Thread by @LNivisonSmith

As a PhD student, my supervisor never answered my emails.

Then I became a PhD supervisor and realised why

A thread🧵 of my mistakes and how to avoid them

#phdchat #AcademicTwitter

🔹️Not being specific

Many of my emails didn't clearly state what I wanted my supervisor to do or the timeline. So he assumed the email was an FYI.

Now I use actionable email subjects
❌️"Re: Revised grant"

✅️ "Re: Revised grant: approve by COB"

🔹️No context

My emails assumed my supervisor remembered all my project details. He didn't, leading to mamy back & forths

Now I give enough context to remind of the last interaction
❌️Revised grant attached

✅️ Revised grant attached with your feedback from the meeting

🔹️TMI

I often wrote long emails and so my supervisor either wasted time reading unnecessary details or skimmed and missed the point.

Now I edit emails ruthlessly.
The shorter, the better
❌️"Sorry for the long email"

✅️<edited to be a short email>

🔹️Not following up

I didn't realise my supervisor recieved 50+ emails a day and therefore emails could be unopened or unanswered for days

Now I send reminders to ensure emails return to the top of the inbox
❌️<no action>

✅️Re: Revised grant (gentle reminder from Mon)

TL/DR

Email mistakes of PhD students

1. Not specifying what you need
2. Not providing adequate context
3. Not being concise
4. Not following up

If you enjoyed this thread, please RT the first tweet.

And follow me @LNivisonSmith if you are interested in

- macular degeneration research
- #WomeninSTEM
- #scicomm
- general musings from a mother trying to survive a career in #academia

This thread was about good writing tips for emails

Ironically my poor writing makes it appear that I blame PhD students for poor supervision (100% do not!)

Thanks Twitterverse for calling me out. Will be more responsible with my words next time