Contact with your instructor is very valuable and you shouldn鈥檛 hesitate to get in touch. However, you want to make sure your email gets you the information you want in the most positive and efficient way possible, for both your sake and your instructor鈥檚! Here are 10 basics to remember:
1. Don鈥檛 ask them something when the answer is readily available
Read the syllabus and check Brightspace first. Not surprisingly, being asked about something that is in the course outline is a major sore point for instructors. It wastes their time and it gives away the fact that you didn鈥檛 read the syllabus. Some other questions are the kind that can be answered with a basic Google search (like the definition of a term). If you want to go deeper, or if you couldn鈥檛 find the information in the outline, by all means send that email!
2. Be courteous
That doesn鈥檛 mean you have to be rigidly formal, but use the proper salutation (if you aren鈥檛 sure, Professor X is generally safe) when you email them. Don鈥檛 use only their first name unless they have told you to, or have signed an email to you in that way. Keep your questions and comments polite. Don鈥檛 complain if you don鈥檛 get an immediate response! Instructors handle a lot of emails 鈥� give them time.
3. Identify yourself and the course you are in
Most instructors teach more than one course so they need some context. Supplying your name is professional and appropriate. And you want to identify yourself, especially as an online student, so you can build a relationship with your instructor.
4. Be precise and specific in your question
Make sure you include the information your instructor needs and make it clear what you need from them. A vague email is not going to get you the information you want.
5. Don鈥檛 email multiple people (instructor, TA, department, etc.)
If you do, no one knows who has responded and you risk not getting an answer at all. Plus, it鈥檚 kind of rude. You don鈥檛 have to get all those people involved 鈥� one will do.
6. Keep it short
Include relevant information but avoid going into too much unnecessary detail.
7. Proofread your email
Don鈥檛 risk leaving off the 鈥渙鈥� in 鈥渉ello鈥�. Catch those auto-corrects, misspellings and missing words.
8. Use your 杏吧原创 email address
Many personal email addresses can look like spam, especially if there is an attachment. And some have some pretty goofy names. Plus, 杏吧原创鈥檚 communications policy states that you should be using your 杏吧原创 email when contacting instructors.
9. Use the subject line well
The subject line should be relevant and useful. You want it to be easily identified when your instructor scans through their inbox.
10. Thank your instructor for their response and help
It鈥檚 only polite, and it builds your relationship with them!