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[stilllearning]

Hi,

What is the collective wisdom on this subject of addressing professors at others schools? 

In particular, I, a graduate student, sent an unsolicited email to a professor at a university different from mine.  In this email, I addressed the professor as "Professor Lastname."  He responded in a positive way and signed "Firstname."  In further emails, should I address him as "Firstname" or "Professor Lastname"?  What do you think?

StillLearning

[onion]

I think that you were right to address this person initially as Professor Lastname.  Since they responded to you positively and used their first name, they are inviting you to address them by their first name.

Just my two cents.

[stilllearning]

Thanks, onion.  What you say makes good sense.

StillLearning

[goingcrazy]

My committee members sign emails using their first names but I still call them Dr. X.

[stilllearning]

Also a good point.  Thanks, thing.  I guess it doesn't matter that much.

StillLearning

[mignon]

I am a professor, and students at my school (even PhD students) call me Dr. X or Professor X.  I think it's an odd convention, because it discourages advanced grad students from thinking of themselves as professionals and colleagues.  But when in Rome . . .

I'd say you can't risk offending someone too much by calling them Dr. or Professor.  But once they sign their first name, then, as the other posters have noted, use that.

[minorleaguer]

My committee members sign emails using their first names but I still call them Dr. X.

This might be different.  It depends on the culture of the school.  If everyone at your school calls professors by their first names, then you should do that, or if they all say, "Dr.X" then you should follow their lead.  In the e-mail situation, signing an e-mail with their first name is an invitation for you to call them by that name.  If you want to keep it just a little more formal, you can start with, "Dear Steve" rather than just "Steve".  

It is usually a good idea to mimic the professionals you are working with on things like this, in my opinion.  Mistakes are inevitable, but you'll get it.

[stilllearning]

Thanks to everyone who posted on this.  I was leaning towards using his first name as salutation, and that's what I'll do.

StillLearning

[pikachu]

I think it would be safer to continue addressing them as Dr. X., unless you start partying with them at conferences. Use Dr. instead of Professor, it is less formal.

[prytania3]

I think it would be safer to continue addressing them as Dr. X., unless you start partying with them at conferences. Use Dr. instead of Professor, it is less formal.

I agree. I'm extremely casual and most students address me by my first name, but if i got an email from a student from someplace else, I'd expect them to address me as Professor Prytania, even if I did give them my first name. I'm funny that way.

[mountainguy]

I had a really odd interaction with a new(ish) professor in my department about this very issue a few years ago. Shortly after she started in the department, I saw her in the hallway one day and stopped to introduce myself, stating something like: "Hi, Professor X. I'm Mountainguy. I'm a doctoral student in the department. It's good to meet you." She responded using her first name and later sent me an e-mail also signed with just her first name, so I assumed that this was how she preferred be addressed. But I later heard through the grapevine that she was offended that I switched to using her first name. (This particular individual has subsequently become famous for lacking social skills, so I don't take the interaction personally).

So my advice would be to err on the side of formality until you are corrected by the other person.

[daniel_von_flanagan]

When you were a kid, your friends' parents probably called you by your first name.  Did you interpret that as an invitation to reciprocate? - DvF

[eyetoeye]

I am a professor, and students at my school (even PhD students) call me Dr. X or Professor X.  I think it's an odd convention, because it discourages advanced grad students from thinking of themselves as professionals and colleagues.  But when in Rome . . .

I'd say you can't risk offending someone too much by calling them Dr. or Professor.  But once they sign their first name, then, as the other posters have noted, use that.

I follow this convention generally speaking. A few times, I've run into problems because the respondent stops signing the emails in any form. In fact, this removal of any signature is nearly another convention. I use it too. I haven't formalized a response in these cases. Maybe others have.

[onion]

When you were a kid, your friends' parents probably called you by your first name.  Did you interpret that as an invitation to reciprocate? - DvF

I'm the one who said it was an invitation to reciprocate.  Give the OP a break.  S/he is obviously already nervous about the whole damn thing--and I know, from experience and hindsight, that it's just not that big of a deal.  I invite my grad students to call me by my first name--some do, some don't.  I sign my emails to grad students at my institution (and others who contact me to serve on panels, etc) with my first name.  Do I do this with undergrads? No.  There is an intentionality to signing with a first name, and it IS an icebreaker or invitation to informality.  You can't sign an email with a first name and then get upset when someone uses it.  Sheesh.

[daniel_von_flanagan]

When you were a kid, your friends' parents probably called you by your first name.  Did you interpret that as an invitation to reciprocate? - DvF

I'm the one who said it was an invitation to reciprocate.  Give the OP a break.  ((snip))  You can't sign an email with a first name and then get upset when someone uses it.  Sheesh.

I wasn't trying to admonish the OP, just offering a counterargument to those who claim that the use  of the first name in the email was obviously an invitation.  When you use it it evidently is, but with others it might just be a byproduct of the culture of informality that surrounds email.

I agree with your last statement, but with the word "shouldn't" instead of "can't".  I do know people who would have a negative reaction to a student they haven't met using their first name in this kind of situation, and think the safest thing for this student is to continue using title+last name until the relationship is a bit more secure.  It is never impolitic to use the title. - DvF