Specific instructions on how to compose a professional e-mail using send and reply options, basic e-mail components, appropriate wording, content, tone, and examples of what not to do. (Photos and Instructions Based on Microsoft Outlook 2007, Gmail, Yahoo! Mail, and Hotmail) *Note: If you are using another version of Microsoft Outlook, Gmail, Yahoo! Mail, and/or Hotmail, the content on your screen may vary.
3 What is E-mail Etiquette? 4 Why is E-mail Etiquette Important? 5-8 E-mail Key Terms 9-12 Outlook 13-16 Gmail 17-20 Yahoo! 21-24 Hotmail 25 E-mail Content 26 E-mail Tone 27 What to Avoid 28 Common Mistakes 29 How NOT to Send an E-mail
E-mail stands for electronic mail and has become the most common form of online communication. E-mail etiquette is the way you communicate through e-mail by using guidelines that help you to avoid common mistakes; netiquette refers to the unwritten rules of proper online behavior. The importance of e-mail etiquette is often forgotten, especially among students. Ever since texting, instant messaging, and emoticons ( smileys ) have become popular, many of these abbreviated and quick styles have begun to appear in professional writing. Although many forms of communication have evolved, it is important to remember that an e-mail is still considered a form of professional writing. Compose an e-mail using language and tone that you would use if you were talking to someone in person. Example: You would not want to e-mail a professor like you would talk to a friend by opening with Hey. This is unprofessional and rude.
Some people communicate better through writing (typing) than talking. You can communicate a message without having to talk on the phone. You can ask additional questions or mention additional thoughts that you were not able to express in class and/or an interview. You do not have a certain window (office hours) to meet or speak with a teacher you can e-mail at any time. You are able to attach various documents. It is more convenient; with everyone s busy schedules, sometimes typing out a message is easier and saves time, as opposed to the time it would take to drive and meet in person.
1. Address (To ): Each site on the Internet has a unique address: http://www.google.com is the address for the Google search engine. Webmaster@mpl.org is an example of an e-mail address. Addresses have no spaces and are usually typed in lowercase letters. E-mail addresses always have the @ symbol. 2. CC: This acronym stands for Carbon Copy. You can send a copy or copies of your message to other recipients. 3. BCC: This acronym stands for Blind Carbon Copy. It is a secretive method for sending messages as the recipient of the message does not know another person was also sent the same message. 4. Send: Click this when you are ready to send your message.
5. Subject Line: Copy that identifies what an e-mail message is about, often designed to entice the recipient into opening the message. The subject line appears first in the recipient's inbox, often next to the sender's name or e-mail address. The subject line should remain professional and should relate to the main point or purpose of the e-mail. 6. Salutation: The salutation you use will depend on your relationship with the recipient of the e-mail, as well as the formality of the e-mail. Courtesy Title + Last Name (e.g., Dr. Smith) or Dear + Courtesy Title + Last Name (e.g., Dear Dr. Smith). End with a comma. 7. Complimentary Close: This ends your e-mail on a good note and establishes a connection with the recipient (e.g., Regards, Best, Thank you, etc.). End with a comma and only capitalize the first word. 8. Signature: This is used as a personalized signature to end each message you send. Signatures often include the sender s name and basic contact information. Once you have created a signature, you can change the settings to automatically add it to the end of every message you send.
9. Reply: When you receive a message you may wish to reply to it. Simply click this button and the message will automatically be addressed to the person who sent you the original message. 10. Reply to all: You can also click on this button so that all recipients of the message will receive your reply. 11. Forward: Once you receive a message, you can forward a copy of that message to another person.
12. Attachment: If you are including an attachment, say what it is in your e-mail. If you do not mention that there is an attachment, it could easily be missed or even mistaken for a virus. Be specific in naming the filename (what kind of document it is, what version of the program, and the name of the assignment or project). Provide a warning if it is a very large attachment (sending unannounced large attachments can cause other important e-mails to bounce).
1. Address (To ) 2. CC 3. BCC 4. Send 1. 2. 3. 4.
5. Subject Line 6. Salutation 7. Complimentary Close 8. Signature 5. 6. 7. 8.
9. Reply 10. Reply to all 11. Forward 9. 10. 11.
12. Attachment 12.
1. Address (To ) 2. CC 3. BCC 4. Send 1. 4. 2. 3.
5. Subject Line 6. Salutation 7. Complimentary Close 8. Signature 5. 6. 7. 8.
9. Reply 10. Reply to all 11. Forward 12. Attach 9. 11. 12. 10.
1. Address (To ) 2. CC 3. Send 4. BCC 3. 1. 2. 4.
5. 5. Subject Line 6. Salutation 7. Complimentary Close 8. Signature 6. 7. 8.
