Email Etiquette After Acceptance

[TransnationalHistory]

Up until now, every email I've received from a program was signed with a full name, and so I would respond with Professor [insert last name]. But I just got an email from one professor in my field, and they signed the email only with their first name. I guess I'm inclined to still respond with a formal title, but does anyone know what the proper etiquette for this is? I know the program prides itself on being supportive/friendly....so if a professor signs an email with a first name, is that how they want you to address them? I know this is nitpicky, but I want to make a good first impression. Thanks!

[barricades]

I always call them by their title until it's perfectly clear that it's OK not to. How do I realize it's OK? Either they will flat out tell me or it will naturally come to that point through personal interaction. I wouldn't rely on how people sign their emails. Some people initial it, others don't even sign it.

[pudewen]

Up until now, every email I've received from a program was signed with a full name, and so I would respond with Professor [insert last name]. But I just got an email from one professor in my field, and they signed the email only with their first name. I guess I'm inclined to still respond with a formal title, but does anyone know what the proper etiquette for this is? I know the program prides itself on being supportive/friendly....so if a professor signs an email with a first name, is that how they want you to address them? I know this is nitpicky, but I want to make a good first impression. Thanks!

If the professor signs with a first name only, and addresses you by first name, you should just respond with their first name. Otherwise, I'd stick on the safe side and use "Professor So-and-so." I've actually had two really different levels of formality with my two schools. One of my prospective advisers still addresses me as "Mr. last name" after several e-mails back and forth (all of which I've signed with just my first name), while the other signs with his first name and seems happy to have me reply that way.

edit: I disagree with barricades; signing an e-mail with just a first name is a clear sign that they want you to use their first name - it's just a way of saying it's ok without explicitly asking you to do so (probably since they know some students are uncomfortable calling professors by their first name regardless of whether the professor is ok with it). Any other form of signature (initials, full name, title) is at best ambiguous (so stay formal), but use of a first name isn't/

Edited February 22, 2011 by pudewen

[newms]

I know this can be an awkward situation - I've adopted the rule of just calling them Prof X until they say otherwise. One prof I've been in communication with since acceptance told me I could call him by his first name, prior to that I used Prof. X.

[barricades]

Well, I'd say it's like dressing up when visiting schools and everything.

You can never overdress (up to a certain point, of course), but underdressing is bound to cause you more trouble if you are dealing with someone nitpicky.

Professors who don't care will just tell you so, and while that might be slightly awkward, it is a lot less awkward than having someone demanding respect for their title.

[Emerson]

Yeah, I would continue to call them "Professor [blank]" until they literally ask me to call them by their first name. I just like to be on the safe side.

[ecg1810]

If the professor signs with a first name only, and addresses you by first name, you should just respond with their first name. Otherwise, I'd stick on the safe side and use "Professor So-and-so." I've actually had two really different levels of formality with my two schools. One of my prospective advisers still addresses me as "Mr. last name" after several e-mails back and forth (all of which I've signed with just my first name), while the other signs with his first name and seems happy to have me reply that way.

edit: I disagree with barricades; signing an e-mail with just a first name is a clear sign that they want you to use their first name - it's just a way of saying it's ok without explicitly asking you to do so (probably since they know some students are uncomfortable calling professors by their first name regardless of whether the professor is ok with it). Any other form of signature (initials, full name, title) is at best ambiguous (so stay formal), but use of a first name isn't/

I have to agree with pudewen. Although I, too, tend to err on the side of caution when interacting with professors, several advisers have assured me that many professors are very conscious of how they sign their names, and thus it's usually safe for you to address them based on signatures. For example, my mentor signed her full name in e-mail correspondence with me until the day of my (undergraduate) graduation; she didn't sign a message to me with her first name until just a few hours after I received my diploma. I know this isn't a fantastic example since I already knew my mentor well when she gave me the implicit "OK" to address her informally--but it does show that some professors consider the signature detail important. To each his/her own.

