When you need to contact your instructor by email, you need to do so in an academically professional manner. We've included some guidelines here for you to consider should you need to reach out to them. The ability to compose a professional email is a critical business and occupational skill. They are meant to be clear, concise, and to the point, not a lengthy discussion more suitable for face-to-face meetings. Many employers dislike having to explain proper email etiquette to recently hired employees. Recent news articles have even detailed employees being terminated from their jobs for sending inappropriate, insensitive, and joking emails.
When addressing an email to your instructor, you should always use their preferred title. Also, you will want to consider an appropriate type of salutation to use. For example, "Good morning/afternoon/ evening, Dr. Johnson," or "Hello Professor Smith," or, simply, "Dr. Thomas." If you are unsure how your instructor would prefer to be addressed, most will let you know during the first day of class. If not, check your syllabus!
Likewise, you need to be mindful of how you conclude your email. Use something professional like, "Thank you for your time/consideration in this matter," or "Sincerely yours," or "Best," and then use your full name to avoid possible confusion with other students the instructor may have with an identical first name.
Many instructors find it rather disrespectful to open an email which begins like this: Hey!, or Hi Doc!, or no salutation at all. Your relationship with your instructor should be a professional one, and your correspondence and interactions with them should reflect that level of professionalism.
Things to avoid using in email: