Email etiquette

'Andere Länder, andere Sitten' – the English equivalent for this German proverb is 'When in Rome, do as the Romans do.' Some things, such as writing an email, may be different in Germany than in your home country. This webpage will give you a short overview of what is generally expected.

Only write emails when necessary. First, please check whether you can find the information on our website, on Moodle or in the course description. You can also speak to the teacher personally, before or after your class.
Do not resend emails without waiting at least three days or more. You will usually receive a reply within three working days.
Please use your Aschaffenburg UAS (s-)email address.
Include a clear subject line. For instance, you could mention both the exact course and a few words to describe your question.

Examples:
Intro to Economics – question on chapter 3
Strategic Sales – material for the exam
Project Management – problem group work

Use a formal and correct salutation. Please always address professors and other academic staff by their last name (if you know it), preceded by their academic title, ‘Mr’ or ‘Ms’. For instance, start your email with ‘Dear Professor’ or ‘Dear Lecturer’ – but try to be as specific as possible in your salutation. It is better to write ‘Dear Professor Mustermann’ than ‘Dear Professor’. Similarly, ‘Dear Ms Musterfrau’ is preferred over ‘Dear Lecturer’. If you are unsure about your recipient's gender, just include the first name and last name, e.g. ‘Dear Max Mustermann’. Please do not write ‘Dear’ without any name.
In Germany, emails are usually concise and to the point.
Please format your message, use spaces and paragraphs, and do not write in CAPITALS. In addition, please do not use exclamation marks (!).
Use a formal complimentary close, such as 'Best regards' or 'Kind regards'.
Finish your email with your first name and last name.
Check to see that you included any attachments (if applicable).
Proofread your email for any typos or errors.