Edited February 22, 2011 by ecg1810

[♀HealthMatters]

I have only received two e-mails from department secretaries. While I did e-mail at least one POI at each of the 14 schools I applied to, only a few returned my e-mails. I have decided, for my ego's sake, that it is because I am 'just' a MA student and not PhD (yet).

[TransnationalHistory]

Thanks for all of your input!

[Riotbeard]

My adviser signs his first name but does not want to be addressed as such. Better to be too formal than cross a boundary.

[Eigen]

If the professor signs with a first name only, and addresses you by first name, you should just respond with their first name. Otherwise, I'd stick on the safe side and use "Professor So-and-so." I've actually had two really different levels of formality with my two schools. One of my prospective advisers still addresses me as "Mr. last name" after several e-mails back and forth (all of which I've signed with just my first name), while the other signs with his first name and seems happy to have me reply that way.

edit: I disagree with barricades; signing an e-mail with just a first name is a clear sign that they want you to use their first name - it's just a way of saying it's ok without explicitly asking you to do so (probably since they know some students are uncomfortable calling professors by their first name regardless of whether the professor is ok with it). Any other form of signature (initials, full name, title) is at best ambiguous (so stay formal), but use of a first name isn't/

I'm going to disagree with this. I know a lot of prof's who sign e-mails with their first name but wouldn't really want to be addressed as such.

Unless you have a pretty close working relationship with them, or they've specifically told you to call them by their first name, I'd stick with appending "Dr." or "Professor" to their name. I still do it with about half of my department (mostly professors I don't talk to more than once or twice a week), and call about half of my department by their first names. It's the same with most of the other graduate students- everyone calls the prof's they work with a lot by their first names, and is a bit more formal with the others.

[natsteel]

I know this can be an awkward situation - I've adopted the rule of just calling them Prof X until they say otherwise. One prof I've been in communication with since acceptance told me I could call him by his first name, prior to that I used Prof. X.

This is how I am approaching it. In emails, I will use Prof. xxxx, until they tell me in person to call them by their first name. Then I would use the first name in emails as well. It's always better to err on the side of formality, especially in the beginning. Besides, you've got the next five years (at least) to call them by their first name...

[TMP]

Of course, address them formally until they decide that it's too formal! Do this until you get to the campus when you have a better idea of how relaxed the department is. I know of one campus where professors continued to address one and another "Dr. X." This drove me nuts for several reason. One is that I have REAL doctors in my family and every time I hear "Dr." it's MD, not PhD even though I know that the PhD does entitle one to be called "Dr." The other is that I come from rather relaxed departments where everyone talks to each other on first-name basis.

Oh yeah, I agree about people signing e-mails with first AND last names...

In any case, if you can always use formal address, it will certainly show that you were raised by a good mama!

[ecg1810]

This is how I am approaching it. In emails, I will use Prof. xxxx, until they tell me in person to call them by their first name. Then I would use the first name in emails as well. It's always better to err on the side of formality, especially in the beginning. Besides, you've got the next five years (at least) to call them by their first name...

This makes sense, and now I want to place an asterisk next to my first post.

When I wrote my previous comment, I had a particular POI correspondence looming in the back of my mind. I e-mailed a professor to see if she planned to accept doctoral students during the 2010-2011 application season so I would know whether or not to include her in my SOP. In her first reply she signed her full name, but closed all subsequent messages with her first. I continued to address her formally in e-mails until I ended up meeting her during a campus visit. Although she never explicitly asked me to call her by her first name during our face-to-face discussion, I started to feel stilted addressing her as "Dr. So-and-so" in messages I sent after I met her (especially since she continued to close e-mails with her first name). I then began using her first name in correspondence.

So, as others have said, waiting until you've met the professor in question before addressing him/her informally probably is the safest way to go. My rambling, inarticulate two cents, for what they're worth.

N.B. One of my advisers said that many professors will go through the trouble of correcting students if they're not comfortable with the way they've addressed them. Obviously, this would be an awkward experience to go through, but my adviser assured me that she's had to correct students before (just undergraduates though), and that she didn't think less of them because of their SNAFU, but recognized it as a genuine misunderstanding and moved on.

