How To Email Your Professor
I can’t stress this enough. When writing your professor an email, make it professional, formal, and mechanically sound. Do not write your professor as if you are sending a text. Your email does much more than communicate a substantive question or comment; it also signals your level of respect, professionalism, and thoughtfulness.
When emailing your professor, follow this simple format:
1) Include a salutation. For example, I like it when students write something like “Dear Professor Rocca” or “Hi Professor Rocca.” (You may also address your professors as “Dr. Rocca,” but be sure your professor has a Ph.D. before doing so. “Professor” is usually the safest approach since many professors have law or master’s degrees rather than Ph.D.s.). Oh…. and be sure to spell your professor’s name correctly!
2) Start with a warm statement. I appreciate when students begin an email with something friendly such as, “I hope you are having a nice day,” “I hope you are enjoying the snow,” or “I really enjoyed class today!” This sets a friendly tone for the email, even if you are going to inquire about a challenging subject such as a question about a grade.
3) (Re)Introduce yourself. This is especially important if you are emailing your professor for the first time, or if you haven’t contacted them in a while. Professors often teach each hundreds of students each semester. It really helps to (re)introduce yourself. (The exception, of course, is if you and your professor have an established relationship.)
4) Communicate your message. Professors generally prefer emails that are short and sweet, especially since we typically receive hundreds of work emails every day. If you cannot communicate your message in a few sentences, I recommend visiting office hours instead; or, alternatively, use the email to set up an appointment for an in-person or virtual meeting.
5) Throw in one final “thank you.” Add a line such as, “thank you for your time” or “I look forward to hearing from you!”
6) Sign off with a “complimentary close.” Sign off with something simple, like “Thank you,” or “Sincerely.”
Here is a quick example of an email that would impress me:
Dear Professor Rocca,
I hope you are having a good day!
My name is Joe Schmoe and I am a student in your POLS 1120 class. I was wondering if I could set up an appointment with you to review my last exam? I did not do as well as I hoped, and I would like some tips on how to better prepare for the next exam. Unfortunately, I cannot make your regularly scheduled office hours due to another class. Are you available to meet either in-person or virtually any other time during the week?
Thank you so much!
Sincerely,
Joe
This may all seem like overkill, but remember that part of the college experience is about learning how to act in a professional setting. Writing emails that are professional and thoughtful is part of that training.
One quick caveat: sometimes a student and I might engage in a few “quick fire” emails if we are clearly both simultaneously at our computers. A great example of this type exchange would be trouble-shooting a Zoom session that the student is having trouble gaining access to. The student would, first, send a professional (but likely short) email altering me of the issue. Then, the student and I might engage in a series of quick one-line emails in order to fix the issue as fast as we can. But note that the email exchange should always begin with a professional email from the student.
Happy emailing!
(Note: I recently read a fantastic book that had a similar perspective on how to email a professor. The book is by Andrea Malkin Brenner and Lara Hope Schwartz and is called How To College: What to Know Before You Go (And When You’re There). It’s a great reference book to have on your shelf!)