Formal Email

[spp]

Is it okay to begin a formal email with a "Hi XXX" or "Hello XXX" and end it with "Regards"??

Eg:

Hi Albert,

blah blah blah...

Regards,

Newton

[GardeningGrad]

I prefer "Dear Dr.... Mr..." and "Best regards" or "Sincerely," Start very formal, but make the body of the e-mail accessible and friendly.

[runonsentence]

Also, even if you're going to forgo titles but want the email to be formal, you should at the very least use the full name of the person you're addressing. ("Dear Albert Smith,")

[Strangefox]

I always start formal emails with "Dear". Then it can be "Dr. Brown" or "Mr. Brown" or "Ms. Brown". Or may be just "Dear Maria" if it's slightly less formal but still formal. If I don't know the suname of a person I am writing to, I start my email "Dear Sir/Madam".

And I usually finish my formal emails with

"Sincerely,

My_First_Name"

But sometimes I can finish with

"Thank you,

My_First_Name".

Hi, Hello and Regards are for informal letters.

[InquilineKea]

"Regards" is for informal letters? I know that it depends on the professor, but it *can* be used by a professor who's mad at you (see http://www.phdcomics...hp?comicid=1413).

I just use "Hi/Hello" in the beginning and "Thanks" in the end. I'm still way too low in the academic hierarchy to say anything but "Thanks". Because each and every time, I'm grateful if any academic replies to any of my emails. It's something they're doing for me, after all.

But is there anything wrong with that?

Edited July 30, 2011 by InquilineKea

[indalomena]

probably depends on the department. Mine made it clear to incoming students that it is a first-name department, but you shouldn't use the first name until you have been 'invited' to do so by the person in question signing off in that way. So my emails to anyone I've never met are Dear Professor ... or Dear Dr ..., then subsequently Dear George or whatever. I have always found 'regards' to be a little terse and I tend to use 'best wishes' at the end of informal emails.

However, I am in a UK department. It seems US departments are much more formal/terrifying ... yet another thing to try to wrap my head around!

[Strangefox]

However, I am in a UK department. It seems US departments are much more formal/terrifying ... yet another thing to try to wrap my head around!

Hm, I thought that US departments are LESS formal...

[indalomena]

Hm, I thought that US departments are LESS formal...

maybe -- I might just be particularly lucky with my department. I only have experience of the UK system, but I have been warned by those who know both that I will find US departments extremely competitive/somewhat unfriendly in comparison with what I'm used to. Maybe this says more about my department than UK vs US in general. I certainly hope so!

[Strangefox]

maybe -- I might just be particularly lucky with my department. I only have experience of the UK system, but I have been warned by those who know both that I will find US departments extremely competitive/somewhat unfriendly in comparison with what I'm used to. Maybe this says more about my department than UK vs US in general. I certainly hope so!

I believe that there are all sorts of US departments: some are competitive, some are collegial. As far as I know the one where I will be sudying is of the second kind

[timuralp]

This seems to be a relevant piece from WSJ. Personally, I seldom use dear and try to avoid it as much as possible and stick with Professor X or if I've had any contact whatsoever with the person, I start with Hi or some other form of greeting. Granted, I don't think this is a popular thing to do

[InquilineKea]

probably depends on the department. Mine made it clear to incoming students that it is a first-name department, but you shouldn't use the first name until you have been 'invited' to do so by the person in question signing off in that way. So my emails to anyone I've never met are Dear Professor ... or Dear Dr ..., then subsequently Dear George or whatever. I have always found 'regards' to be a little terse and I tend to use 'best wishes' at the end of informal emails.

Lol, what if they switch their replies from first-name into their initials (all capitalized)?

[eco_env]

Lol, what if they switch their replies from first-name into their initials (all capitalized)?

That just means that they signed with their name the first time to show that you can call them by their first name, and are now saving time by signing with initials... I think.

[wtncffts]

My school seems to be a VERY informal school. I am terrible with figuring out formal etiquette. I usually start the FIRST email with a full name, and any later emails with a "Hi [first name]". I personally like "sincerely" at the end (of a first email), because I am personally a very sincere individual! I also use "thanks" and "thank you" sometimes. I usually just put my name on any later emails.

I also don't really think it matters all that much. I hardly ever notice how people begin and end emails to me, after all. I usually just kinda skip to the body.

I agree that I don't think it matters much. All of the variants suggested seem fine; I alternate arbitrarily between 'sincerely' and 'regards' or 'all the best', for instance. As long as you're not using slang like 'Yo' or 'Wat up' or some such thing, you're fine.

By the way, I believe this is the first time I've ever uttered, verbally or in writing, those words.

[Strangefox]

I agree that I don't think it matters much. All of the variants suggested seem fine; I alternate arbitrarily between 'sincerely' and 'regards' or 'all the best', for instance. As long as you're not using slang like 'Yo' or 'Wat up' or some such thing, you're fine.

By the way, I believe this is the first time I've ever uttered, verbally or in writing, those words.

Hahaha, I've just imagined starting my next letter to a prof with "Yo! Wazzup, man??!!"