9. 11. 9. Reply 10. Reply to all 11. Forward 10.
12. Attachment 12.
1. Address (To ) 2. CC 3. BCC 4. Send 4. 3. 2. 1.
5. Subject Line 6. Salutation 7. Complimentary Close 8. Signature 6. 5. 7. 8.
9. Reply 10. Reply to all 11. Forward 10. 11. 9.
12. Attachment 12.
If you receive an e-mail, respond to it as soon as you can (no longer than it would take to call someone back if you missed his or her call). Use a standard font nothing too distracting (Times New Roman and Arial are best). When beginning your e-mail, always address who you are writing to (e.g., Professor Smith). Keep it brief. Type only a few small paragraphs or so (separate ideas by starting a new paragraph instead of one long one). Always include your full name and course title and number when e- mailing an instructor; some instructors may be teaching several classes and receive numerous e-mails daily, so he or she does not have the time to look up your e-mail address and try to figure out who you are. Always check for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors before sending.
Write in a positive tone. Have you ever attempted sarcasm in an e-mail and the recipient took it the wrong way? E-mail communication cannot convey the nuances of verbal communication. Be conversational, but still professional. Remember that you are communicating with someone and not writing a research report. Be informal - not sloppy. Provide a brief topic sentence explaining why you are sending the e- mail. For example, if you need help on an assignment and you waited until the last minute to complete it and you are stressed, do not use the following wording: Help I do not know how to do the assignment I don t even know where to start! Know your audience (write in the language of who will be receiving it). If you are e-mailing an instructor or superior, always remember to say thank you at the end of the e-mail for his or her time. Remember that your e-mail is a reflection of you.
Sending something that cannot be discussed in one reply. Sending something that could be controversial or be too confusing (keep in mind that tone is often misinterpreted through e-mail). Sending important information through e-mail (for whatever reason), such as usernames, passwords, credit card information, personal account information, etc. Remember that e-mail isn't private; it is considered company property and can be retrieved, examined, and used in a court of law. Never put in an e-mail message anything that you wouldn't put on a postcard. Remember that e-mails can be forwarded, so unintended audiences may see what you've written. You might also inadvertently send something to the wrong party, so always keep the content professional to avoid embarrassment.
The following are examples of mistakes that many students make when sending e-mails to an instructor, professor, superior, manager, etc.: Including no personal information: Leaving out important details from an e-mail, such as name, course, and other contact information. Typing Hey in the subject line: This comes across as being disrespectful and is also not helpful when an instructor is trying to figure out the student s issue or question. Not editing: Punctuation (e.g., one long run-on sentence) and grammatical errors (e.g., misspellings) show a lack of effort and disrespect for the recipient. Attaching the message in a Word document: Instead of writing an e-mail message in the text area, some students will type out their message in a Word document and send the document as an attachment in the e-mail. This is unnecessary and wastes time. Sharing an e-mail address: Each student should have his or her own individual e-mail address instead of sharing one with a spouse. This eliminates a great deal of confusion. Typing message in the subject line: Do not type a message in the subject line. This is what the text area is for; the subject area is for a short description of what the message is about. Using rude language/tone: Because an e-mail is a professional form of communication, students should never express themselves by using rude language or having a rude/angry tone. Using all caps (e.g., shouting ): According to the rules of netiquette, shouting is considered to be very rude online behavior. Note: By avoiding these mistakes, the e-mail recipient will notice the effort and professionalism put forth in the message and not only respect the effort, but will also hold the sender in a higher regard because of it.
Subject hey is not respectful and makes it difficult to discern the topic of the message. No salutation or closing. Poor punctuation. Too informal. No salutation or closing. No direct question. Complaints and a rude tone. No salutation or closing. Poor punctuation. Grammatical errors. No salutation or closing. Too informal. Impolite. Poor punctuation. Grammatical errors. No salutation or closing. Poor punctuation. No salutation or closing. Poor punctuation. No salutation or closing.