How to Email Your Professors

Write from your college or university e-mail account. That immediately lets your professor see that your e-mail is legitimate and not spam.

Include the course number in your subject line. Writing “question about English assignment” or “question about assignment,” without identifying the class you’re in, may leave your professor with the chore of figuring that out. For someone teaching large lecture classes (like me!), that might mean reading through hundreds of names on rosters. But even for a professor with smaller classes, it’s a drag to get an e-mail that merely says “I’m in your English class and need the assignment.” All your English professor’s classes are English classes; she or he still needs to know which one is yours.

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. Avoid the single “Hey…”
• Avoid rote apologies for missing class. 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.
• Ask politely. “Could you e-mail me the page numbers for the next reading? Thanks!” is a lot better than “I need the assignment.”
• 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. Signing is an obvious courtesy, and it eliminates the need for stilted self-identification (“I am a student in your such-and-such class”).

Maggie Simpson
English 3703
MWF 10:00

Don’t send unexpected attachments. It’s bad form. Attaching an essay with a request that your professor look it over is very bad form. Arrange to meet your professor during office hours or by appointment instead.

So what would a good e-mail to a professor look like?

Hi Dr. Marshall,

I’m writing my essay on motifs in Citizen Kane and I’m not sure how much background information to include about the story and characters. Or is that necessary for this paper? Thanks!

Maggie Simpson
FILM 1310
F 9AM

Taken/modified from: Orange Crate Art

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