Today's world is dominated by technology
Many students live their lives on the smartphones
testing and messaging their friends on Facebook; sending pictures of
good times and the not so good ones; communication is getting easier and
faster
and when students are writing to their teachers, they sometimes forget
that there are things that they need to consider
Here, Joey's writing an email to her instructor Peter Bramley
She's been sick, and missed her class, and she doesn't want her attendance record affected
She also doesn't want to miss out on anything important; let's see how she
gets on
Now, let me attend to some
of my emails
"Your student"
"I am sorry that I wasn't in class last week"
"I was ill and I can prove it"
"Please tell me the content of the lesson"
"ASAP"
"I am so worried. Thank you"
As you can see
Mr bramley's confused and irritated by the email; he doesn't know who it's from
the content is unclear, and the tone is rude; all in all
it is a very ineffective email that neither achieves its intention
nor leaves Mr Bramley with a good impression. There are a number of simple
things that you need to consider
when writing emails to faculty members; let's take a look
First of all, consider your email address
The email address you use will create an impression
If you're writing to a faculty member your advised to use your PolyU account
Second, pay attention to the greeting; in general
use "Dear", followed by the family name of the person you are writing to
plus the correct title; if your teacher is a lady
and you don't know her marital status use "Ms."
usually we use "Professor" only if the recipient
holds that title, so check this first
Thirdly make sure your subject is clear
Teachers receive lots of emails every day condense the main idea of your email
into a succinct subject, and use a noun phrase
where possible; for example if you are writing to ask for some ideas
for an essay title, you might write "Request for Assistance in Titling my essay
Fourthly consider the content of your email
Establish some good will; remember
that your teacher is a fellow human; it might be appropriate to write
"I hope this email finds you well", or "Thank you for teaching
us this semester"; the key is to be sincere
be clear and concise
avoid mentioning details you think are unnecessary
if you're sick and writing to explain your absence
it might not be necessary to explain your symptoms
however it might be appropriate to mention what the sickness is
refer to any attachments
readers often may not notice
that an email has something attached, so in the email
you should refer them to the attachment; attaching the file
before you type in anything is also a good way to ensure
that you have attached what you intended; avoid excessive punctuation
exclamation marks, smiley faces etc.
are best avoided since sending an email to your teacher requires a relatively
formal tone
avoid typing your message in capital letters; this can appear like you are
shouting
and is considered very disrespectful; consider an ending to establish goodwill
you want to finish on a positive and pleasant note
I look forward to seeing you soon would often be appropriate
if a future class is coming
Finally, include an appropriate ending; you can use "Best regards" or
"Kind regards" here; "sincerely" would be best reserved for longer
or more formal emails. Include the following at the end:
your full name and English name if applicable
your course code; your class day
and time; e.g. Monday 2:30 to 4:30
when you've finished your email
remember to proofread it before you send; you will be judged
on your email, so try to spot any mistakes you've made
and check attachments before you send; it's also a good idea
not to send an email when you're angry or emotional, but to wait
until you've calmed down. So let's put these rules into action with Mr.
Bramley's student. "Dear Mr Bramley"
"I hope this email finds you well"
"I'm writing to explain my absence from class on March 2nd"
"which was due to an upper respiratory tract infection"
I have attached a medical certificate with this email"
"I will find out from my classmates what I have missed"
"and ensure that I study it. I look forward to seeing you next class"
"Kind regards, Joey Chan"
So, how's Joey's email this time? Clear, precise
polite and effective. Her attendance record will remain intact
and she'll leave a good impression. By following these simple practices
next time you email the teacher you can ensure that you get your message across
and sharpen your communication skills for success both at University
and in your future workplace