Comments on: Academics: Success with Research Papers/Contacting Professors http://www.readableblog.com/2007/08/04/academics-success-with-research-paperscontacting-professors/ A blog of (mostly free) resources for English language learners Sat, 05 Jul 2008 20:04:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Clarissa http://www.readableblog.com/2007/08/04/academics-success-with-research-paperscontacting-professors/#comment-115 Clarissa Wed, 15 Aug 2007 17:17:15 +0000 http://www.readableblog.com/2007/08/04/academics-success-with-research-paperscontacting-professors/#comment-115 That's a good suggestion, Dave. My only addition would be that students should be sure their question is not too basic. It's pretty irritating for a writer to get a question that could have been answered using Google or Wikipedia. If you write to an author or professor, be sure your question is something that is specific to that person. That’s a good suggestion, Dave. My only addition would be that students should be sure their question is not too basic. It’s pretty irritating for a writer to get a question that could have been answered using Google or Wikipedia. If you write to an author or professor, be sure your question is something that is specific to that person.

]]> By: Dave Kees http://www.readableblog.com/2007/08/04/academics-success-with-research-paperscontacting-professors/#comment-111 Dave Kees Wed, 15 Aug 2007 07:41:56 +0000 http://www.readableblog.com/2007/08/04/academics-success-with-research-paperscontacting-professors/#comment-111 You talked about communicating with professors and also about doing research so I'd like to add a tip combining both. Sometimes you read a very interesting paper or even a great book during your research. I've found it's quite easy to write the author and get extra help and advice on your questions. First, find the author's Email address. This is often on the paper itself or you may need to do a search to find his university or personal webpage. Second, write him a note of appreciation for his paper or book. Just say how much you liked it and try to mention something specific you liked about it. Third, wait for the reply. It may take about a week but you'll get an Email note back, usually just one line, thanking you for your Thank You note. Fourth, now you can write your question. "Reply" to the Email that you received from the author so it will be clear that you are the fan, that person he/she just wrote. I have written to many professors, book authors, newspaper reporters and various top experts around the world in this way and it nearly always works. You talked about communicating with professors and also about doing research so I’d like to add a tip combining both.

Sometimes you read a very interesting paper or even a great book during your research. I’ve found it’s quite easy to write the author and get extra help and advice on your questions.

First, find the author’s Email address. This is often on the paper itself or you may need to do a search to find his university or personal webpage.

Second, write him a note of appreciation for his paper or book. Just say how much you liked it and try to mention something specific you liked about it.

Third, wait for the reply. It may take about a week but you’ll get an Email note back, usually just one line, thanking you for your Thank You note.

Fourth, now you can write your question. “Reply” to the Email that you received from the author so it will be clear that you are the fan, that person he/she just wrote.

I have written to many professors, book authors, newspaper reporters and various top experts around the world in this way and it nearly always works.

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