Email Etiquette

From your perspective, email probably feels boring and antiquated. But most of your instructors are GenX and Millennials, which means they can (almost) remember when email was new and exciting. In any case, Pitt gave you each @pitt.edu email accounts for a reason: promptly responding to communication from your official account is a course requirement, not just a courtesy.

And it is important to give good email. At a bare minimum:

• Write a clear subject line.
  • For instance, it is helpful to include course number and topic (e.g., “HIST 0753: Question about Assignment 2”)
• Open with a stodgy, formal greeting: “Dear Professor Professorson”
  • “Hello Professor Professorson,” “Greetings,” etc., is probably okay… but avoid “Hey dude.”
  • Pro-tip: if your instructor (or boss) responds to your salutation with their first name, you can address them that way going forward. (Remember: your instructors are ̶i̶̶n̶̶s̶̶e̶̶c̶̶u̶̶r̶̶e̶̶ ̶a̶̶n̶̶d̶̶ ̶v̶̶a̶̶i̶̶n̶̶ justifiably proud of the achievements that gave them that doctorate, so err on the side of caution until they indicate otherwise.)
• Remind your instructor who you are: e.g., “I’m Abed Nadir from your Tuesday/Thursday HIST 0753 ‘Conspiracy Theories & Interior Design’ (class.”
  • Your instructors are interacting with hundreds of students each day. Plus they are old and broken and their backs hurt. Do them this kindness.
• State your purpose clearly, getting to the point immediately.
  • It should be clear just from scanning through the email what the “ask” is, what the associated deadlines are, whether this is a time-sensitive email or one that can wait until the weekend.
• Wrap it up professionally: “Best regards,” “Thank you,” “Sincerely.”

Other considerations:

• Always, always acknowledge an email sent to you by an instructor, especially if it addressed you directly.

  • This can be a quick “understood!”; but if you do not respond, you’ve added a new item to your instructor’s already very full to-do list.

• Responding within 24 hours is “delightfully prompt”; within 48 hours is “on time”; and 72 hours or more is “delinquent.”

• Use proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

  • Don’t email the way you text: these are different mediums. No emails that are all lower case, no emojis, and, for the love of god, no gifs.

Sample Email

Subject: HIST 1287: "Nicolas Cage: Good or Bad?"" - Extra Credit Opportunity Question

Dear Professor Duncan,

My name is Annie Edison, and I'm in your Monday/Wednesday "Nicolas Cage: 
Good or Bad?" seminar. I'm preparing my final argumentative essay (currently 
at 47 pages, but I can trim it down), and I wanted to ask: does citing 
National Treasure 2 count as a primary or secondary source?

Also, I noticed the syllabus mentions a possible extra credit opportunity for 
attending a Nic Cage film festival. I've already purchased tickets to all 
seven screenings and prepared comparative viewing notes. Should I submit 
those separately, or incorporate them into my final thesis defense?

Thank you for your time, and I look forward to our class debate on Thursday!

Best regards,
Annie Edison  
Sophomore, Pre-Law  

Additional Resources

• Purdue OWL: Email Etiquette for Students
• UW-Madison Writing Center
• Boston University Email Guide