Email Etiquette Workshop

Brought to you by the

Purdue University Writing
Lab
Why is email etiquette important?

 We all interact with the printed word as though

it has a personality and that personality makes
positive and negative impressions upon us.
 Without immediate feedback your document
can easily be misinterpreted by your reader, so
it is crucial that you follow the basic rules of
etiquette to construct an appropriate tone.
The elements of email etiquette
 General format  Flaming
 Writing long messages  Delivering information
 Attachments  Delivering bad news
 The curse of surprises  Electronic Mailing Lists
General Format: The Basics
 Write a salutation for  Use caps when
each new subject email. appropriate.
 Try to keep the email  Format your email for
brief (one screen length). plain text rather than
 Return emails within the HTML.
same time you would a
phone call.
 Use a font that has a
 Check for punctuation, professional or neutral
spelling, and look.
grammatical errors
General Format: Character
Spacing

 Try to keep your line length at 80 characters or

less.
 If your message is likely to be forwarded, keep
it to 60 characters or less.
 Set your email preferences to automatically
wrap outgoing plain text messages.
General Format: Lists and Bullets

When you are writing For example,

directions or want to  Place the paper in
emphasize important drawer A.
points, number your  Click the green “start”
directions or bullet your button.
main points. Another example,
• Improve customer
satisfaction.
• Empower employees.
General Format: Tone
• Write in a positive tone
“When you complete the
report.” instead of “If you
complete the report.”
• Avoid negative words
that begin with “un, non,
ex” or that end with
“less” (useless, non-
existent, ex-employee,
undecided).
• Use smiles , winks ;),
and other graphical
symbols only when
appropriate.
• Use contractions to add
a friendly tone.
(don’t, won’t, can’t).
General Format: Addresses
 Avoid sending emails to
more than four
addresses at once.
 Instead, create a mailing
list so that readers do
not have to scroll too
much before getting to
the actual message.
To: maillist4@cs.com
Attachments
 When you are sending
an attachment tell your
respondent what the
name of the file is, what
program it is saved in,
and the version of the
program.
 “This file is in MSWord
2000 under the name
“LabFile.”
General Tips for Electronic Mailing
Lists

 Avoid discussing private concerns and issues.

 It is okay to address someone directly on the
list. Ex, “Hi Leslie, regarding your question”
 Change the subject heading to match the
content of your message.
 When conflict arises on the list speak in person
with the one with whom you are in conflict.
When your message is long

 Create an “elevator” summary.

 Provide a table of contents on the first screen
of your email.
 If you require a response from the reader then
be sure to request that response in the first
paragraph of your email.
 Create headings for each major section.
 Elevator Summary and Table of
Contents
 An elevator summary  Table of contents
should have all the main “This email contains
components of the
email. A. Budget projections for
“Our profit margin for the the last quarter
last quarter went down B. Actual performance for
5%. As a result I am the last quarter
proposing budget
C. Adjustment proposal
adjustment for the
following areas…” D. Projected profitability”
Delivering Information About
Meetings, Orientations, Processes
 Include an elevator
summary and table of
contents with headings.
 Provide as much
information as possible.
 Offer the reader an
opportunity to receive
the information via mail if
the email is too
confusing.
Delivering Bad News
 Deliver the news up
front.
 Avoid blaming
statements.
 Avoid hedging words or
words that sound
ambiguous.
 Maintain a positive
resolve.
Delivering Bad News

Deliver the news up front: Avoid using “weasel words”

“We are unable to order or hedging:
new computers this “Our pricing structure is
quarter due to budget outdated.”
cuts.” More examples of hedging
are:
Avoid blaming:
Intents and purposes
“I think it will be hard to Possibly, most likely
recover from this, but
Perhaps, maybe
what can I do to help?”
Writing a complaint
• You should briefly state • Show why it is critical for
the history of the the problem to be
problem to provide resolved by your reader.
context for your reader. • Offer suggestions on
• Explain the attempts you ways you think it can be
made previously to resolved or how you are
resolve the problem. willing to help in the
matter.
Writing a complaint

Briefly state the history: Show attempts made by

“The current way we
choose officers for our
organization is not “I have offered two
democratic. As a result,
we have a popularity
contest that does not
always get us the best
candidates.”
you thus far to resolve
the issue:
alternatives for officer
selection that still
involves the votes of the
members but both have
been rejected by the
executive board.”
Writing a complaint

Show why it is important for your reader to get involved:

“This is a problem for two reasons. First, I am concerned
that the executive board no longer protects the
interests of the organization and that their actions are
not in keeping with the constitution of the organization.
Second, there have been a number of complaints from
the members who feel that their concerns and
preferences are not being addressed by the executive
board, which decreases morale and productivity.”
Writing a complaint

Ask for help and offer a resolution:

“Please let me know what other options I may have
overlooked. I am willing to meet with the department
head and the executive board to seek out a solution
that is fair to the members and is good for the business
of the organization. ”
Do not take your reader by surprise
or press them to the wall
• Do not wait until the end
of the day to introduce a
problem or concern via
memo or email.
• Avoid writing a litany of
concerns that you have
been harboring for a
long period of time.
Taking Professors and TAs By
Surprise
 Be sure you have
permission to
communicate with your
professors via email.
 Complaints about grades
and projects should
generally be discussed in
person.
 Post your concerns or
questions in a timely
manner.
If you are a professor or instructor
 Be clear with your  If you have cut off times
students about whether for when you will
they can contact you via respond to email, inform
email. your students about
 Tell them what kinds of those times.
subjects you are willing  Seek consent from
to deal with via email in students before
case you have some discussing their emails in
restrictions. the classroom.
Flaming in emails
• Flaming is a virtual term • Flame fights are the
for venting or sending equivalent of food fights
inflammatory messages and tend to affect
in email. observers in a very
• Avoid flaming because negative way.
it tends to create a • What you say cannot be
great deal of conflict taken back; it is in black
that spirals out of and white.
control.
Keep flaming under control
• Before you send an  Read your message
email message, ask twice before you send it
yourself, “would I say and assume that you
this to this person’s may be misinterpreted
face?”
when proofreading.
• Calm down before
responding to a
message that offends
you. Once you send the
message it is gone.
When you need to flame

 There are times when

you may need to blow off Here’s a way to flame:
some steam. Flame On
 Remember your Your message
audience and your
situation before sending Flame Off
the email.
Responding to a flame
 Empathize with the
sender’s frustration and
tell them they are right if
that is true
 If you feel you are right,
thank them for bringing
the matter to your
attention
 Explain what led to the
problem in question
 Avoid getting bogged
down by details and
minor arguments
 If you are aware that the
situation is in the
process of being
resolved let the reader
know at the top of the
response
 Apologize if necessary
When Email Won’t Work
 There are times when you
need to take your discussion
out of the virtual world and
make a phone call.
 If things become very heated,
a lot of misunderstanding
occurs, or when you are
delivering very delicate news
then the best way is still face-
to face.
For more information
 Contact the Purdue University
Writing Lab with questions
about audience and
organization in writing email.
– Drop In: Heavilon 226
– Call: 43723
– Email:
– owl@owl.english.purdue.edu
– On the web:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu