Memorandum
July 15, 2021
To: Evan Crisp, UBC Student
From: Konstantin Mestnikov, ENGL 301 Student
Subject: Best Practices In Writing An Email to a Professor
Introduction
Thank you for requesting advice on writing an email to a professor about being added to a full course. Below is a list of suggestions that are helpful in eliciting a response from an instructor despite their potentially busy schedule and full inboxes.
Suggestions
Emails that lead to an effective communication with an instructor follow these recommendations:
- Including an informative subject line will convey the importance of the email to the professor and helps them to prioritize their reply.
- Adding personalized greeting using the professor’s name and expanding abbreviations in the closing section help establishing a polite and respectful tone.
- Starting with a personal introduction establishes a friendly tone and provides context to the email’s subject matter.
- Providing a personal reason for taking the course and making the reason to relate to one’s personal interests incites more empathy and involvement from the professor and increases the chance of a positive response.
- Rephrasing the imperative and demanding verbs in the email body into a polite request renders the message courteous and is more likely to result in an approval.
- Showing willingness to be open to various outcomes will signal flexibility and increase the willingness of the professor to find different ways to accommodate the request.
- Indicating appreciation of the professor’s effort to accommodate regardless of the outcome signals a good will and indirectly shows gratitude and understanding.
Conclusion
Effective communication with a professor can be challenging due to their busy schedules and various responsibilities. However, trying to have their perspective in mind and using a professional and concise style can go a long way in ensuring a best interaction experience. Please feel free to contact me at konstantin@student.ubc.ca if you have any further questions.
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