Memorandum
To: Evan Crisp, UBC Student
From: Meera Patel, English 301 Student
Date: July 20, 2020
Subject: Writing Effective Email Requests
Here are the tips you requested for writing effective email messages to a professor. These principles can improve the Professor’s response to your request.
- Addressing a professor respectfully and politely is appropriate for all situations.
- Highlighting actions the professor can take (make another seat available in the full class) rather than what the student cannot (graduate as intended).
- Emphasizing positive facts, popularity, and demand for the class led to students having filled it quickly.
- Considering your reasoning for interest in the class outside of graduation requirements, to protect the professor’s ego.
- Expressing goal-orientation, by including the expected graduation date.
- Expressing appreciation towards the Professor for accommodating you.
- Dismissing negative facts, absence from initial classes, and lack of interest in taking another course or section to fill the credit requirement.
- Focusing on structure, punctuation, and grammar for a professional appearance.
Emails are an essential tool for making requests. Following these tips can improve the professor’s response to your request to be added to their full course. If you have any questions, please email me at meerapatel049@gmail.com.
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