I know when I first started college, emailing one of my professors sounded like one of the scariest things I could do. As a quintessential overthinker, I could not help but wonder what they would think of me, how to make a good impression and whether my question was “smart enough” to ask. But over time, I think I have gained a pretty good grasp of the dreaded “professor email.” For all you fellow professional email-phobes, here are a couple of tips to make them just a little bit easier:
- have a concise subject line
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Your professor should have a general idea of what to expect when they open the email. With a straight-forward subject line, they will already be thinking about things related to your concern before they read what it actually is. This will make the solution quicker and easier for everyone involved. If you are emailing about specific assignments, the subject line is also a great place to say what week the assignment is from and what problem number.
- give a full introduction
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It’s safe to assume your professor will not know you or your name at the start of the quarter, but it’s even safer to assume that they do not even know what course or lecture you are in. Professors have a lot of students and a lot going on, so make sure to include your full name, the name of the course you are taking, lecture number if applicable and section number when you are emailing them. This is the most efficient way for them to help you because chances are they will ask for it anyway.
- keep the email short and sweet
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Understand that you are requesting something of them, and you want them to go out of their way to fulfill or answer that request. This is not an application or an English essay. In the case of professor emails, flowery language can just get in the way and can even lead to your actual concern being lost in the sea of words. If your concern really does require lots of explanation or elaboration, it may be better to use the email to set up an in-person appointment or to just address it during office hours.
- be polite and professional
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Your professors are not obligated to drop everything for you, but a lot of them care enough about their students to do just that. Using formal sentences and proper grammar shows them that you respect them and their time. Politeness and professionalism should also extend to the tone of the email. Even if you are upset at their actions or something they said, it does not justify having a rude tone throughout the email. Disrespect will only lead you farther from the solution, whether they actually did something wrong or not.
- end on a strong note
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When in doubt, use a formal salutation. My personal favorites are “Best,” “Thank you” and “Sincerely,” followed by your full name again. Do not send a follow-up email right away as it is likely they just have not checked their inbox yet or have many other emails to reply to as well. If the matter is urgent, follow up in person and ask if they had the chance to look over your email. If you want to wait to follow up digitally, then I’d recommend doing it two or three days later.
Hopefully, these tips helped break down the process of sending an email to your professor, and they can be applied to any professional type of email as well. Even though it’s easy to say, don’t worry too much because there is a human at the other end of that inbox, and they do understand where you are coming from.