10 Tips for Emailing Your Professor

Tips

1. Before emailing your professor, check your course outline, notes, CourseLink, and talk to classmates to find out what you missed.
2. Use your University of Guelph email account to email your professors.
3. In the subject line, include the course code and reason for your email.
4. Use a formal greeting, your professor’s title and their last name. For example, write ‘Dear Dr. Smith’ or ‘Hello Professor Smith.’
5. Always check spelling and grammar before you send your email.
6. Avoid abbreviations and words in all capital letters.
7. Keep your email professional and concise. Do not share unnecessary personal information.
8. If you would like your professor to do something for you (such as meet outside of office hours or act as a reference), ask with a polite and flexible question.
9. Write out your full name, and thank them for their assistance at the end of your email.
10. When you hear back from your professor, send a short email thanking them for their time.

Sample Email

To: profguelph@uoguelph.ca
Subject: ABCD*1001: Appointment Request

Dear Professor Guelph,

I am emailing you to request a meeting regarding the last assignment. I have met with my T.A., but I would like to receive further feedback from you about how I can improve for the next assignment.

May I arrange a time to meet with you? I am available today after 2:30pm, tomorrow morning, or Friday after 10:30am.

Thank you for your time,

Ima Gryphon
imagryphon@uoguelph.ca