Blurb:

This chapter provides a detailed analysis of all student e-mails categorized as requests. This analysis focuses on identifying the actual requests (i.e., request topics) students made by e-mail as well as how students expressed those needs. The analysis highlights several common lexical items students used, often more than once, in their requests (e.g., I was wondering and just) as well as their accompanying expressions of gratitude and apology (e.g., I really appreciate/I would be grateful if and I am sorry/I apologize), and their relatively sparse use of please. These lexical items are explored as markers of politeness. This chapter concludes with specific pedagogical implications and areas of future research related to student e-mail requests.