In an online learning environment almost all of your communication with faculty members will be written. You might not have ever written an email to a professor before, but now you will need to on a regular basis. Think carefully about your email communications to faculty. Consider the following when sending your professor an email:
- Most professors have multiple courses, so identify your full name and the course name and section you are inquiring about in the email.
- Enter a meaningful description in the subject line so the faculty member knows the purpose of your email; consider adding the course name/section in the subject line too.
- Proofread your message to ensure the writing is clear and error free.
- Use a standard salutation (Dear Professor_______) rather than slang (“Hey Jim”)
- Be patient. Do not send an email with a question that needs to be answered immediately. If you have an urgent question, visit your professor during his or her virtual office hours.
- Check either the syllabus or with your faculty directly as they may have a specific manner in which you should address emails or other digital communications.
