Email / Professional Etiquette

In this course, failing to follow these guidelines may mean that you do not receive a response to your email.

General Etiquette Guidelines

• Always be formal in anything you write or say. You will never offend or annoy someone by being too formal and polite.
• While you are in college, your coursework is your job. Therefore, behave as you would in a professional work environment.
• When addressing your professors, use the title “Professor” or “Dr.” and their last/family name. For example, “Professor Smith” or “Dr. Smith.” Do not call them by their first names or anything else unless they explicitly ask you to do so.

Specific Email Guidelines

• Begin the email with any of the following formal salutations:
  • Dear/Hello Professor Smith,
  • Dear/Hello Prof. Smith,
  • Dear/Hello Dr. Smith,
• Do NOT begin the email with “Hi” or “Hey,” or without addressing your professor by their title and last name.
• Include a specific subject line. Emails that have (no subject) usually are not read.
• Provide 1-2 sentences introducing yourself and/or the reason you’re emailing. Telling the reader your purpose is important so that they understand your request.
• Use a formal, polite tone. Any email to a professor or teaching assistant should sound like a formal letter, not a text message or a demand to a customer service representative.
  • Avoid abbreviations such as: u, thx, btw, etc.
  • Avoid emojis and exclamation marks (!)
  • Avoid “spoken” language, such as: gonna, wanna
• When making requests (such as scheduling a meeting or asking for help), use the conditional tense to be polite. For example, “Would you be able to meet this Wednesday after class?” NOT  “When can we meet?
• End the email by saying “thank you,” such as in the following:
  • Thank you very much,
  • Thank you, and best,
  • Thank you in advance for your time and help,
• Write in complete sentences with correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
• Proofread your email before sending it! Emails with many mistakes appear careless.

Good example

Dear Professor Smith,

I’m an international civil engineering student at NC State in FLE 201: Oral Communication in English, and one of my assignments is to interview a professor.

I found your research listed on your faculty page very interesting, and I hoped I might be able to schedule a short interview with you about your field, research, and interests. It should only take about 15-20 minutes, and I would be happy to come to your office. I’m available Monday-Thursday next week in the morning, or another time at your convenience. I would very much appreciate your help and time if you’re able.

Thank you very much,

Jane

Bad example

hello
I need to interview a professor, so would you be able to help? It’s for my class and I need to hve it done next week. maybe can i talk with you tomorrow if u have office hours? 🙂

thx,

Jane