with a Guide. But you won't be able to call just any old time. If you click on the graphic you see above, you'll be given a choice of times. Most are set in advance and are pretty much the same every week. Other times will happen on an unannounced basis. You can also email me via that link, to see whether I might be available at an unscheduled time.

It's not free. (What is?) The cost is $1.50 a minute. Check the Keen site to see if there's an introductory offer which gives you your first one to three minutes free.

Why do you charge for this service?

If I'm talking on the phone with users, I'm not writing new material for the site or working at my other paid profession.  I try to keep the cost reasonable so that you'll feel free to call and I'll feel free to take time away from other work to help out.

What kind of questions do people call with?

I'm not the world's leading expert on women's history, but I'm pretty good at finding answers or guiding you to the resources you'll need to find the answers yourself.

• Many questions are "how do I get started on this assignment"? If you help me understand what the assignment is, and what you've already done to understand it, I can help guide you to the next level of work and research. (Example: "I am supposed to write an essay on women in the 1920s, where do I start?" -- I'll help you think through what issues to consider, what you may already know, where to find out more.)
  
• I can often help suggest books, web sites or other resources for a particular topic. (Example: "I'm trying to find out more on Anna Garlin Spencer, where would I find that?" -- I would help you find what's already on the Net, name several books you would find more information in and, if you are doing advanced research, let you know how to request the microfilms of her letters, journals and writings.)
  
• I can also often give you some basic information on a particular woman or on an event in women's history. (Example: you might want to know who Antistia Pollitta was, and I could tell you that she lived in the first century C.E./A.D.and was said to have plotted with her husband to overthrow Nero, then suggest additional resources.)
  
• I'm also happy to talk with you about your love for women's history and to reassure you that you're not alone!

How do you answer questions?

I gave some examples above, so you'll have some idea of the kind of information that's available this way.

Sometimes I'll answer from memory, especially if it's an opinion question.  But I try to confirm what I say, especially if you're asking because you're doing research. I have many reference books handy, and I usually have my computer on during the phone call. You might hear pages turning or a keyboard clicking as I attempt to find what you're looking for!

If you need the bibliographic information from the source I cited, or an exact (reasonably short) quotation, I'll give you that during the call, too.  You might want to have a working pen and some paper handy before you make the call.

Some ground rules:

• I won't do your homework for you. I will, however, help guide you in thinking about how to do it and getting started. For homework assignments please have your homework worksheet, written instructions from your teacher and any relevant textbooks for the course handy when you call, so I can find out more about where you're starting from and you won't have to look for those materials while the phone charges increase!
• If your question is about a less-well-known woman or event or issue or fact, please understand: I may not find an answer, though I will try to guide you to further resources. I still must charge for the call, even if I can't find the answer, because I will be spending time trying.
• Please don't call me to play trivia games, because that really isn't my "thing."
• I'm also not interested in spending time online arguing, whether it's about women's history, feminism, feminists, Hillary Clinton, Jane Fonda, abortion or other related topics - this is a research service.
• Abusive or hostile callers will be hung up on with no ceremony, and will still be charged for their calls.