[neuropsychosocial]

N.B. One of my advisers said that many professors will go through the trouble of correcting students if they're not comfortable with the way they've addressed them. Obviously, this would be an awkward experience to go through, but my adviser assured me that she's had to correct students before (just undergraduates though), and that she didn't think less of them because of their SNAFU, but recognized it as a genuine misunderstanding and moved on.

I've never been embarrassed by someone asking me to address him/her by a less formal title, but I would be mortified if it went the other way. I think it's okay to ask a professor - after significant correspondence or after acceptance - how she/her would like to be addressed, especially as a grad student. Many professors will ask how we want to be addressed, too. ("Do you go by neuro, or is it neuropsychosocial?") It's hard to go wrong with the more formal address, though, especially at the beginning. It looks respectful and professional, and being corrected "down" is so much better than "up," IMHO.

[Herbie]

Mine are generic.

"Dr. X

blahblah

My First/Last"

I still do that with professors from my undergrad out of respect - sometimes if we're RE:'ing enough, I won't mention their name or mine though. Depends on the lightness of the e-mail really.

I have made a signature so I don't have to keep re-typing stuff. In this case, I don't use my name at all, since I spaced it to where it immediately proceeds the message.

[ecg1810]

I've never been embarrassed by someone asking me to address him/her by a less formal title, but I would be mortified if it went the other way. I think it's okay to ask a professor - after significant correspondence or after acceptance - how she/her would like to be addressed, especially as a grad student. Many professors will ask how we want to be addressed, too. ("Do you go by neuro, or is it neuropsychosocial?") It's hard to go wrong with the more formal address, though, especially at the beginning. It looks respectful and professional, and being corrected "down" is so much better than "up," IMHO.

Oh, I'd certainly be mortified if a professor "corrected me down," neuropsychosocial (or is "neuro" okay? ). I included this anecdote as sort of a "worst case scenario" blurb--i.e., if you take a chance and screw up, it's not the end of the world. . . even though I'd definitely worry/freak out needlessly afterword because that's just the way I roll. (BTW, I meant to only refer to "correcting down" situations in my anecdote. Sorry if I wasn't clear.)

Edited February 23, 2011 by ecg1810

[nervousnelly]

I am going to agree with the vast majority here who say be formal until explicitly told otherwise or until you are very, very familiar with them (which probably won't happen until you've been their student for a while).

But I wanted to add this: I have heard my own mother (who is a psychology prof.) get angry when students (usually undergraduates) assume that she is not a professor because she is a woman. You'd be surprised how often it happens. In the same note, they'll address her male colleague as "Dr. So-and-so" and they'll call her "Mrs. Last-name." Sometimes this will continue even after she's sent them e-mails with her title and rank in the signature. (For what it's worth, I think studies actually show that women are less likely to be addressed by their professional title than are men.) Anyway, I know that until she says otherwise with a student, she expects the title. She might be more sensitive about this than others, but I suspect not by much.

[Eigen]

One is that I have REAL doctors in my family and every time I hear "Dr." it's MD, not PhD even though I know that the PhD does entitle one to be called "Dr."

Hahaha.

Sorry. But honestly, remember that an MD is a much, much more recent degree than a PhD. The real doctor is the PhD, an MD is a "Doctor of Practice", so to speak- as are JD, DVM and DDS degrees, as is the more recent DEng. In the states, all are roughly equivalent to a masters degree.

And please, please remember to never mention "real doctors" around your professors.

Edited February 23, 2011 by Eigen

[TMP]

Hahaha.

Sorry. But honestly, remember that an MD is a much, much more recent degree than a PhD. The real doctor is the PhD, an MD is a "Doctor of Practice", so to speak- as are JD, DVM and DDS degrees, as is the more recent DEng. In the states, all are roughly equivalent to a masters degree.

And please, please remember to never mention "real doctors" around your professors.

Don't worry about that.

Wait, now there's a Doctor of Engineering?

