You’re looking through the Blackboard page, and you can’t find the reading your professor assigned.
Your class will be in a computer lab next week, but you don’t remember which one.
You have questions about how your essay could be improved.
You need to send your professor an email.
Chances are, you’ll need to send your professors lots of emails throughout your time in college. Knowing how to write a profession email is especially important during a semester where we find ourselves mostly online.
As students, we are constantly learning how to become more professional individuals in our work, our timeliness, and our interactions with others. When we send an email to a professor, we are speaking to a professional. We must be considerate of our professors’ time and attention. So, here are some quick pointers:
- Include your class name and number in the subject of the email – A professor will immediately be able to identify the right Blackboard material, textbook, and reading that you may have a question about.
- Always begin your emails with a greeting. It’s the nice thing to do! Here are some standard examples: “Dear Professor Dupop,” or “Professor Dupop,”
- Get right to the point! You’re a college student, and you don’t have much time for dilly-dallying either! Use proper grammar, capitalize first letters of a sentence and the word ‘I,’ and use correct punctuation. Do not treat emails as text messages!
- End the email by thanking your professor for their time.
- Don’t forget to sign off at the end of an email! You can leave your best friend with a “cool, thanks.” In this situation, we have to get just a tad bit fancy. Examples:
- Kind regards
- Best wishes
- Thank you
Here is an example email:
Subject: ECO-1103-01 Assigned Readings
Professor Dupop,
I hope this email finds you well.
I am having a difficult time finding the readings which were assigned for Monday’s class on Blackboard. Would you be able to direct me to them?
Thank you!
Best wishes,
Jamie
Voila! What a nice, professor-approved email. Remember, professors and students ought to respect each other, and we can all show deference and politeness through our writing.
Happy emailing!
Alessandra | Fall 2020