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- Check your OWU email at least once a day.
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- Be patient. Don’t expect an immediate response when you send a message. Generally, two days is considered a reasonable amount of time to wait to receive a reply. Faculty will make every effort to respond to all emails within 24 hours of receiving them, but they appreciate your patience if it takes longer.
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- Include “Subject” headings: the subject line should include the class name and something that is descriptive and refers to an assignment or topic.
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- Be courteous and considerate. Being honest and expressing yourself freely is very important but being considerate of others online is just as important as in the classroom.
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- Make sure to listen carefully to how your professor wants to be addressed and use that form of address in your communication. Some professors prefer Prof. or Dr.; others invite students to use their first names. Unless they indicate otherwise,: Ms/Mrs/Mr is rarely used in academic environments.
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- Make every effort to be clear. Online communication lacks the nonverbal cues that fill in much of the meaning in face-to-face communication.
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- Do not use all caps. This makes the message very hard to read and is considered “shouting.” Check spelling, grammar, and punctuation (you may want to compose elsewhere, then cut and paste the message into the discussion or e-mail).
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- Sign your email messages.
