Undergraduate and postgraduate students’ emails to faculty members: an impoliteness perspective

Abstract

Abstract This study delves into the use of impoliteness strategies within emails sent by undergraduate and postgraduate students to their professors, aiming to discern the variance in their implementation based on (Culpeper and Hardaker’s. 2017. Impoliteness. In: Culpeper, Jonathan, Haugh, Michael and Daniel Kadar (eds.), The Palgrave handbook of linguistic (im) politeness, 199–225. Basingstoke: Palgrave) model. Data, comprising emails from University of Jordan students and semi-structured interviews, underwent analysis to identify impoliteness strategies and themes. Findings indicate a higher prevalence of impolite strategies among undergraduates, totaling 58 instances compared to 38 among postgraduates. Particularly, undergraduates exhibit a greater tendency toward positive impoliteness. Thematic analysis of interviews unveils three contributing factors: work experience, participation in writing skills courses, and familiarity with formality levels. Notably, undergraduates’ lack of work experience contrasts with postgraduates’, often impacting their email etiquette. Moreover, postgraduates’ extensive enrollment in writing courses during MA studies fosters a more formal approach in communication with professors. The study underscores implications for future research, emphasizing the need to explore these dynamics further. By comprehending the influences on students’ email behavior, institutions can devise tailored interventions to promote effective and respectful communication within academic setting.