Signing emails with "Best"

[comp12]

I think Kwest has supplied for us the definitive answer. I think we know can end this for good, without need to have any further discussion on this subject whatsoever now (please?).  

[Guest |||]

Sometimes people make fun of academia and students and its not just.

 

This wouldn't be one of those cases

[whirledpeas13]

I also have always been slightly bothered by "best," but more just as my own sign-off. I want to sound professional in all of my correspondences because of the stage that I am at in my academic career (entering MA student). I don't care for "sincerely" or "regards" either. I think they need to have something that modifies them. For instance, one could be thinking "with poor regards" or "with bitter regards." I prize accurate, sincere communication, so I usually leave just my name or say "Thank you," "warm regards," or in highly informal email communications or with a professor with whom I am very close I say "take care."

[environmentisnothippy]

I seem to always sign "thanks" lol but now you got me thinking... should i sign with "best" or maybe just something more formal than "thanks" something more professional?  Ah, but then its best to be yourself too... I keep thinking about those people who have to read all those emails... one that stands out might be refreshing for a change, haha.  But then again, how many people really look at the end greeting anyway?

[graduate33]

And what about 'best of luck with your studies'...is it a polite way of saying 'I wish you good luck but we don't need to keep in touch'? I'm not American and somewhat get lost in all the various ways US profs have to sign off their emails. I may want to contact this prof again in the future but I'm not sure if this ending is encouraging or not.

 

Thanks

[fuzzylogician]

And what about 'best of luck with your studies'...is it a polite way of saying 'I wish you good luck but we don't need to keep in touch'? I'm not American and somewhat get lost in all the various ways US profs have to sign off their emails. I may want to contact this prof again in the future but I'm not sure if this ending is encouraging or not.

 

Thanks

 

I wouldn't worry about it too much. If there is someone you want to contact, just go ahead and do it. If he is not interested, he will let you know. I wouldn't let an email signature stop me. 

[wildviolet]

Today I just saw this (from a fellow grad student):

 

"My best"

 

I detest "best," but I think I detest "my best" even more.

[Cesare]

US based Professors I use "best"

European based Professors I use "best wishes" 

[pearspears]

Lol, I do this.

 

I think it is kind of curt, but not in a dismissive way. It's sort of like a digital "ta-ta~"

 

[ELM616]

Haha! I love that this thread is still going strong! I'm now approaching the end of my first semester in a PhD program and let me tell you...

 

I have been inundated with "best," I'm like a soldier under fire here. Nearly every professor signs "best." I guess its just a quirk of mine but it irritates the (you know what) out of me.

 

I think most of them do it just cuz everybody else does it. Its kinda like an industry jargon, that they subconciously enjoy using because it reminds them they're an academic. Lame!!

 

Jargon and Buzzwords are for the uninitiated! 

[RedPill]

I usually say may the odds be ever in your favor.

 

Nobody has complained thus far, but sometimes I don't hear back. I wonder if there's any causality link here.

[NatureGurl]

Wow, I think this is the silliest and funniest thread. I just sign my name. No more, no less.

Edited December 5, 2013 by NatureGurl

[LittleDarlings]

I have never has a professor sign anything like that lol

[k_angie]

Well I would rather see warm regards than best. Even I use Warm Regards to Isign most of my emails. It's simple and friendly

[natsteel]

I never thought it was strange. I just accepted it for what it was, a conventionality, at least among all academics with whom I've corresponded. I've adopted a policy of "Best" in informal emails among my cohort and familiar colleagues and "Best regards" in my formal emails to unfamiliar academics or institutions. 

[jrockford27]

The whole idea of salutations in emails is a little weird.  I think most people usually just pick one thing and stick with it, and don't give it a second thought.  I worked for a lawyer who ended all of his correspondence with "Very truly yours,".  I always thought that was peculiar, but he'd been ending all of his letters that way for 30 years, it didn't matter what the letter or email said.  Usually, I end my emails with "Thanks", "Thank you", or "Thank you for your time" depending on the context and no matter for the content, because I appreciate it when people take the time to read what I'm saying.  I wouldn't read too terribly much into it, they probably haven't given it a second thought.  In fact, I think that is good advice for all graduate students concerning all professor email content.

Edited January 7, 2014 by jrockford27

[Guest Gnome Chomsky]

I fail to see the problem.

I was right. She sneezes. They praise her. 

[prefers_pencils]

The whole idea of salutations in emails is a little weird. 

 

I think you mean valedictions.

[NatureGurl]

I've been getting emails from a colleague with a variety of email signatures like "best," "warm regards," etc. She's a first-year, so I'm guessing she's trying out different signatures. None of them sound exactly like her, though. Like, "warm regards" seems so formal and self-conscious for grad student to grad student emails.

[rising_star]

Turns out even "Dear Abby" addresses this topic!

 

http://news.yahoo.com/couple-short-hospitality-parents-guests-050010221.html

 

"DEAR ABBY: More and more I receive emails from people using the closing salutation "Best." I feel this must be incorrect. Shouldn't it be "Best Regards" or "Best Wishes"? To say simply "Best" seems somehow lacking. Best what? What is accurate? -- TANDI IN NEW HAVEN

DEAR TANDI: Closing a communication using "Best" is a shorthand version of saying "Best Wishes" or "Best Regards." It's acceptable in less-than-formal communications, and is sometimes used when someone feels that ending their email without it would seem too cold and abrupt."

[Guest Gnome Chomsky]

I prefer not to use anything that I wouldn't say in real life. I say "Take care" but that's probably too informal and could offend someone too uptight.