What to include in a formal email:

1. Use your school email account. This includes your student number
which helps me know how to contact you to reply.
2. Subject line: this is for the main idea you want to discuss!! Not your
whole message.
What to include:
1. Use your school email account. This includes your student number which
helps me know how to contact you to reply.
2. Subject line: this is for the main idea you want to discuss!! Not your whole
message.
3. Start with a greeting. Use your instructor’s preferred form of address
• Clue: how do they sign off their emails to you? If they use their full title, you need to
respond with that same title. If they respond with their name, it is ok to use the same
name.
• If you are unsure, always use title and last name (Dr. Cudworth, Mr. Jones, etc.). If you
don’t know their title (check the syllabus!), you can use “Professor”, ex: Professor Jones
• Begin with “Dear”, unless you know the person or want to be less formal. Less formal:
hello, hi, etc.
What to include:
4. Remind the professor who you are.
list your name, class, and section number
What to include:
5. Write in complete sentences. This is a professional message, not a
Facebook post. (Also, no emojis or text/internet lingo such as
“2morrow”) Also use proper punctuation and capitalization.
6. Keep the tone professional. It is up to the professor to initiate more
casual conversation. If the professor uses informal language and emojis,
then you can too. But you shouldn’t be the first to do so; wait for the
professor to do it first.
7. Make requests politely. Don’t make demands. Phrase your issue as a
request that the professor can give or not.
• Instead of: “My grandmother died. Give me an extension on this
paper.”
What to include:
8. State the action you want the professor to take. If you want a
response to the email, say so. If you want a meeting, request an
appointment.
What to include:
8. State the action you want the professor to take. If you want a
response to the email, say so. If you want a meeting, request an
appointment.
9. End the email with a formal closing
Clue: Set your signature on your email account so your contact
information will be included in every email you send.
What to include:
8. State the action you want the professor to take. If you want a
response to the email, say so. If you want a meeting, request an
appointment.
9. End the email with a formal closing
Clue: Set your signature on your email account so your contact
information will be included in every email you send.
10. Proof read before hitting ‘send’!!