I made a mistake on Professor's Name, what should I do?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around a participant's concern about making a typographical error in an email to their professor, specifically miswriting the professor's name. The scope includes social etiquette in academic communication and the emotional response to perceived mistakes.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses concern about the mistake and seeks advice on how to address it.
  • Another participant suggests that worrying about such a small error is excessive and calls the question preposterous.
  • Some participants argue that typographical errors are common and unlikely to be noticed by the professor, indicating that the mistake is not significant.
  • Conversely, a few participants humorously exaggerate the potential consequences of the error, suggesting extreme reactions from the professor.
  • One participant offers a serious perspective, recommending a brief apology email to mitigate any negative impression.
  • Another participant downplays the severity of the mistake, emphasizing that it is merely a misspelling.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally express a range of views on the significance of the mistake, with some downplaying it and others humorously suggesting severe consequences. There is no consensus on the best course of action, reflecting differing attitudes toward minor errors in academic communication.

Contextual Notes

The discussion highlights varying perceptions of social norms regarding communication with professors and the emotional weight individuals place on mistakes.

yicong2011
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I sent an E-mail to my professor Kaufmann, but I made a mistake on his name. I typed Kaufman, not Kaufmann. What should I do?
 
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I'm usually one to worry about many small things in my life. This question, is what I call preposterous.
 
People make mistakes. It's not like you didn't know his name, you just made a typographical error. He probably won't even notice it in all honesty.
 
he will actually probably hate you forever :)
 
If I were your prof, you just failed the class.
 
OK, a serious answer: this happens all the time. A brief email apologizing for the typo will help him think of you as conscientious rather than careless.
 
This is just a miss-spelling mistake, take it easy, it happens. It's not like miss-naming your prof, right! Ask me, I know. :biggrin:
 

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