email etiquette: students and their teachers

[rbk mama]

What is your opinion regarding how a student should address/sign (or not) emails with their teachers? 

 

I feel like respect requires a "Hello Mrs. _____. ...... Thanks, Student's name."  -- At least at the start of the conversation.  DS disagrees ("It's an email!")  What do you think?

[lmrich]

Yes; please encourage your child to do the right thing. I am shocked at how kids send emails. Spell check it as well. 

[G5052]

I'm an online teacher and professor, and frankly I'm not offended if there's no greeting and closing. In my professional circles, that's the norm for many. I know who I am, and can figure out who they are from the header or the template name/title at the bottom if they're using a work account. I still do the closing myself, but I prefer that.

 

Spelling and complete sentences. Yes, PLEASE!

[Amateur Actress]

Yes, politeness and respect are required! An email is to this generation what a letter was to previous generations.

[Amateur Actress]

Here is one article I found:

 

https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2015/04/16/advice-students-so-they-dont-sound-silly-emails-essay

[creekland]

Add me to those who get e-mails from students fairly regularly and I don't give a hoot about the beginning or the end.  I tend to only read the main point.

 

I guess I'd be surprised if they called me by my first name as that isn't done at school, but that's about it.

 

I DEFINITELY prefer they use real words and correct spelling.

[regentrude]

As a college instructor, I see lack of email etiquette every day. From discussions with colleagues, it seems I am not alone in my expectations:

 

I feel that a proper email from a student should include a salutation like "Dear Mrs Smith", "Hi Mrs Smith" - or even just "Mrs Smith". If the instructor has a doctorate, the correct address is Dr. Smith. For college instructors, if it is unclear whether they have a doctorate, a  simple "Professor" is always fine, or if in doubt err on the side of caution and assume the doctorate.

Never address the instructor with just his last name - or with the first name unless the instructor has made it explicitly clear that this is her preferred way to be addressed.

 

The email needs to close with the student's name. It is not always obvious from the email address.

The email should contain information about the specific class the student is taking (many instructors teach several courses) and an informative subject line ("Physics 1: Homework question" or "Physics 2: Absence").

 

I do not find a salutation necessary in subsequent emails of the same conversation.

But emails that start without any greeting, or with "hi there" or "hey you" don't create a favorable impression. Which may be compounded by the experience that these emails tend to come from problem students, whereas the good students seem to have mastered proper etiquette... hm. I have always wondered why that is.

 

A little tip: sometimes may sometimes be uncomfortale to decide whether to greet the other person with "Hi" or "Dear" - one may sound too informal, the other too familiar. I have solved the problem for myself by beginning the emails with "Good morning, addressee". That is never wrong.

Edited February 8, 2016 by regentrude

[Starr]

It's always a plus to be polite and to the point. Long flowery emails don't get read carefully. Edit, edit, edit.

[elegantlion]

I prefer to send e-mails as small letters. Most of my college professors have e-mail guidelines and a greeting and closing is required. I generally don't use "dear" as it sounds too formal. I always sign my full name, some professors require  your school ID to be included. As students, we are reminded these e-mails are permanent in a sense and should be viewed as professional correspondence. 

 

Proper Subject heading is important. I e-mail my advisor what seems like several times a week. As we work on several different things together, I'm his student, his SI for one class, and he's overseeing my honor's project, I make sure my heading reflects which role I'm asking about. 

 

Another thing I have recommended to ds is that he needs to be sure to state the need, ask questions clearly. Make sure you note what it is you want the teacher to do about something, and ASK don't demand. The other thing I told him was to get into the habit of replying to their reply with a quick follow up such as "Thank you for the information" or "I appreciate you looking into that" type stuff. It tells them 1. you read the reply and 2.you're okay with whatever it said. That may be overkill in some instances, but I do it as default unless it's clear a reply is not necessary. 

