| How long is acceptable to wait to chase an email? 09:27 - Aug 26 with 2443 views | ThisIsMyUsername |
I emailed a professor in the Netherlands about a month ago with some questions about some research she had done, which I was discussing in my dissertation. She replied the next day and encouraged me not to hesitate to ask any further questions.
I sent another email ten days ago with some further questions, but no response as of yet (I need a response before I can finish my work). So my question to those of you who are busy professionally/who deal with other people who are: how long do you give people before you chase them for a response? |  |
| |  |
| How long is acceptable to wait to chase an email? on 09:30 - Aug 26 with 2424 views | Fixed_It |
Possibly on holiday if the previous email got a quick response. On that basis 2 weeks would seem to be reasonable. |  |
| |
| How long is acceptable to wait to chase an email? on 09:32 - Aug 26 with 2407 views | ThisIsMyUsername |
| How long is acceptable to wait to chase an email? on 09:30 - Aug 26 by Fixed_It |
Possibly on holiday if the previous email got a quick response. On that basis 2 weeks would seem to be reasonable. |
Not the case - she did go on holiday after her initial response, but she was due back on the day I sent the further email (last Monday). So it looks like a case of email forgotten about. Hence I probably need to chase to remind her.
Edit - I realise that this is nine, not the previously stated ten days. [Post edited 26 Aug 2020 9:34]
| |
| |
| How long is acceptable to wait to chase an email? on 09:32 - Aug 26 with 2402 views | Herbivore |
Please don't hesitate to ask further questions is actually just a polite way of saying don't ask me anymore questions. But she may also just be on holiday so 2 weeks seems reasonable. |  |
| |
| How long is acceptable to wait to chase an email? on 09:44 - Aug 26 with 2350 views | uefacup81 |
Generally speaking I'd say about two weeks. It all depends on the deadlines really. |  |
| |
| How long is acceptable to wait to chase an email? on 09:59 - Aug 26 with 2318 views | gordon |
Not sure what your subject is, but it might be that she considers it inappropriate for you to be relying on / discussing her unpublished comments in your dissertation; if her research is published, then you should likely be referring to and using the published research in your dissertation; if you feel there are gaps or unanswered questions, you can just add ...'and more research is needed to better understand the effect of x on y'
Of course there may be exceptions to this, and this isn't a criticism, just worth considering whether the issue might be that she doesn't feel too comfortable about your dissertation being dependent on her unpublished comments about her research/topic. It could also be the case that she has her own student(s) working on the topic, and has a responsibility to their projects which means she can't share ideas too freely with you. |  | | |
| How long is acceptable to wait to chase an email? on 10:03 - Aug 26 with 2307 views | giant_stow |
| How long is acceptable to wait to chase an email? on 09:32 - Aug 26 by Herbivore |
Please don't hesitate to ask further questions is actually just a polite way of saying don't ask me anymore questions. But she may also just be on holiday so 2 weeks seems reasonable. |
Is it?! I've learned something today already - I alwasy take that one at face value.
OP, I'm not an academic and only dimly remember uni culture, but I'd chase politely - you don't ask, you don't get.
Edit: if she says 'screw you' is it a disaster? [Post edited 26 Aug 2020 10:04]
|  |
| |
| How long is acceptable to wait to chase an email? on 10:03 - Aug 26 with 2302 views | stringy |
In such cases I sometimes resend them the email saying 'I'm not sure if you got this, my university server was having problems which I only just found out about...'
this was the prof gets a gentle nudge and can pretend they haven't forgotten your reply |  | | |
| How long is acceptable to wait to chase an email? on 10:04 - Aug 26 with 2295 views | giant_stow |
| How long is acceptable to wait to chase an email? on 10:03 - Aug 26 by stringy |
In such cases I sometimes resend them the email saying 'I'm not sure if you got this, my university server was having problems which I only just found out about...'
