Loay Kassem: 5 Tips for Writing Concise, Effective Messages to Your Supervisor
Loay Kassem, Assistant Professor of Clinical Oncology at Kasr AlAiny School of Medicine, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“If your message is longer than your research abstract… you’re WRONG.
After years of supervising Master and PhD students, I’ve noticed a common problem:
Long, unstructured messages = delayed or no response.
Short, clear messages = fast, meaningful feedback.
Here’s my 5 advices on how to write concise, effective messages to your supervisor:
1. Start with a clear subject line (email) or first sentence (chat).
Example: “Feedback request on results tables: breast cancer cohort”
2.State your purpose in 1–2 sentences
Tell him/her exactly why you are writing.
Example: “I would like your opinion on the revised abstract before I submit to X conference.”
3.Provide only the essential context.
Avoid sending the whole thesis draft unless requested. Highlight the specific section or key points they need.
4.Ask focused, actionable questions.
Instead of: “What do you think?”
Ask: “Does the current structure of the discussion align with our research question?”
5.Limit attachments and use highlights
If you must send a document, indicate page/line numbers or highlight changes to save time.
A Golden rule: Your message should be read and understood in under 2 minutes.
If you need more, arrange a short meeting or zoom call.
Do you have more advices? Share with us in the comments below.”
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