[Reefgazer]

Add me to the list of people who feel an email should follow the formal letter format, with a greeting and closing.  While I don't *care* exactly how I am addressed, it reflects poorly on the student not to follow formal letter rules, IMO.  I also think it bodes poorly for that student when they have to apply for jobs and don't know how to construct a formal business letter.  I had one student email me and his opener was "Good Morning Sunshine!".   All I could think of was "Who taught this kid to write?"

[regentrude]

I made a big deal to my daughter over all of this until I saw how the teachers reply- it's just as informal. She does spell check and use complete sentences, but it's hard to beat the drum on formality when the teachers are being casual as well, so I stopped. Just our experience......

 

Just a word of caution: the relationship between student and instructor is not a symmetric one.

 

I hope students do not get the idea it is OK to address their profs by first name just because profs address students by their first names....

 

[Cosmos]

Formal or informal is one question and on that I would err on the side of formality.

 

But signing the email is a matter of functionality. Leaving out the signature may make it impossible for them to deal with the matter at hand, regardless of whether they are "offended" by its absence.  Sign the email SO THEY KNOW WHO IS WRITING. This is just basic common sense, no matter your view on the etiquette of it.

[klmama]

I've read the syllabi for my dc's college classes, and there are definitely expectations to be met.  All professors requested the student clearly identify the name of the class and class days/times in the headings of all emails and that they identify themselves in the body of each email.  One professor clearly states he will not respond to emails that do not include a proper salutation, even if it's relatively casual - Good morning, Dr.___ or Hi, (prof. first name) were both fine.  None of dc's profs will respond to emails after 5 p.m. or on weekends. 

[regentrude]

On the topic of student emails, let me once again give my PSA:

the student should make absolutely sure the question is not already answered in the syllabus or on any course materials.

Emails like "The schedule says there are no labs this week. So, do we have lab this week?" or "I could not find my lab TA's email address" (which, of course, is prominently located under Lab>Lab Instructors' contact information) do not elicit much good will on part of the instructor.

 

[regentrude]

  None of dc's profs will respond to emails after 5 p.m. or on weekends. 

 

I really should make a conscious effort not to do so either, sigh. Working on it this year.

[Woodland Mist Academy]

Formal or informal is one question and on that I would err on the side of formality.

 

But signing the email is a matter of functionality. Leaving out the signature may make it impossible for them to deal with the matter at hand, regardless of whether they are "offended" by its absence.  Sign the email SO THEY KNOW WHO IS WRITING. This is just basic common sense, no matter your view on the etiquette of it.

 

I agree. Sometimes it's difficult to tell the name from email addresses. Also, it requires the extra step of going to look for it. I would never send a letter through the mail with a return address on the envelope, but not sign the letter because they should know who sent it from the envelope or from the heading at the top. 

 

My goal is to make it as easy as possible for the person I'm emailing. By taking a few extra steps myself, I find I am more likely to get the response or action I need.

[creekland]

 I had one student email me and his opener was "Good Morning Sunshine!".   All I could think of was "Who taught this kid to write?"

 

Ok, that one would take me by surprise and get noticed in a not-so-good way, so I guess I do have some sort of limit in what I expect!

 

I don't care between common options though.

[Mom22ns]

Wow, I'm surprised to see so many people who treat email as a letter. I don't and never have, nor do I read many emails from people who do. Greetings are very rare in email and seem strange to me, however, dd always uses one. I do think an email should be signed. Email addresses don't always make the senders name obvious. In my book, "Thanks" and a signature is always appropriate if you have asked for something.

 

I am very offended by emails with poor spelling and grammar, but I do not expect an email to be a formal letter.

[rbk mama]

Thanks, everyone!!  I am going to share these responses with DS.  Love the article posted as well! :thumbup1:

[regentrude]

Wow, I'm surprised to see so many people who treat email as a letter. I don't and never have, nor do I read many emails from people who do. Greetings are very rare in email and seem strange to me

 

May I ask how much email you receive?

 

I am dealing with several hundred emails per month; the majority contain a salutation, unless it is a computer generated response to an online form.

[creekland]

May I ask how much email you receive?

 

I am dealing with several hundred emails per month; the majority contain a salutation, unless it is a computer generated response to an online form.

