Difference between revisions of "E-mail"

Revision as of 03:01, 10 April 2008

Overview

This section is designed to help you write well structured and organized emails. You will be introduced to some guidelines for writing an email. How to design an email using the ABC format. What questions to ask yourself when writing an email. There will be some helpful guidelines for you to follow while writing your email.

Header

When writing an email it is appropriate to use headers that describe the date, sender, receiver, and the subject of the email. Here's an example.

 DATE:    April 3, 3008
 TO:      Billy Joe
 FROM:    Rob Lumberg
 SUBJECT: Bridge Proposal

The one thing to notice is that the subject is just a condensed version of the purpose of your email. If you are having trouble condensing your purpose it may mean you need to re-think it.

ABC Format

For any professional emails you should be using the ABC format. This provides a good structure for your readers. There are of course three sections to the ABC format:

Abstract - The abstract for an email should contain a couple things. Firstly, you MUST clearly state the purpose for the email. This is crucial if you want the recipient to read the email, and not just glance at it. Secondly you need some kind of list or bullet for the topics related to your main purpose. These related topics are referred to as supporting information.

Body - The body of your email should be neatly separated paragraphs for roughly each point you stated in your abstract. This is where any and all information pertaining to the listed topics will be. Make sure to clearly label any headings and sub-headings, and to use bullets when applicable.

Conclusion - Summarize the purpose and list of points covered in your email, ending with an important information about replying to the email (if necessary).

Guidelines

These are just some of the recommended guidelines to follow for writing a professional email.^[1][2]

Start With Proper Header Format: Your email should include the date, to, from, and the subject. This is explained in the headings section.

Stay on Topic: Include a brief statement explaining your main topic in your abstract, as well as information supporting your main point in the body of your email.

Use a Positive Conversational Style: Emails are generally more casual, so use a casual style. Write as if you were talking to this person, but it is recommended to keep the slang to a minimum.

Put Messages into Context: Explain what point you are trying to make and present evidence. In the case of replying to an email include the paragraph or line that you're referring to.

Pick the Proper Way to Reply to a Message: Know when it is appropriate to only include a small response following the previous message and when to comment on each point.

Use the Appropriate Format for Your Message: Using uppercase or boldfacing text is a good way to make something stick such as a heading or note. Don't fear white space. It makes reading it easier on the eyes. Also, use bullets. People immediately notice bullets. Finally using dividers, such as lines or asterisks, to separate sections of text.

Chunk Information for Easier Reading: Chunking together similar pieces of information lets the reader get all related information at once. These chunks should contain only one topic, and should act as a standalone paragraph.

Provide a Way to Stop Receiving Further Emails: If group members drop out of the group and no longer wish to receive updates via email, you have to allow for a way out.

Hide Mailing List Email Addresses:

Word Processor?:

References

1. ↑ Pfeiffer, William S.; Jan Boogerd (2006) Technical Communication: A Practical Approach; Pearson Toronto ISBN:0-13-196293-0
2. ↑ [1] Writing Effective E-Mail: Top 10 Tips