How and when to email me

This guide is mainly intended for my students, and is inspired by the posts from Dr. Styler and Dr. Wu.

We are busy humans in academia. I believe this guide serves our mutual benefit to create clear expectations for you and help me provide timely and effective responses.

Canvas vs. Email

For logistic questions related to a course, please always consult the syllabus first.

For content questions related to a course, it is strongly recommended you create posts under Canvas discussion tab. It is highly likely that your peers have similar questions and posting there is beneficial for everyone. We often receive repeated or similar inquiries and so, instead of emailing me or the TA, please make good use of this shared resource. You may even get a faster answer from your peers, or be able to apply your knowledge to help others rewardingly. Discussion posts are also a great place to start fruitful conversations! I am happy if you find someone of similar interests, form study groups, and collaborate with each other in the learning process.

How to Email

If you have a unique case that is complicated and of privacy concerns, or have other inquiries not related to a specific course, please structure your email with the following items:

  • Course number/title if applicable
  • Appropriate addressing: “Dear Yaqian”, “Professor Huang”, or “Dr. Huang” (the same applies to your TA)
  • Your context: Who you are and how I might have known you (important if you suspect I may not recognize your name)
  • Your request: Highlight the key phrases and state when you need it to be done
  • Your sign-off

If you are requesting a recommendation letter, please provide all of the above, plus:

  • A brief description of the job/program(s) you’re applying for
  • A paragraph explaining why you think I’m a particularly good person to write this for you
  • A reminder of our key interactions: classes you’ve taken with me (years, grades, term paper if applicable), research involvement, etc.

Response timeline

Canvas posts: typically 24-48 hours, faster on the teaching days (FA25: Tues & Thurs, depending on the term)
Emails: 48-72 hours, if the requests are not complex, during business hours (I don’t work in the evenings or on weekends)

For complex requests, it can take up to a week or two. I may also invite you to an in-person or virtual meeting to discuss. You can also book an appointment here outside my student hours if needed. It is very helpful to always include an “I-need-this-by” date in your email, especially if it’s urgent. This allows me to inform you whether I can do the task or not. If no timeline is provided, I will assume the request is not in a rush, and I will take my time and likely forget about it. If this happens, please resend the email with a timeline!

Note, for recommendation letters, I need at least one month’s notice (excluding holidays), if I agree to write you one. For that, I will always require your

  • CV
  • Unofficial transcripts
  • Personal statements
  • Specific info about the schools/programs you’re applying for

Disclaimer: You might also receive a response sooner than you expected, but that’s not a norm and shouldn’t be taken for granted.