How to Your Teacher Like a Professional By Jeremy S. Hyman and Lynn F. Jacobs, U.S. News and World ReportsJeremy S. HymanLynn F. Jacobs

1. is forever. Once you send it off, you can't get it back. Once your teacher has it, he or she owns it and can save it or, in the worst case, forward it onto colleagues for a good laugh—at your expense.

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2. Teachers might not open mail sent from or They prefer to open mail sent from more reputable addresses, like

3. Subject lines are for subjects Your subject line contains a short phrase that explains the nature of the (like "question about paper"). Never include demands such as "urgent request—immediate response needed." That's the surest way to get your request trashed.

5. Spelling mistakes make you look like a doofus. So always use the spel check, and proofread yyour , two.

6. Signoffs and signatures count. Always end by thanking the professor for his or her time, and closing with "Best" or "Regards" (or some other relatively formal, but friendly, closing). And always sign with your (entire) real name, not some wacky nickname like Ry-Ry or Biff.

From the files: To: Science Woman From: Subject: Hey can u tell me how to do number 4 on the problem set. i no u went over it in class but i have had a VERY LONG week lol tests ha ha ha and i lost my notes. pleeease help Stu

* Discuss some of the mistakes in this . * Think – pair – share with your shoulder partner.

1. The is invariably from a non-university account with some obnoxious or cutesy address, and no indication who the sender actually is. 2. The subject line is vague. Is it spam? Is it an old friend sending an update? Oh, maybe it’s from a student. Well, what do they want? Is it urgent? I don’t know until I open the no capitalization. ever. 4. No punctuation or wrong punctuation 5. Misspellings and internet slang, lol. 6. A lame excuse (totally unnecessary) is usually included (or will be in subsequent s) 7. No taking responsibility for the course materials on their own 8. Usually sent late the night before (or the morning of) an assignment deadline

* Write a short . * Use complete sentences. * Avoid using symbols (smileys, etc), unless it's a personal . * Don't use "reply all” unless you ABSOLUTELY must. * Don't forward s unless you ABSOLUTELY must. * Use proper grammar. * Be as formal as you should be for the recipient. * Be clear, since the reader can't hear your voice. * Be polite, include please, thank you, and other kind phrases. * Triple check the "To:" field, and the subject line, to make sure you don't mis-send the . * If you are ing a professor include your course name and section number (i.e. Schutt, Cherylin – ENG 101 MWF Course #10015