 

I just looked at my school e-mails (esp since I said I don't pay attention to salutations).  Most do not have them.  Our school uses google, so we automatically have the to and from (names) filled in outside of the actual e-mail.  I know which student or teacher or administrator sent what.

 

When getting letters from parents, they always include a salutation, but not usually from those of us in the system.

[G5052]

I just looked at my school e-mails (esp since I said I don't pay attention to salutations).  Most do not have them.  Our school uses google, so we automatically have the to and from (names) filled in outside of the actual e-mail.  I know which student or teacher or administrator sent what.

 

When getting letters from parents, they always include a salutation, but not usually from those of us in the system.

 

One school uses Schoology for student/teacher/parent messages, and it always gives the full name. That said, I usually try to be cheery in tone and close with "Mrs. X." We use Gmail for messages between teachers and the administration, and it always fills it out too. This morning I sent three emails to the main administrative contact, and neither of us used greetings or salutations. In each case the back-and-forth was only a sentence or two.

 

At the college level, we use Gmail, and it gives their legal name used when they registered. Some sign with their Americanized or nickname that I'm more familiar with and that helps of course. I sign with "Professor X."

 

FWIW, in the fall when I was teaching seven classes, It averaged 50-80 messages and emails a day in September when the semester was starting. Some of that is because I teach primarily online. Frankly, if I wrote a full reply to each one, my family would never see me. 

[angela in ohio]

I always started my co-op and tutorial classes with a quick lesson on how I expected students to communicate with me. I would write extreme examples of poor emails (casual greetings, slang, lack of context, etc.) on the board and we would laugh about them, but they got the point. 

 

I think some of this is a symptom of a gradual shift in how email is viewed. Students should assume that a professor or teacher probably has a more conservative view of email (like a letter) and expects an opening and closing. As someone else said, after the first email, you can drop a bit of the formality. 

 

Personally, I read and reply to emails on my phone more often than not, so I tend to view emails more and more like texts. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

I say hello and end with my name to make sure they know who is e-mailing them.  I don't get into "dear" and "sincerely".  That seems like a bit much.  I assume a prof would prefer you get to the point because they probably get a lot of e-mail.

 

 

[J-rap]

I think it depends on how well the student knows the teacher, but I do think it should at least begin with:

 

Mr. Smith,

 

and end with:

 

Thanks!

 

Susie

[daijobu]

I suggest you err on the side of formality at first, and then match the tone of the teacher for subsequent communications.  Some PhDs get mad if you don't call them "Dr." or "Professor" and others are fine with first names.  

[Ellie]

What is your opinion regarding how a student should address/sign (or not) emails with their teachers? 

 

I feel like respect requires a "Hello Mrs. _____. ...... Thanks, Student's name."  -- At least at the start of the conversation.  DS disagrees ("It's an email!")  What do you think?

 

I do not think it's necessary to have a salutation in an e-mail, any more than you need to address someone by name on a discussion forum when you have quoted that person's comment. 

 

I do think it's important to have a signature, though, and it couldn't hurt to say "thanks."

[Laura Corin]

Just a word of caution: the relationship between student and instructor is not a symmetric one.

 

I hope students do not get the idea it is OK to address their profs by first name just because profs address students by their first names....

 

 

The 'just because' is key.  At the ancient institution where I work, it's first names all round.  But it's important to know the culture.  For example, American students get themselves confused here because 'Professor' is a badge of high rank, not just the title of a lecturer.

 

Even with the first name culture, most emails that I see begin 'Dear Laura' and end 'Best regards'.

[elegantlion]

Wow, I'm surprised to see so many people who treat email as a letter. I don't and never have, nor do I read many emails from people who do. Greetings are very rare in email and seem strange to me, however, dd always uses one. I do think an email should be signed. Email addresses don't always make the senders name obvious. In my book, "Thanks" and a signature is always appropriate if you have asked for something.

 

I am very offended by emails with poor spelling and grammar, but I do not expect an email to be a formal letter.

My response was for academic or business email. For personal ones, I am much more casual.