Memorandum
To: Evan Crisp, UBC student
From: Anusha Saleem, ENGL 301 student
Date: 20th November 2020
Subject: Best practices for writing an email to a professor, seeking to be added to a full course
I appreciate you reaching out to seek advice regarding the communication process with the professor of the ENGL course. You can expect a greater chance of reply with the following highlights of best practices when writing emails to professors.
- Email address – Emails sent using professional-looking addresses have a greater chance of landing in the designated inbox rather than the junk/spam folder. A professional-looking address consists of a first and last name, along with a few digits if needed. It would also help to have an email address given by an institution so that it seems authentic.
- Subject – The subject line is the first thing that grabs the reader’s attention. A short sentence that gives the gist of the following email can make a perfect subject line.
- Addressing the reader – Avoiding colloquialisms when addressing the recipient of the email can lead to a promising start. Using “Dear ..”, or “Hello Mr./Ms./Mrs..” or any suitable respectable title will help in gaining the trust and favour of the reader.
- Body – The body of the email is where being as specific as possible to the purpose of the email is helpful. Avoiding inappropriate language and abbreviations help in making the text sound professional. Following proper formatting with a central idea for each paragraph and removing the use of imperatives will lend to coming-off as respectful rather than condescending.
- Closing – Where needed, leaving contact information like phone numbers and student numbers will help the recipient to follow up on the email. Also, thanking the reader when finishing an email will leave a positive impression and increase the chances of a reply.
Emails are an essential part of communication at this time. Following the mentioned practices will help you and allow you to draft your email more professionally and increase your chances at a response.
Please allow me to help you with any questions or concerns by emailing me at anushasaleem93@gmail.com. I wish you the best of luck.
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