E-MAIL ETIQUETTEHow to compose a message to a teacher

THE SITUATIONIt’s Tuesday afternoon, the day

before the test or project, and you’re not sure about the material. It’s too late to speak with the teacher. As you sit at your computer, staring at the open e-mail window, you freeze. How do you e-mail the teacher?

THE PROBLEME-mailing a teacher might seem

daunting, especially if she or he does not know you well. Following a few general principles, however, will help you establish communications with your teacher without worrying that you’ve lost face.

SUBJECT LINEAlways use a clear subject line. 

The subject “Test on parts of speech” or “The theology project” will work much better than “Heeelllp!” or “I have a question.”

Never leave the subject line blank.

BE FORMALAlways use a proper salutation when e-

mailing a teacher. Never begin an e-mail without a salutation.

Use “Dear” to begin the e-mail and address her or him by the name you would use if speaking to the teacher in person; for example, Dear Mr. Ryan, or Dear Ms. Forster, or Dear Sr. Fran.

Never begin an e-mail in a informal tone; for example: “Hey!”

IDENTIFY YOURSELFSpecify who you are by first and

last name, and specify which class you are in before diving into the specifics. Teachers have five classes and a homeroom, and they serve many students. Remember to always state your full name and class period.

FOR PARENTSWhen your parents e-mail a

teacher they should include your name and period. This is especially important if your surname (last name) is different from your parent’s.

BE THOROUGHAny time you send a message, you

should have two things in mind: audience and goal. Your audience here is a teacher, an authority figure. Your goal could be any number of things, from clarifying the reading assignment to asking for information about a test. Whatever your goal may be, you’ll want to anticipate any questions the teacher may have and incorporate the information into your message. 

SAMPLE MESSAGEDear Mrs. Higgins, My name is Kelly McCormick from your fifth period class. I was absent today, and I would like to find out the assignment for Thursday. GradeConnect only lists a reading assignment, but I wanted to make sure nothing is due to hand in Thursday. Thank you for your help. Sincerely, Kelly

TEACHER’S REACTION

The example above shows that Kelly indicated that she has already checked GradeConnect. This saves time and allows the teacher to simply respond, “Yes, there is a written assignment, and it is _____” or “There is no written assignment,” knowing that Kelly has already gone to the Web site.

PLAN YOUR MESSAGETeachers are people, too. They

have friends, families, and hobbies. When you e-mail a teacher, remember that you are communicating with a real person. Be kind, be thankful, and never come across as demanding. This can be accomplished with the “You Attitude,” a concept that asks you to consider yourself as the reader. What words or sentences would be

off-putting? 

PHRASES THAT SHOULD NEVER BE USED“Please get back to me as soon

as possible.” This sentence is demanding and pushy, and it gives a direct command — something you must avoid. After all, you are communicating with a teacher.

Other phrases to avoid: “Let me know right away.” “I need a response tonight.”

MORE DONT’SDo not write in all capitalized letters. This is known as shouting. Also, do not use exclamation points. ON YESTERDAY’S TEST, YOU MARKED AN ANSWER WRONG THAT WAS RIGHT!

Do not use multiple question marks. One is enough:Did you get my homework???

Follow capitalization rules: Do NOT Write Like This in an E-mail Message.

TWO LAST DONT’SDo not write to your teacher the

same way you write to your friends on the Internet. This is not texting, Facebook, or Twitter. Always be polite.

Do not e-mail your teacher late in the evening and expect a response.

PROOFREAD Perhaps the most important and final step,

proofreading ensures that you come across as professional and caring. An e-mail full of errors and faulty sentence structure is sure to enflame a teacher. After all, if your writing is unclear, the reader has to work to understand what you want. Do the work on your end, and make the message clear and easy to read.

Always re-read your e-mails and check for spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and grammatical mistakes before sending them.

GRAMMAR, SPELLING, PUNCTUATION, CAPITALIZATION  Instead of writing “idk what 2 rite about in

my paper can you help??” try something more like, “I am writing to ask about the topics you suggested in class yesterday.”

Examples of real, poorly written e-mails: Can u tell me what I got rong on my test???

Wheres the assidnment posted at. Izit on Grade Conect?

My mom asked me to ask you what i mist in class to-day.

THE RESPONSEIf a teacher has responded to

your request, always send a return e-mail saying "Thank you." Otherwise you will appear to be rude.

Also, teachers may not check e-mail daily. Do not be upset if the teacher does not respond the same day.

Information culled from:http://college.usatoday.com/2012/03/15/five-things-to-remember-when-e-mailing-a-professor/

http://philosophy.hku.hk/joelau/?n=Courses.WritingEmails

A special thanks to LF faculty for their suggestions.