Transcript Email Etiquette

Ways in which we
communicate today…
0 One-on-one discussions
0 Text messaging
0 Phone calls
0 Letters
0 Nonverbal communication
0 Skype
0 Facebook
0 Twitter
0 MySpace
0 Email
0 Letters to the editor
0 Group conversations
0 Blogs
0 YouTube video
0 Newspaper articles
0 Discussion boards
Each type of communication
has its own rules, benefits,
drawbacks and appropriate
situations…
Email Etiquette
0 Etiquette:
0 the forms, manners, and ceremonies established by convention as
acceptable or required in social relations, in a profession, or in
official life
0 the rules for such forms, manners, and ceremonies
0 Why it’s important:
0 Without immediate feedback from the reader, it’s easy to be
misunderstood.
0 Other forms of communication using writing (especially texting)
have watered down people’s language skills …
0 Email isn’t private…it is a permanent record of your communication
OMG, PLZ HLP ME!
Send me the 20 Myths study guide.
Elements of Email Etiquette
0 Basics
0 Tone
0 Attachments
0 Complaints
0 Acceptable topics for email
0 Poor topics for email
Basics
0 When mailing a teacher,
ALWAYS include your full
name and/or class
period
0 When you reach college,
it’s best to include as much
specific information as
possible
0 If you’re emailing a
teacher, include your class
and what the email is
specifically regarding in
the subject.
0 EXAMPLE:
0 Chris Jones, A3: Help with
Paper #1
The Basics
0 Think twice about whether or not the content of your email is
appropriate for virtual correspondence - once you hit Send,
anyone might be able to read it
0 Try to keep the email brief (one screen length)
0 Respond to emails within the same time span you would a
phone call
0 Check for spelling, punctuation and grammar errors before
clicking Send
0 Use a professional font, not decorative
Tone
0 Write in a positive tone –When I complete the assignment
versus If I complete the assignment
0 Opening an email with some background about yourself always
helps to establish a friendly tone
0 Use background according to your audience (amount, type of
information)
0 Don’t use emoticons—smiles , winks ;-) and other graphical
symbols—with teachers or possible employers.
0 Stray from using sarcasm, which is very difficult to use over
email
0 Review your email to be sure that your wording doesn’t sound
accusatory, angry, petulant, blunt, or demanding.
0 Never use all capital letters—IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU’RE
SHOUTING
Attachments
0 When you are sending attachments, include in the email the
filename, what format it is in, and the version of the program
0 Attached you’ll find a copy of my research paper in the Word
document entitled SmithResearch.docx
0 Consider sending files in rich text format (rtf) or portable
document format (pdf) to ensure compatibility—sometimes
people don’t always have the same word processing
capabilities as you.
Complaints
0 You should briefly state the history of the problem to provide
context for the problem
0 Explain the attempts you made previously to resolve the
problem
0 Show why it is critical for the problem to be resolved by your
reader
0 Offer suggestions on ways you think it can be resolved or how
you are willing to help in the matter
Closing / Finishing
0 It’s best to use a simple signature line with a
salutation.
0 If you need your audience to be able to contact you in
some other way, provide that contact information
after your name.
0 Don’t provide unusual signature lines on emails
0 Always proofread an email for
0 grammar
0 tone (it’s easy to rage-type…)
0 conciseness
Acceptable topics for email
0 You should email your teacher if:
0 You have an easy question that can be
answered in a paragraph or less
0 You have an assignment that you are
allowed to submit via email
Poor topics for email
0 There are some rules that it’s best to follow, such as:
0 Don’t try to turn in an assignment through email
if your teacher has specified against it
0 If you have to get an extension for an assignment,
do it in person
0 Don’t bring up any topic that will require
continuous conversation
0 If things become heated, there is a large risk for
misunderstanding, so it’s best to talk face-to-face
Overall…
0 Don’t use email as a replacement for face-to-face
communication…
0 Remember your audience and situation…
0 Take your time…
0 Be brief and concise…