My email address is potasznik@cs.umb.edu. This forwards to amanda.potasznik@umb.edu, which is where you may get replies from.

CS and IT majors, as well as almost every working person in the United States, send several emails a day.

People who receive your emails draw conclusions from your emailing style. Writing coherent messages is especially important when emailing a boss or potential employer, but also goes a long way with professors and coworkers.

Here is a summary of do’s and don’ts when sending emails at Umass Boston and beyond:

Please keep the explanations simple. Unless something is happening that requires my intervention as a professor, I don’t need to know about specific medical or personal afflictions or tribulations. You should never, ever describe bodily functions to me at all.  Please. Don’t.

All 285 emails, sent for any reason, should be signed with the sender’s first and last name; they should also clearly include the section number.

As mentioned on the first day of class, you can call me Professor Potasznik, Dr. Potasznik, Professor P, Dr. P, or simply Professor. I do not use my first name in professional contexts, so you should not use it when writing emails to me.

Don’t let sloppy emails hurt your goals!