Email Etiquette

Email Etiquette

Emailing your advisor, or another university professional? Emails, like texting, calling, and speaking in person, have their own rules for what is appreciated and even appropriate.  Follow these simple guidelines to encourage positive interactions, quicker response times, and foster a good relationship with your email recipient!

Email Dos

DO Be Professional
DO Be Concise

  • Begin your email with a proper salutation (Greetings, Dear, Good morning Ms./Mr./Mx./Dr./etc _________). Keep the “Hey” and “Sup” greetings special by only using them with friends, not people in your academic and professional circles. 
  • Have a clear and informative subject line. 
  • Make sure to include identifying information relevant to your recipient like your student ID number when emailing an advisor or the class you are in when reaching out to a teacher. 
  • Always email from your school email. There are rules and even laws that can stop someone from responding to your non-UArizona email!
  • When asking questions, make sure to be specific and clear! It is best to assume your recipient will only answer what is explicitly written and that they have no memory of prior conversations. A little bit of context can go a long way in helping others to help you! 
  • Use a professional sign-off (Sincerely, Best, Best Regards, etc).
  • Give at least 3 business days for your recipient to respond before reaching out again about the same email. 

Email Donts

DON’T Be Too Casual
DON’T Be Vague

  • Don’t forget to greet your recipient. It would be pretty weird to start in the middle of a conversation when in person and it’s the same over email. 
  • Don’t expect an immediate response. Remember that your recipient probably only checks their emails Monday-Friday and you are likely not the only person in their inbox. Give them time to turn their attention fully to your needs. 
  • Don’t overuse words like URGENT or IMPORTANT. These words are the equivalent to “Wolf” in the Boy Who Cried Wolf, so let’s make sure to use them ONLY when really necessary. 
  • Don’t forget to check your other resources before emailing a university professional. If you have an advising question, make sure to check the Psychology Advising and UArizona websites before sending an email! Information on things like registration deadlines, academic policies, and contact information for other departments can often be found online.