Be mindful of the expenses involved in university education and take opportunities to promote library copies of textbooks and other cost-free resources available to students. 

Examples

• Academic textbooks can be prohibitively expensive for low-SES students, so if a student mentions not having bought the textbook, try not to respond with, 'It's important to buy your textbooks,' but with, 'Let’s look at how to use Search to find library copies of the textbook,' or by informing students about The Campus Bookstore's textbook rental.
   
• If a student is expressing serious concern about the cost of textbooks, it might be appropriate to encourage them to look at the university's equity scholarships. 

Remember your own experiences of learning complex new things, and strive to be empathetic to students who are learning skills that are familiar to you, but may be unfamiliar or difficult for students.  

Further information

The research process can be broken down into the actions a student or researcher takes, but also by the emotions experienced (Kahlthau, 1993). The Research Skills Development (Willison and O'Regan, 2006, 2016) stage, 'Embark and Clarify', might evoke uncertainty, 'Find and Generate' might inspire optimism where 'Evaluate and Reflect' can involve feelings of doubt and frustration. If you convey that you understand the range of emotions people might experience during the research process, and that this is normal, it can make it easier for students to ask questions and admit to difficulties. 

Where appropriate, use ‘women’ or ‘woman’ and ‘men’ or ‘man’; avoid using the terms ‘female’ or ‘male’ as nouns.

Further information

• For example, avoid writing or saying things like ‘there are so few females in STEM' (Science, Technology, Engineering and Medicine). Instead you can write or say ‘there are so few women in STEM'. One reason for this is that ‘female’ is a term that can be applied to animals and objects. ‘Women’ and ‘girls’ (the latter applies to young people) are terms reserved for humans, and it is important to emphasise the humanity of women given the broad historical and cultural context.
   
• ‘Female’ and ‘male’ have medical or biological connotations, and can be exclusive of transgender and intersex people who identify as men or women and do not necessarily feel comfortable with ‘male’ or ‘female’ designations. This is because the terms ‘men’ and ‘women’ tend to allow for personal identification in a way ‘male’ and ‘female’ do not.*
   
• Remember that gender neutral language is preferred when addressing groups, as ‘men and women’ or ‘ladies and gentlemen’ are exclusive of people with non-binary gender identities.

*Note: In some circumstances data about ‘female’ and ‘male’ people are required (particularly in Medicine and Health Sciences). However, even in Medicine and Health Sciences there are limitations to this binary approach to sexed difference, as it often overlooks or excludes the chromosomal and hormonal variations of some intersex and some transgender people. Monash’s Diverse Genders and Sexualities Subcommittee is working on an advisory document regarding the collection of data about gender and/or sex data.

Where appropriate use ‘people first’ language, as this puts the person first, rather than the condition or characteristic. 

Examples

• Use ‘people with disabilities’ rather than ‘disabled people’. Try to be as clear and specific as possible. In some contexts ‘people with disabilities’ may be more accurate and more respectful of people as individuals.
   
• Not everyone uses people first language to describe themselves for a variety of reasons. Respect how people wish to refer to themselves and don’t correct the terminology of others.

Be aware that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are diverse, and their heritage may not be obvious to you.       

Examples

• It is inappropriate to make assumptions about students' heritage, and rarely appropriate to ask students about where they're from.  
   
• Avoid asking questions like 'is anyone in this class Indigenous?' or asking Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to provide an 'Indigenous perspective' on discussions in class. This singles out students and suggests that Indigenous people are 'outsiders' in your classroom. 

Mental health conditions and neurodiversity may cause students to behave in a variety of ways. Be flexible in accommodating student needs so that they feel comfortable.

Examples

• Students may need to leave the room during the class. Be understanding if a student asks to leave the classroom, or if a student leaves abruptly. It can be helpful to mention at the beginning of a class that this is acceptable.
   
• Some students with anxiety, or Autism Spectrum Disorder (for example) may not wish to work in a group, or may ask to work with specific people. Giving students choices is a flexible approach which can make them feel more comfortable and accepted.

Make a conscious and regular effort to develop your knowledge of diversity, inclusion and exclusion.

Examples

• Allocate time in your calendar, maybe once a week or once a fortnight, to expanding on your knowledge in a particular area. You could spend this time exploring one of the toolkit website resources, or reading a journal article, or view a short documentary on Kanopy.