Students who miss class will often ask, "Did I miss anything in class on Monday? Plug says, "I always want to say, 'No, we did absolutely nothing, as usual.
Jones notes that the same question is "the great bane of all professors. Why is it such a terrible question, though, and what makes it so inappropriate? Professor Jones offers an answer:. First, it's insulting to imply that the content of any class might not have been important, or that it can be recapped in a short email—and second, it's not the professor's responsibility to offer multiple iterations of the class.
Before you sign off, it's important that you include a valediction—that is, a complimentary farewell. Jones notes the importance of a valediction in proper email etiquette, even if it's just a quick statement like "Thanks for your help! Instead of launching directly into what it is you want to request from your professor, you can acknowledge your gratitude or how busy he or she is.
Doing so is a nice little way to recognize the professor's efforts in replying to your emails, and the gesture will be appreciated. Jones provides an example of an effective valediction: "Try something like 'I know you're busy, but I'm hoping you'll be able to make some time to meet and go over my answers on the quiz. It might seem like a small or insignificant note, but it can definitely help your email to be received in a positive light and paint you favorably, especially amongst a slew of emails that don't include valedictions.
Vokes notes, "From research, we know that first impressions very much affect a person's desire to be of assistance. Your signoff is as important to consider as anything else in emailing a professor. Just like your opening salutation, it communicates something about you.
You'll also be able to further set the tone of the email, be it more formal using something like "regards" or more casual using something like "all the best". Offering "cheers" will not always be appropriate, so again, consider how well you know the professor you're emailing.
Gilroyed states, "Every email to a professor should adhere to the standard construct of a letter, which includes an opening salutation, the body of the message, and an appropriate signoff. A simple signoff is fine; try to balance being casual and professional. You can also use your signoff to further distinguish yourself among a sea of students. Gilroyed notes that students should sign off "with an appropriate closing salutation and then a full name.
Some are without signoffs, and some use only first names. Including your full name will help your professor recognize and identify you quickly and easily.
Okay, now that we have a list of email etiquette tips from real professors, how about putting them into practice? Here's an example of an excellent email to a professor:. An email isn't just a piece of correspondence. It's an exercise in communicating well, and you're judged by it. Using this advice from real professors about how to email a professor, you can be judged favorably. Gilroyed says, "I cannot speak for all professors, but I certainly take notice when I receive a well-constructed email from a student.
It shows me that they care enough to put in the effort to compose a proper message and they respect my time. Even better, you can use emailing a professor to your advantage by asking genuine and intellectual questions. As Dr. Toswell explains, "Don't use up what I think of as your email currency there's only so much bandwidth in my brain for one student and her questions unless they genuinely engaged with the course material on bad inquiries.
Toswell further says, "Email in order to establish a connection, and make it a solid one. Special thanks to all the professors who shared their email etiquette tips with us for this article.
Your time and insights are much appreciated! Jes is a magician and a mechanic; that is to say, she creates pieces of writing from thin air to share as a writer, and she cleans up the rust and grease of other pieces of writing as an editor.
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Look over your email address Here's another tip where self-awareness is key. Often, the question you would like to ask has already been answered in the material the professor has provided at the beginning of class. Asking a professor to go over this again makes you look like you are not a serious student, and it frustrates the professor because it wastes their time. If your professor only gives you a list of readings, it's fine to email them with a question that isn't answered in the syllabus.
Use your academic account. Professors are deluged with emails every day. By using your school account, you'll have a better chance of avoiding the spam filter. Plus, your school email looks more professional. It also lets the professor know who's actually sending the email, as school emails are usually based on your name. Include a strong subject line. A subject line clues your professor in to what the email is about before they open it.
That can be helpful because they can set aside an appropriate amount of time to deal with it. Make sure the subject line is clear and to the point. Start with a greeting using the professor's title and surname. It can be tempting to just to plunge into your request. However, when you're writing to a professor, you need to treat it more like you would a formal letter. Begin with "Dear Dr. Jones," followed by a comma. Make sure to use the professor's last name.
If you're not sure if the professor has a doctorate, you can address them as "Professor Jones. Jones," if you've had personal interactions with the professor. Part 2. Remind the professor who you are. Professors have many students to keep track of, and they'll need to be reminded of who you are. Say your name, as well as the class you have with the professor, including the specific class period, such as "MWF at noon. Stick to the point. Professors are busy people, so you don't want to drag out your email.
Say what you need to say as briefly as possible, leaving out any extraneous details. For instance, if you have a question about an assignment, get to the point: "I have a question about the assignment you gave us last Tuesday. Do you want us to work in groups or alone? Write in complete sentences. This email is not a Facebook post or a text to a friend. That means you need to use complete sentences when writing to your professor, as anything less does not look professional.
For instance, don't write, "Awesome class, man Work on tone. When you're first contacting a professor, keep your tone and language very professional. That means no emojis! If you develop a correspondence with your professor, you may find that you can get a bit more relaxed as the semester goes on.
That's particularly true if your professor initiates a bit of informality such as by sending an emoji in an email to you. Make requests politely. Many students try to demand things from their professors. That will get you nowhere. Instead, phrase your issue as a request that the professor can grant or not. For instance, you may want the professor to give you an extension on a paper. Don't say, "My grandmother died.
Give me an extension on this paper. Kazakhstan Other Vietnam United States Singapore Find jobs by popular employers. University of Luxembourg University of Nottingham ETH Zurich Ghent University Fraunhofer IIS, Erlangen Aalto University KU Leuven University of Antwerp Fraunhofer FHR, Wachtberg University of Twente University of Nizwa BI Norwegian Business School For candidates.
Find jobs. Register for job alerts. Tenure Track. Job advertising. Employer branding. Success stories. International Select country. All rights reserved. So, if you use emojis, acronyms, abbreviations, etc. Effective writing requires shaping your words according to your audience, purpose and genre or type of writing, e.
Together these are sometimes called the rhetorical situation. Some of the key conventions for the rhetorical situation of emailing a professor are as follows:. Use a clear subject line.
Use a salutation and signature. Use standard punctuation, capitalization, spelling and grammar. Do your part in solving what you need to solve. If you email to ask something you could look up yourself, you risk presenting yourself as less resourceful than you ought to be. Be aware of concerns about entitlement. If you appear to demand help, shrug off absences or assume late work will be accepted without penalty because you have a good reason, your professors may see you as irresponsible or presumptuous.
Add a touch of humanity. Some of the most effective emails are not strictly business -- not strictly about the syllabus, the grade, the absence or the assignment. While avoiding obvious flattery, you might comment on something said in class, share information regarding an event the professor might want to know about or pass on an article from your news feed that is relevant to the course.
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