How to address my college instructor?

aegrimm

This is going to be such a dumb question...I feel like an idiot for not knowing... 

I'm taking online classes via my local community college and there is a lot of communication through e-mail.

How do you address a college instructor? They aren't automatically professors, are they? She signs her e-mails to us as "Cynthia Stevens"...so should I address her as Ms. Stevens? Professor Stevens? Yo, Teach?

 

OregonPachey

I always address them as Professor xxxxx unless they tell me otherwise.  The one I have right now just wants to be called Greg.

stacynnick

Id say professor Stevens. I once addressed an email to one of my professors as Ms. So and so and i got an email back about how she is a Dr and is to be addressed as one. Whoops! She wasnt nice anyways haha.

aegrimm

stacynnick:

Id say professor Stevens. I once addressed an email to one of my professors as Ms. So and so and i got an email back about how she is a Dr and is to be addressed as one. Whoops! She wasnt nice anyways haha.

This is what I was afraid of. I think I'll go with "Professor Stevens" just to be safe. I was thinking she didn't sign it as Professor Stevens, but better safe than sorry. I don't want to stick out in her mind as that student, lol

Thanks girls

nemtown

Prof. Stevens. Either that or Yo, Teach. Either would be acceptable in this situation.

snicksnack

I would go with Professor X but if you know he or she is a PhD then call that person Dr.

fiftysixty

I automatically use Professor. I consider it respectful. I've had one correct me that he wasn't technically a professor (Endowed Chair) so he wanted to be referred to as "Mr."

I've had a couple who wanted to go by first name, too.

I think just err on the side of formality. You won't insult her by offering her a more respectful title, and if it makes her uncomfortable she'll let you know.  

 

(Edit: As PP said, Doctors like to be referred to as such. But if she doesn't put the Ph.D after her name, she's not likely a doctor anyway.) 

UrbanLe1

Hehee--that's me!  I'm a college instructor, and I must admit, I love the crazy things my students come up with to call me.

If she doesn't sign her emails "Dr." or "Ph.D."--she's NOT.  So don't call her that.

"Professor" is always good.  "Mr". is easy for a man, but "Mrs./Ms." can be tricky with women--I hate being called "Mrs. L-" as it makes me feel like a high school teacher.  But I don't mind students using my first name at all.

"Professor" is probably safest.

(And just a note...none of us know what we're supposed to be called either.  That's why we all sign our full names, or use our initials.)