1. How to E-mail a Professor
A Writing Center Tutorial

2. The Wrong Way
From: Subject: my grades Hey i was just looking at my grades online and you forgot to add my grade for the reponse paper i wrote for the class activity. You told me you were gonna add this grade but its not there and it needs to be fixed now cause i have advising next week i need to show my advisor all my grades for the semester so far

3. The Subject Line my grades = not specific enough/all lowercase letters
Better:
Subject: Response Paper #3 Grade in UNIV 110
Identifies:
Specific issue
Course
Uses “book capitalization”

4. The Salutation/Opening
No salutation. Begins with “Hey”
Better:
Dear Dr. Jones,
Professor Jones,
Avoid: hey, hi, yo, howdy, etc. (You are talking to your professor, not your friend.)
Be careful about:
Dear Mrs. Smith,
Dear Emily,

5. The Tone Accusatory: “you forgot to add my grade”
“you told me you were gonna add this grade”
Demanding:
“it needs to be fixed”
“i need”
Better:
“I still don’t see a grade for this assignment.”
“When we spoke after class last Monday, you said you would probably be able to add this grade within a day or two.”

6. The Writing Capitalization (I, subject line) Spelling (reponse)
Usage (its/it’s)
Informal language (Avoid “gonna.”)
Punctuation (Add missing periods.)
Run-on sentences (Break with periods.)
Vagueness (What response paper? What class activity?)

7. The Better Way
From: Subject: Response Paper #3 Grade in UNIV 110 Professor Jones, I am a student in your 10:00 am MWF section of UNIV 110. I was just looking at my grades online, and I’m still not seeing a grade for Response Paper #3. I submitted this assignment two days late after receiving permission from you to write about the football game as a campus activity. When we spoke after class last Monday, you told me you would probably be able to add this grade in a day or two. I’m checking now because I am scheduled to meet with my advisor next week, and she wants to see all of my grades for the semester so far. Thanks for your help. --Jane D. Student

8. Why better? Maintains a more appropriate tone
Gives necessary information:
Conveys respect for the professor and for the professor’s time
Shows that the writer is interested in becoming a member of the academic community

9. Questions?
Writing Center
Kearns 205
(843) for appointments