How to Write an Email to Your Professor

How to Write an Email to Your Professor

1.  Offer your professor as much context as possible about your identity before jumping into the email.

·  This is particularly important in a large class, such as a biology lecture section. To make sure the professor knows who the email is from, use the following guidelines.

·  If possible, send the email from an address with your name in it. For example offers much more context (last name, first and middle initials, college affiliation) than .

·  In a very large lecture class, include the section number in the subject line.

·  If you feel it is needed, introduce yourself in the opening line of the email. For example, “This is Marie from your 2:00 Microbiology class. I sit in the second row to the left of the podium.” It will feel silly, but it truly does help professors put a face with a name.

2.  State the main purpose of your email in the subject line.

·  Do not write a vague subject line such as “hi” or “question.”

·  Instead, use the subject line to tell your professor something about what’s coming: “I just added your class” or “Could I please get the assignment for next Wednesday?”

·  This lets your professor know whether your email is time-sensitive and whether he or she will need any resources to answer it.

3.  Choose an appropriate greeting.

·  “Hi/Hello Professor ______” is always appropriate.

·  Not using any greeting sounds too brusque.

4.  Be short and to the point, but eschew IM abbreviations (ttyl, lol, etc).

·  Try to fit the text of your email fit on one screen if possible so the professor does not have to scroll down.

5.  Tone should be slightly more formal than your professor’s tone.

·  Just because they sign off as “Bob” doesn’t mean you should refer to them that way.

6.  Ask politely.

·  “Could you please email me the page numbers for the next reading? Thanks!” is much better than “I need the assignment.”

7.  Spell-check AND proofread what you’ve written.

·  You want your email to represent you in the best possible light.

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

·  Sally Smith

·  English 101-008, MTHF 8:05

·  This is especially important in large lecture classes.

9.  Don’t expect your professor to print out any attachments.

·  If you will be absent from class and want to make sure you’ve got an assignment in on time, you may of course email it before the date and time of the class. Do not, however, expect your professor to consider that the official turned-in version of the assignment. Think about it: is your professor supposed to use their ink, their paper, and their time to print out your paper just because you didn’t come to class?

·  Instead, acknowledge that you wanted the professor to know you completed the assignment on time and that you will bring a hard-copy of the assignment by his or her office or to class the next day.

10.  When you get a reply from your professor, say thanks.

·  Just hit reply and say “Thanks,” or a bit more if it’s appropriate. The original subject line (which will now be preceded by “Re:”) will make the context clear.

·  In both professional and academic settings, it is expected that the boss or the professor should never be the last one to make contact, so make sure you follow up.

How to Request a Letter of Recommendation from Professors

1)  Follow rules for writing your professor an email

·  The subject line is particularly important in this case; many professors are put off when receiving a slack subject line and then being asked to write a detailed letter about a student’s accomplishments.

·  Provide details about the type of scholarship itself and the deadline in order to make it easier for them to determine a) whether or not they think you’re qualified for the scholarship b) whether or not they’ll have time to write the letter before the deadline.

2)  Wait for your professor to agree to write the letter

·  Do not send the application form or links to the scholarship committee’s website until after your professor has agreed; it implies an expectation on your part.

3)  Give your professor an addressed stamped envelope.

·  Don’t expect your professor to pay for your letter.

4)  You should always provide your professor with specific info to include in the letter

·  Your professor is going to remember you, but she may not remember specific details about your performance. It will help her tremendously if you include a short list of things for her to include i.e.) your flawless attendance, your high test grades, your effort to meet with the professor outside of class, your leadership skills in the classroom. This is not the time to be shy about your accomplishments!

·  Keep your list germane to your class. If you won an award in high school, it’s up to you to include that on your scholarship application. Your professor can only write about what she witnessed in class.

5)  Always send a thank you note

·  Once your professor has agreed to send out the letter, you should take the time to write a thank you note. Letters of recommendation are common and an expected part of any professor’s job, but they do take time, and you should acknowledge that.

·  It’s always a good idea to send a follow-up email once you’ve heard back from the scholarship committee, even if you didn’t get the scholarship.