Dear Jacquelyn,

I am beginning a new semester in college and I anticipate communicating with professors via email. Please explain the basics of email etiquette and how to format a proper email so I don’t embarrass myself.

Dear Reader,

The way in which you communicate and present yourself when writing to your professors is extremely important.

You should view how you communicate as a professional exchange. It is in your best interest to be respectful and polite when communicating with professors. The words you use, are a reflection of you and your attitude.

As with any professional interaction, you want to convey a level of seriousness and professionalism. You do not want bad practices to follow you into your future career, where daily and effective email communication is vital to good job performance.

To all students, please consider these things when communicating electronically with your college instructors. Begin your email by addressing your professor by title and name. Never address your professor by their first name, unless they explicitly give you permission to do so.

The main thing to remember is that your professors are busy and need you to get to the point. Make sure your message is clear and concise. A significant portion of email etiquette revolves around being considerate of the recipient’s time.

Make sure that your email clearly identifies who you are. Including your first and last name, class, class time and day, and section number will help a professor to place you correctly.

Do not leave the subject line blank. The subject line is a deciding factor in whether someone will read on or not. Professors get a great deal of email, and they have to prioritize which emails to read and respond to first. Write a few words indicating the purpose of your message: “Request for a space in your class,” for example.

Explain why you are writing. Do you need to make an appointment to see the professor outside of their office hours? Do you have a conflicted exam schedule?

Whatever it is, make it straightforward. Use good grammar, punctuation and spelling. Double-check for embarrassing errors.

Respectfully Yours,

Jacquelyn

Have a question? Email: jacquelyn@ptd.net. Jacquelyn Youst is owner of the Pennsylvania Academy of Protocol, specializing in etiquette training.

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