Description: This assignment aimed at writing a memorandum summarizing suggestions to Evan Crisp, a hypothetical UBC student who had struggles with contacting a UBC instructor. In this assignment, we were expected to write with a You-attitude.

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.