this was the prof gets a gentle nudge and can pretend they haven't forgotten your reply |
top tip. | |
| |
Login to get fewer ads
| How long is acceptable to wait to chase an email? on 10:24 - Aug 26 with 2275 views | ThisIsMyUsername |
| How long is acceptable to wait to chase an email? on 09:59 - Aug 26 by gordon |
Not sure what your subject is, but it might be that she considers it inappropriate for you to be relying on / discussing her unpublished comments in your dissertation; if her research is published, then you should likely be referring to and using the published research in your dissertation; if you feel there are gaps or unanswered questions, you can just add ...'and more research is needed to better understand the effect of x on y'
Of course there may be exceptions to this, and this isn't a criticism, just worth considering whether the issue might be that she doesn't feel too comfortable about your dissertation being dependent on her unpublished comments about her research/topic. It could also be the case that she has her own student(s) working on the topic, and has a responsibility to their projects which means she can't share ideas too freely with you. |
Valid comments, thanks.
It's not that I am completely reliant on her comments, but her research (which I read about in a monthly magazine I receive) is what prompted my own research proposal topic. I've already discussed the published research, but now I want to find out information regarding the subsequent real-world application of the [physiotherapy] intervention itself.
Specifically my follow up questions were regarding potential ethical issues, and included asking whether any participants had been injured during the treatment, since the original research was published. I wondered if she thought I was implying that what they were doing was unsafe, but to me it was clear I was just asking so I could show consideration of potential ethical issues in my own proposed research.
Like you say I could always add that more research is needed into this area, but it would be nice to include information from the source. | |
| |
| How long is acceptable to wait to chase an email? on 10:26 - Aug 26 with 2268 views | ThisIsMyUsername |
| How long is acceptable to wait to chase an email? on 10:03 - Aug 26 by giant_stow |
Is it?! I've learned something today already - I alwasy take that one at face value.
OP, I'm not an academic and only dimly remember uni culture, but I'd chase politely - you don't ask, you don't get.
Edit: if she says 'screw you' is it a disaster? [Post edited 26 Aug 2020 10:04]
|
Not a disaster, but would prevent me being marked down for not sufficiently considering ethical issues.
[Post edited 26 Aug 2020 10:28]
| |
| |
| How long is acceptable to wait to chase an email? on 10:26 - Aug 26 with 2265 views | ThisIsMyUsername |
| How long is acceptable to wait to chase an email? on 09:44 - Aug 26 by uefacup81 |
Generally speaking I'd say about two weeks. It all depends on the deadlines really. |
Agree that two weeks seems reasonable. The deadline isn't until next year (I'm way ahead of the game) but would still like to get it out of the way ASAP. | |
| |
| How long is acceptable to wait to chase an email? on 10:28 - Aug 26 with 2263 views | lowhouseblue |
a polite follow up explaining that you need the input to finish your dissertation will be fine. don't start the email 'hi', use their correct title, don't say you're 'reaching out', and thank them for their precious research time, and it should all be fine. |  |
| And so as the loose-bowelled pigeon of time swoops low over the unsuspecting tourist of destiny, and the flatulent skunk of fate wanders into the air-conditioning system of eternity, I notice it's the end of the show |
| |
| How long is acceptable to wait to chase an email? on 10:32 - Aug 26 with 2240 views | ThisIsMyUsername |
| How long is acceptable to wait to chase an email? on 10:28 - Aug 26 by lowhouseblue |
a polite follow up explaining that you need the input to finish your dissertation will be fine. don't start the email 'hi', use their correct title, don't say you're 'reaching out', and thank them for their precious research time, and it should all be fine. |
Agreed. I'll wait until it's been two weeks, as this seems reasonable. | |
| |
| How long is acceptable to wait to chase an email? on 10:47 - Aug 26 with 2212 views | ketton_itfc |
Most of the academics I’ve come across would never dismiss enthusiasm so as long as you’re respectful and acknowledge that you appreciate their time, I see nothing wrong giving a nudge. Maybe they can refer you to a post grad/doc who has helped with their research etc who may be more accessible. [Post edited 26 Aug 2020 10:48]
|  | | |
| How long is acceptable to wait to chase an email? on 10:59 - Aug 26 with 2190 views | gordon |
| How long is acceptable to wait to chase an email? on 10:24 - Aug 26 by ThisIsMyUsername |
Valid comments, thanks.
