How to Communicate Effectively
Communicating with your professors can be intimidating especially if you don’t know how to do it effectively. Shooting off an email that isn’t polished and doesn’t include important information will make a poor impression and be unproductive.
Remember, it’s not just what you say but how you say it. Make a great impression and learn how to communicate effectively with your faculty! Opportunities will be afforded to you if you can demonstrate competency and a large part of that quality is how you communicate.
So, before you hit “send” be sure your email has the right tone and details to ensure it lands right in your professor’s inbox.
Six Elements Your Communication Should Have:
- Use a formal register and avoid slang or jargon (e.g., lol, slay, etc.).
- Properly address your professors by titles and names (e.g., Dr. Jones, Professor McGonagall, etc.).
- Identify yourself and the class you are enrolled in including the section as many faculty teach multiple classes and multiple sections of those courses (e.g., “This is Jack Black in section 005 of your ENG 201 class.”).
- Explain the reason for your message (e.g., questions about topics, missing an exam, can’t make office hours, etc.)
- Take responsibility and offer a solution to your problem (e.g., I’ve completed the reading assignments and practice problems, met with the T.A.s, and I’m still struggling to understand. Would it be possible to meet before class or during office hours to get some help?)
- Be respectful and considerate of your professors’ time (e.g., “Let me know if there’s something else I should do or try. Thank you for your time.”)
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