National

Employment data collected from Postsecondary Teachers.

Assist department chairperson, faculty members, or other professional staff members in college or university by performing teaching or teaching-related duties, such as teaching lower level courses, developing teaching materials, preparing and giving examinations, and grading examinations or papers. Graduate assistants must be enrolled in a graduate school program. Graduate assistants who primarily perform non-teaching duties, such as laboratory research, should be reported in the occupational category related to the work performed.

Sample of reported job titles: Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA), Teaching Assistant (TA), Graduate Assistant, Instructor, Graduate Fellow, Graduate Research Assistant, Research Assistant (RA), Teaching Fellow, Graduate Student Instructor (GSI)

Tasks

• Lead discussion sections, tutorials, and laboratory sections.
• Evaluate and grade examinations, assignments, and papers, and record grades.
• Return assignments to students in accordance with established deadlines.
• Schedule and maintain regular office hours to meet with students.
• Inform students of the procedures for completing and submitting class work such as lab reports.
• Prepare and proctor examinations.
• Notify instructors of errors or problems with assignments.
• Meet with supervisors to discuss students' grades, and to complete required grade-related paperwork.
• Copy and distribute classroom materials.
• Demonstrate use of laboratory equipment, and enforce laboratory rules.