How to reply to an email from a student who wants a reply instantly?

Question

I have a student who wants me to reply to his emails as soon as he sends them! For example:

I already provided you with .... form in our first meeting. Can you fill the necessary boxes and sign .... to confirm my project? ... It has already been a day, and you have not replied.

My reply:

Thank you for sharing this information. Please find attached the document.

However, it is important to note that even if you already provided me with the documents. You should give me at least 3 to 4 working days to reply to your email. It is important that you understand that there are other issues an academic has to deal with, and patience would be really appreciated.

Is there anything wrong with this response? If so, could you please help me understand how to reply to such emails?

Answer 1

Two words: "Office hours."

I say to students that, if they need immediate feedback, then they should come to my office hours, everything else will be processed as its turn arises.

[During the pandemic, of course, the office hours would be virtual]

Answer 2

I see nothing wrong with your reply, it's courteous and points out what rubbed you (rightly) the wrong way. It's a good approach if you want to be professional.

In your shoes, I'd have taken twice as long as it usually takes me to finish whatever job the pushy student wants from me, while ignoring any emails during that time (except for - maybe - 'Working on it."). What the professional reply doesn't address - and it would be hard to address in such a reply - is that the formulation of the student's email is arrogant and self-centered. "It has already been a day..." Really? All things considered and the current climate of the educational system taken into account, you did just right. But someone should teach your student that the world doesn't revolve around them.

Answer 3

I feel like you're doing the student a disservice by being so polite in response to an unprofessional email.

It's not necessarily your job (unless you're a business professor maybe?) to teach email etiquette, but sending an arrogant-sounding email like that demanding faster attention may absolutely harm that student in the future. If you reply politely, will they send a similar email to a professor who won't behave professionally in response to an email like that? To an interviewer for a job after graduation? To a co-worker, or someone they hope to collaborate with? To their boss after they have a job?

I would probably word my reply a bit more sternly:

"Thank you for sharing this information. Please find attached the document.

Also, please note that the tone of your follow-up email was highly inappropriate. Keep in mind for the future that professional etiquette requires patience, and follow-up message should be worded politely."

Answer 4

In the future, you could tell the students at the start of term that it may take several days to reply to emails, and that if there is something urgent they should speak to you right after class or during office hours. This should still work during the pandemic when all is online.

Answer 5

I think your original reply is much better than what some others have suggested here.

• You responded with the information requested with a cool head.

• You explained that the student's tone came off as rude, and why.

• You encouraged empathy.

• You gave a concrete rule of thumb of how many days to expect from professors in the future.

Maybe the student was rude due to entitlement and impudence, maybe it was poor social skills, maybe it was a disability as suggested elsewhere. Either way, there's no need to get aggressive about it to "teach them a lesson." That is bad advice. It is better to simply be corrective, especially if this is not an ongoing issue.

Answer 6

It's funny because I just dealt with this last week (student complaining they don't see a grade listed online 38 minutes after the due date for a week-long project). I fired off a response somewhat peeved and off-kilter (and also one-handed with my cat on me), and a few minutes later somewhat regretted that I'd let my emotion show a bit.

The best thing in these cases is to be super cool, give minimal information, and don't let it be visible that they got to you. (That can possibly be used against you later in future interactions.) What I should have said was:

Note that the syllabus (p. 1) says, "Contact by email is preferred; replies are usually sent in one day."

Adjust to taste, of course. But I don't mind having an average expectation like that documented on my syllabus.

Answer 7

I don't think you even owe him an apology. The students must be aware that delays of days in answers are perfectly acceptable. If you feel guilty for such an answer I'd suggest Cal Newport's book A World Without Email, where he argues that people should not be "enslaved" by having to answer emails all day long.

Answer 8

What worked for me was ignoring the inappropriate parts. Check the student's name to be sure you didn't promise to get back to them ASAP, check there's no new information in the email that needs to be jotted down with your other notes or where-ever. Then go back to work.

The time it takes to write back that you aren't going to write back isn't worth it. I also have no special expertise in teaching communication skills. And I've found that often students are embarrassed at what they wrote. They get nervous and spiral-out about a project and write a demanding email just to be doing something.

Alternately, if you have time, go ahead and do it. If MaryBeth is really excited about starting the project this weekend, why not help her? It won't take any more of your time to do it now than when you were planning on doing it. But, again, not worth it to comment on the crazy/rude parts.

Answer 9

As well as the other answers, I think a sentence along the lines of "If there is a specific deadline for requests, include that deadline in both the subject matter and body of the email so that I can see it immediately"

Answer 10

I receive such e-mails, too. Of course if there is a deadline the students have to observe themselves, I try to answer as soon as possible.

But if there is no such deadline, this behavior is simply childish. Similar to a three-year-old who thows tantrums because they want an ice-cream NOW. In this case, I treat them like a mother would treat a stubborn three-year-old: I keep calm and just ignore their complaints. I send them what they want within a few days, at a time when it is ok for me, with a short, polite e-mail, but I do not apologize or refer to their complaints in any other way.

I think it is important to consider the learning effect: If students are successful when they put you under pressure, they will do it again and again. If they learn that they get what they have asked for, but it is you who sets the pace, they will stop sooner or later.

Besides, think of your role at university. The university expects you to teach all students and to do some research work. This means that your time is limited, and you have to set priorities. The university is your boss, not the students, so do not allow them to be bossy with you.

Answer 11

In general, it's best to set a clear expectation for stuff like how quickly you'll reply to emails and what the best way to get in touch with you is in advance. For example, if you have the student in question in a course, this could be stated in the syllabus and/or on the first day of class. This is particularly the case if you have a heavy teaching or research schedule, or if it's a large class. (This applies both to academia and industry by the way).

If you don't set that expectation up front, people will likely expect whatever they're used to getting from other professors (or what you've done in the past). The student in question may simply be used to other professors replying the same day (or you may have replied to their previous emails the same day, in which case they'd expect you to continue this).

Answer 12

Personally, I would ignore such an email and after a few days send a mail to the student saying something like: "I seem to remember you has a request for me. Can you remind me of what it was?" Puts the student back in the right place in the food chain.

Answer 13

This is Academia where pupils are to be taught. Your noting of their ridiculous demand was apt, but next time a simple "I refer your to my syllabus" (where you have properly set-up the pupil-Academic dynamic) will be quicker and deliver your message more clearly.

Answer 14

I don't understand people who do not reply to emails. It is normal to be able to reply in 24hours. If there is something that you have to work on you can send an email like I received the email and I will check and reply within a ...say specified time. I ve seen a lot of busy academics replying almost imeediately, in a day and lot o doing nothings all day replying in 5 days not to say not at all. Unless someone is really sought after, meaning very popular, very busy, too many grants, a lab o 20 people some companies, I don't see any reason why one cannot reply within 24 hours.