Writing an email to a professor isn't as simple as sending a message to a friend. Your education is the start of your professional career and you should show professionalism in all academic interactions, including emails. For example, you should always use the account provided to you by the university and start the email with a formal greeting. Think about writing a formal business letter. Be concise and remember, grammar matters!
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Making a Good First Impression
Step 1. First check if the answer you are looking for is in the course syllabus
Often, the most common questions can be answered by reading the material that the teacher gives to the students at the beginning of the course. Asking a professor about something you should already know gives the impression that you are not a serious student, causing his frustration because it is a waste of time for him.
- The program may contain information on the tests to be taken for the course, on the format they must have, on the deadlines and on the rules of the course.
- If the professor has only assigned you a list of books to read, you can send him an email if your question is not answered in the program.
Step 2. Use your academic account
The professors receive dozens of e-mails every day. By using your school account, you are more likely to avoid the spam filter. Also, your university email is more professional and lets the professor know who the sender is right away, because usually the account will contain your name.
Step 3. Write a clear object
With the subject you make it clear to your teacher what the content of the message is even before he opens it. This can be helpful, because that way he knows how much time he has to spend on him. Make sure the object is clear and direct.
For example, you can write "Question about this month's report" or "Final essay"
Step 4. Start with a greeting, using the professor's title and surname
You may be tempted to move on to your request right away. However, when you write to a professor, you must consider that it is a formal letter. It begins with "Dear Dr. Rossi", followed by a comma. Make sure you use the teacher's last name.
- If you are not sure if the professor has a doctorate, you can write "Professor Rossi".
- If you have already had a personal relationship with the professor, you can use a more informal greeting, such as "Hello Prof. Rossi".
Part 2 of 3: Creating the Email Body
Step 1. Remind the teacher who you are
Teachers have a lot of students, so they can't remember them all. Write your name and the course you take with that professor, including the time, as "Materials science at noon".
Step 2. Get straight to the point
The professors are very busy, so don't dwell on your email. Write your question as short as possible, avoiding all irrelevant details.
For example, if you have a question about a task you need to do, write: "I have a question about the task you assigned us last Tuesday. Do we have to complete it as a group or alone?"
Step 3. Write using complete sentences
This email is not a Facebook post nor a message for a friend. This means you have to write to your teacher using full sentences, otherwise you will look unprofessional.
- For example, do not write "Spectacular lesson prof… beautiful!".
- Try instead "In the last lesson his explanation was illuminating".
Step 4. Take care of the tone
When writing to a professor for the first time, your tone and language must be very professional. This means no emojis! If, on the other hand, you have already communicated in the past, you can take more liberty over time. This is especially true if it is the professor who writes less formally first (for example by adding a smiley to one of his messages).
Step 5. Present your requests politely
Many students try to get favors from their teacher. This attitude will get you nowhere. Instead, express your problem as a request that the professor can accept or not.
For example, you could ask a professor to grant you an extension of the deadline for submitting a report. Don't write "My grandmother is dead. Give me an extension for the relationship." Instead, try "This week was very difficult for me due to the disappearance of my grandmother. Can I please ask you for an extension for the report submission?"
Step 6. Use correct punctuation
In e-mails you write to friends, it is not a problem to skip periods and commas. However, when writing to your professor, make sure you don't make any punctuation errors.
Step 7. Don't use abbreviations
While message abbreviations are also spreading on the internet, professional emails are one of the few occasions where you need to avoid them. Do not write "cmq" instead of "anyway" or "xké" instead of "why". Use the correct spelling.
Don't forget to spell check the message
Step 8. Use capital letters the right way
The first words of the sentences must begin with a capital letter, as well as proper names. Don't make the common mistake that is made in messages, of capitalizing only the words you prefer. Make sure you follow the grammar rules.
Part 3 of 3: Concluding the Email
Step 1. Specify what you would like your teacher to do
Make sure you write exactly what you want from the professor at the end of the email. For example, if you want an answer, give it. If you need a meeting, write it down.
Step 2. Reread the email and check the grammar
Look for any errors. You will almost always find at least one or two imperfections to correct.
Step 3. Review the email from your teacher's point of view
Think about the content of the message and make sure you are not demanding. Also, make sure you are concise. Don't reveal too many details about your personal life, as it wouldn't be professional.
Step 4. Close the email with a greeting
Conclude as you started, that is, in a formal way. Use an expression such as "Yours sincerely", followed by a comma and your full name.
Step 5. Send a second message after one week
Once the email is sent, don't bother the professor to get a reply. However, if the professor has not shown up after seven days, you can retry writing to him, as your first message may have been lost.
Step 6. Confirm that you have read the answer
Once the professor replies to you, be sure to let him know that you have received his message. A simple "Thank you" may suffice. If necessary, write a longer email following the same steps as in the article to keep it professional. If your problem or question was not adequately addressed by the professor's answer, ask for an in-person meeting.
- For example, you might write "Thank you for answering my question. See you next lesson."
- If you prefer to meet him, you can write: "I appreciate his opinion on the problem. Would you mind arranging a meeting in person to discuss it in more detail?".
