Need to reach out to a professor? Here’s some advice on email etiquette.

• Be professional—use correct capitalization, spelling, paragraphs, punctuation, etc. 
• Write a subject line that identifies your topic from their perspective (don’t write “history class” for your history professor)
• Open with a salutation (“Dear Professor ___,” or “Hello Professor ____,”)
• Provide context to introduce yourself or the situation
• Check the syllabus and other docs to make sure the info you need isn’t already there (you can even say “I checked the syllabus and couldn’t find info on X”)
• If you miss a class, do not ask the professor “did I miss anything?” Ask what you missed—they plan every class!

Just remember that like you, professors are busy people doing their best, and if you exercise empathy and courtesy, you can’t go wrong!