How To Email A Professor

Attention College Students.  Your professors may not be reading your emails!

That's right.  It takes a lot more than jotting a note down on your computer and sending it off into cyberspace.  If you want your professors to take you seriously, then you need to take this post seriously.

Michael Leddy of Orange Crate Art, writes the most useful post you'll read all week.  One student that I showed it to remarked, "Why..this changes everything!"  Here's just a sample...

Think about what you're saying. Most students are not accustomed to writing to their professors. Here are some ways to do it well:

Choose an appropriate greeting. "Hi/Hello Professor [Blank]" is always appropriate. Substitute "Dear" and you've ended up writing a letter; leave out "Hi" and your tone is too brusque.

Avoid rote apologies for missing class. Most professors are tired of hearing those standard apologies and acts of contrition. If you missed class because of some especially serious or sad circumstances, it might be better to mention that in person than in an e-mail.

Avoid direct requests. They tend to sound more like orders in e-mail. For instance, "Please send me the next assignment." Even worse: "I need the next assignment." It's much better to ask a question: "Could you e-mail me with the page numbers or the next reading? Thanks."

Proofread what you've written. You want your e-mail to show you in the best possible light.

Sign with your full name, course number, and meeting time.

Maggie Simpson
English 3703, MWF 10:00

Signing is an obvious courtesy, and it eliminates the need for stilted self-identification ("I am a student in your such-and-such class").

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Hat Tip: lifehack.org