[Eigen]

Don't worry about that.

Wait, now there's a Doctor of Engineering?

Deng (more common in the UK, offered about 6 places in the US, iirc) more common in Aerospace Engineering, I think- but yeah, it's out there. There's the EdD as well, if I recall.

[cschields]

My question is slightly different than the OP but no less a matter of etiquette that I'm sure many of us are confronting.

After receiving offers of admission from the DGS or Department Chair -- in other words, not personally from your POI -- is it advised to informally e-mail your POI to convey your excitement about working with them and that you anticipate accepting the offer? I should add, of course, that I will be accepting the offer from this school.

I'm hesitant to send an e-mail without pressing questions, or a note that does not solicit a response (they're busy people, after all), but I know that my POI lobbied for me and I'd like to make her aware of my intentions. Do I need to appear measured right now or can I infuse this oft cryptic dance with some informal enthusiasm?

[ecg1810]

My question is slightly different than the OP but no less a matter of etiquette that I'm sure many of us are confronting.

After receiving offers of admission from the DGS or Department Chair -- in other words, not personally from your POI -- is it advised to informally e-mail your POI to convey your excitement about working with them and that you anticipate accepting the offer? I should add, of course, that I will be accepting the offer from this school.

I'm hesitant to send an e-mail without pressing questions, or a note that does not solicit a response (they're busy people, after all), but I know that my POI lobbied for me and I'd like to make her aware of my intentions. Do I need to appear measured right now or can I infuse this oft cryptic dance with some informal enthusiasm?

I think it's a good idea to respond, cschields, especially if you anticipate accepting. (I recently asked my mentor the same question, in fact.) It's always advisable to keep in touch with prospective schools that have made offers since so much can potentially fall through the cracks during the admissions process.

[lilorangecup]

Okay. Dr. v. Professor v. First name is legit. Never Mr. or Mrs. for someone who holds a MD or PhD.

I side with the NYTimes Style Guide and opt not to use Dr. for anyone that isn't a MD. At least not initially. If they hold a PhD and request it, great, I'm happy to oblige. I prefer, however, to address professors with "Dear Professor..." If asked/instructed to use the first name I'm happy to do that as well.

But to reiterate the major theme of the discussion, it is better to be overly formal and stay on the safe side.

---

From Phillip Corbett in the NYTimes usage blog, "After Deadline."

http://topics.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/13/faqs-on-style/?scp=4&sq=style%20dr.%20mr.%20mrs.&st=cse

Who’s a Dr.?

Our continued use of courtesy titles — increasingly rare in the news media — prompts many questions. Rules on the use of “Dr.” in particular can lead to confusion, for readers and unfortunately sometimes for our writers. Here’s our stylebook entry:

Dr.

should be used in all references for physicians and dentists whose practice is their primary current occupation, or who work in a closely related field, like medical writing, research or pharmaceutical manufacturing:

Dr. Alex E. Baranek; Dr. Baranek; the doctor

. (Those who practice only incidentally, or not at all, should be called

Mr., Ms., Miss

or

Mrs

.)

Anyone else with an earned doctorate, like a Ph.D. degree, may request the title, but only if it is germane to the holder’s primary current occupation (academic, for example, or laboratory research). For a Ph.D., the title should appear only in second and later references. The holder of a Ph.D. or equivalent degree may also choose not to use the title.

Do not use the title for someone whose doctorate is honorary.

Hahaha.

Sorry. But honestly, remember that an MD is a much, much more recent degree than a PhD. The real doctor is the PhD, an MD is a "Doctor of Practice", so to speak- as are JD, DVM and DDS degrees, as is the more recent DEng. In the states, all are roughly equivalent to a masters degree.

And please, please remember to never mention "real doctors" around your professors.

[Eigen]

Just my experiences.

Everyone I know uses the Dr prefix for PhDs, pretty universally- when the address formal e-mails to colleagues, etc. This is at every institution I have visited, as well as the ones I've worked at.

The only ones I know that use "professor" are a few random undergrads.