Q: What's the difference between the 3? I always thought they meant the same thing, but i guess they're different if they have different titles.
A: A lecturer is can be like a teaching assistant or a person who is working on their PhD or a guest speaker. An Assistant Professor and Associate Professor are ranks within the professorial profession. The top would be a full professor with tenure. That 3 types of professors (Full, Assistant, Associate) would be people who have received their doctorate within their area of expertise, meaning a PhD usually.