E-mailing a professor you never had

<p>Hey, I'm going to e-mail a professor, but it is a question about the course, I don't know her yet so I was wondering how you guys would adress her in the e-mail? She has a masters.</p>

<p>Dear Professor <strong><em>(her last name)</em></strong>__,</p>

<p>blah blah blah</p>

<p>Sincerely,
Burgler09</p>

<p>Alright, I wasn't sure if professor was the best way to address them or not, thanks</p>

<p>If they have a doctorate/professional degree (MD, DO, PharmD, etc...) , I would address them as Dr. <professor's name="">. Otherwise, I would say Professor <professor's name="">.</professor's></professor's></p>

<p>
[quote]
Alright, I wasn't sure if professor was the best way to address them or not, thanks

[/quote]

No problem. Even if the prof has a doctorate, I sometimes still use the honorific "professor ____." No one minds.</p>

<p>im not sure if you should use the title professor if theyre not a professor. they can always be a grad student/phd student.</p>

<p>call them by their first name. You are not their student yet, and are therefore an equal.</p>

<p>or call them, esteemed lastname or some kind of bs where you basically brown nose them.</p>

<p>i took the first reply's advice.. all done :D haha no more need for this thread :P</p>

<p>now youre going to fail.</p>

<p>What's new?</p>

<p>Since this thread has served it's purpose, there's something I've always wanted to say.</p>

<p>Burgler, the correct spelling is "burglar".</p>

<p>I'd go with "Professor So-and-so".</p>

<p>It seems as if these days, people are saying "Professor" to and about all kinds of people who are college instructors.</p>

<p>When I'm just getting to know someone who is above me in the academic hierarchy (which is virtually everyone), I err on the side of being too formal. People who want to be called by their first names (or "Ms. So-and-so") will just tell me that and move on. On the other hand, if I start by calling someone by her first name or "Ms. So-and-so" and they are firm believers in a more respectful term of address, I run the risk of offending them, and that's a memory they'll keep for a long time.</p>

<p>I'm really confused as to what to call them. My chem teacher always corrected everyone that he is "DOCTOR". My adjunt professor this semester introduced himself as Mr. Another one always corrected others when they called him "Dr." to say that he doesn't have that degree. My other ones didn't care what you called them. Is there a certain way to tell what they should be called (like what degree they have)?</p>

<p>The general rule of thumb is to err on the side of being more formal. People will rarely be offended if you address them too formally, but you may offend them if you act too informal. </p>

<p>If they have a faculty position then you should address them as Professor (check on their webpage to see what their position is). Dr is also generally fine too assuming they have a PhD</p>

<p>Sometimes, especially in arts or architecture faculties, someone might be a 'professor' but not a 'dr' (they might have an MFA for example). In those cases I find they generally prefer to go by Professor whereas those with PhDs just go by Dr.</p>

<p>"Hello,
I have a question about the course...."</p>

<p>Thanks rocketman08! I have one more question, what do you call an adjunct? I don't remember the degree (his website is now MIA), but I can't remember if it was just a BS or a Masters.</p>

<p>
[quote]
Burgler, the correct spelling is "burglar".

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I know that, but burgler is just the way i spell it for my nickname. I use burgler for all my accounts, I know how to spell burglar .. :P</p>