Should Students Send a ‘Thank You’ Message after Every E-mail Exchange with a Professor?

In Writing for the Internet, I had my students read some articles about e-mail and power relationships in the classroom. They are raising some very good questions in response. One asked me whether professors expect their students to send thank-you messages after every e-mail exchange.

I just checked with two colleagues, and their reactions confirmed my own gut response. If it’s just a routine question (what format do you want me to use, do you want it on paper or online), all three of us agreed that we don’t expect a thank-you.

If I answer with a quick two or three word reply, and then a few minutes later I see another message from the student in my in box, I’ll assume that the student has a raft of new questions.

If the request required me to look something up, or give an opinion that takes longer than two or three seconds, then yes, a thank you might be appropriate.

Anyone else want to chime in?

6 thoughts on “Should Students Send a ‘Thank You’ Message after Every E-mail Exchange with a Professor?

  1. Thanks for the clarification and explanation, Anonymous. When I say that about web pages, I’m certainly not intending to get across the idea that it would be cheating, but rather that I’d prefer students put their energies into creating something new. Rather than reinventing the wheel on each web page, hypertext lets us link to it instead.

    The “anyone” in that example was intended to mean “any reader who has gone online looking for information on this subject,” not “any student who’s doing a web assignment for my class”. If I had a “do over” on that, I’d try to emphasize my desire to see you contribute something that only you could contribute.

    It’s certainly true that a professor who has put 10, 15, 30 years into studying subject X is going to respond positively to a student who expresses an interest in subject X. And part of any communication task is knowing your audience and finding out what method is best for communicating to that audience.

    I got the idea of using “Anonymous Coward” from Slashdot. Yes, it’s intended to be a mild poke at someone who doesn’t want to publish their real name, but you’re free to edit it if you wish. How about Anonymous Preservationist? I’d be happy to keep track of what you find interesting & know when I’m exchanging comments with you, if you left your comments under that name.

    And yes, I’d like to think I’m a better professor now. Yes, Blake was a great colleague — someone who can inspire his students to do great things, without ever losing their good will.

    Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts.

  2. Thank you for your response. Though I didn’t do well in your class and never really made a connection with you I always admired your energy and the deep thought you put into writing blogs. I actually was looking for something to read tonight and googled your name knowing I would find a plethora of interesting and thought provoking subjects on your literacy weblog.

    I did not intend to direct my views on professors egoes toward you specifically, though after I signed “former Jerz student” I realized it might look that way. However, I have a memory of bringing ideas to you and then you responding, “Well I’m sure there are hundreds of other sites out there already like that where anyone could just go and copy the information.” I remember being crushed at that point that you were insinuating that I would just cheat and not create something from my own mind…that’s where the disgruntled part comes in. But I do own the fact that I did not do well because of my own lack of effort and inability to finish assignments. Well, I’m going on too much…I’m sure you’ve evolved into a better professor as that is from long ago and far away when you taught at UWEC.

    I did learn alot from you though. I think better advice to students is not the importance of *** kissing, so much as the sheer importance of studying your professor and knowing what they will respond positively to. Many professors may deny this up and down, but it is very very true, is it not? Study your professor and know what he/she writes about and believes in and when you are required to write a report, focus on that which your professor has a passion for and you should do fairly well. I actually received this advice FROM a former professor, Blake Westerlund, who was very cool and loved opening students’ minds to new ideas.

    Sometimes remaining anonymous can be useful for privacy reasons and doesn’t necessarilly mean that the person is a coward…just a self preservationist. Is it common courtesy to call your anonymous message board guests cowards? teehee teasing…okay I’m a coward then.

    Thank you for keeping your literacy weblog going…it is a great site and you are a mad genius, my friend!

  3. Anonymous, if I knew who you were, I’d be able to consider my interactions with you and better judge where I might/could/should adjust my expectations and behavior. Please feel free to contact me by e-mail, if you like. I’m always willing to have a respectful conversation.

    I agree with your point that there’s no need to thank a professor for something routine — and the two colleagues I consulted also agreed with me. So, no, we don’t expect a thank-you for every little thing we do. Just today when I gave a student a 4/4 on an assignment, and she thanked me, I told her, “Don’t thank me — you did the work. All I did was record the grade.”

    But taking an interest in someone else’s feelings? That’s just common courtesy.

  4. Students are already paying dearly for their college education and in my opinion do not need to dote on and constantly thank their professors for every little thing. Professors are teachers and should answer questions as a part of their job requirements. Professors should stop abusing their positions as a way to gain feelings of power and in turn expected constant gratuities for simply doing what they are paid to do – teach. Students are often times way too nice to professors because it has become expected to “chat it up” and pretend to be interested in the professors’ feelings. What happened to a professor handing out the homework, assignments and expectations and not expecting a “thankyou masta, oh giant ego-driven one for sparing your precious time to do the job I’m paying you for..” Excuse me, I’ve just vomited a little in my mouth from past recollections of ego-driven professors. But I guess that if students really want their professors to record the grade they’ve earned…they’re just going to have to pucker up first and ride the tide of professor power trips ’til graduation day.

    Disgruntled (but glad to be finished with the b.s. of professor *** kissing)Alumni, and former Jerz student

  5. That’s a great solution.

    On the flipside, I always feel like a deer trapped in headlights when a student does not check their e-mail before class to see whether I have replied, but instead come up to the front of the room and asks,”Did you get my e-mail?”

    I end up looking like I am not interested in what the student had to say, , because I always have to ask for a reminder about what the message was, and then I have to remember what my reply was. But in fact I’m actually answering the student’s question twice.

    It’s been a while since I’ve gotten an e-greeting card. Yes, it’s intended to be a nice gesture, but it does open up both the recipient and the sender to spam.

  6. The simple answer? Say “thank you” before or after class, the following meeting. Human contact is always preferable. Otherwise, an e-mail is fine. But do not (as students have to me in the past) send electronic greeting cards. That only gets your e-mail address circulating in spam lists.

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