Make sure the subject of the email is clear, professional and relevant. Include a brief summary of what the email is about, along with your course code (if the email is course-related).

Open with a greeting (e.g. Hello or Dear) followed by the person's title (e.g. Dr or Prof.) and name.

It's best to use a person's formal title and name until they indicate otherwise. They might cover this in class, or you can check how they sign off on their reply email.

If you don't know their formal title or the correct spelling of their name, you can check Moodle, the UNSW Staff Directory or look them up online.

Write politely and concisely. Avoid informal SMS language (e.g. btw or tmrw) like you would use online or with friends.

Make sure you clearly outline what your question is and the steps you have taken to try and find the answer yourself.

Make good use of paragraphs and bullet points, rather than one long paragraph.

Keep it short and polite, and thank them for their assistance.

Include your name, zID and course code (if you are writing about a course).

You might like to create a signature that will appear at the end of all of your emails.