It's not that I am completely reliant on her comments, but her research (which I read about in a monthly magazine I receive) is what prompted my own research proposal topic. I've already discussed the published research, but now I want to find out information regarding the subsequent real-world application of the [physiotherapy] intervention itself.
Specifically my follow up questions were regarding potential ethical issues, and included asking whether any participants had been injured during the treatment, since the original research was published. I wondered if she thought I was implying that what they were doing was unsafe, but to me it was clear I was just asking so I could show consideration of potential ethical issues in my own proposed research.
Like you say I could always add that more research is needed into this area, but it would be nice to include information from the source. |
I'm pretty sure (if she's an academic) that this information / data would a) be her own/her students to publish in the future, and b) would potentially be sensitive, so she'd not want to release it to people she didn't have an agreed data sharing / collaboration agreement with.
It isn't standard to put (pers.comm) references into academic work, and you'd only do so in very particular situations - for your perspective, the best way to think is probably that either there is a peer reviewed publication on the likelihood of injury from this treatment, or there isn't.
If there isn't, then you could be better off discussing the risk from similar treatments etc, why there might be a risk etc, how you would find out, etc etc. | | | |
| How long is acceptable to wait to chase an email? on 11:24 - Aug 26 with 2176 views | ThisIsMyUsername |
| How long is acceptable to wait to chase an email? on 10:59 - Aug 26 by gordon |
I'm pretty sure (if she's an academic) that this information / data would a) be her own/her students to publish in the future, and b) would potentially be sensitive, so she'd not want to release it to people she didn't have an agreed data sharing / collaboration agreement with.
It isn't standard to put (pers.comm) references into academic work, and you'd only do so in very particular situations - for your perspective, the best way to think is probably that either there is a peer reviewed publication on the likelihood of injury from this treatment, or there isn't.
If there isn't, then you could be better off discussing the risk from similar treatments etc, why there might be a risk etc, how you would find out, etc etc. |
That does make sense, and thanks for the suggestions. I suppose she doesn't know for certain what I am doing with that type of information, and only has my word that it's going into my dissertation.
I'll have a chat with my supervisor to see if that could be an issue. | |
| |
| How long is acceptable to wait to chase an email? on 11:34 - Aug 26 with 2158 views | giant_stow |
Now I'm getting adverts to go to back to UEA - ha to you mr add company - you're 20+ years too late! [Post edited 26 Aug 2020 11:34]
| |
| |
| How long is acceptable to wait to chase an email? on 11:46 - Aug 26 with 2138 views | ThisIsMyUsername |
| How long is acceptable to wait to chase an email? on 11:34 - Aug 26 by giant_stow |
Now I'm getting adverts to go to back to UEA - ha to you mr add company - you're 20+ years too late! [Post edited 26 Aug 2020 11:34]
|
Got to be better than the ads for those special pills you were seeing before. | |
| |
| How long is acceptable to wait to chase an email? on 12:04 - Aug 26 with 2116 views | Meadowlark |
Dutch stereotype: Superficially pleasant but quire arrogant in reality. |  | | |
| How long is acceptable to wait to chase an email? on 12:31 - Aug 26 with 2095 views | leitrimblue |
Very important when dealing with academics during the summer holidays to try an only email/phone between 10am an 2pm. Any academic/researcher worth there salt will usually be quite stoned by early-mid afternoon and not answer. They will plan to deal with it in the morning, but probably won't get round to it. After a week or so they will probably feel too awkward to answer an will be waiting for you to contact um again. |  | | |
| |
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
