Elements of an Email Nisha Nagarajan and Kaitlyn

Elements of an Email Nisha Nagarajan and Kaitlyn Neis Brought to you in cooperation with the Purdue Online Writing Lab

How Does this Email Make You Feel?

What About This One?

Why is Email Etiquette Important? • It is important to maintain professional relationships • People are busy! It is difficult to always arrange for a time to meet in person and discussions often take place through email • It is important that your writing be interpreted correctly because you are not there in person to clarify what is being said

Agenda • Characteristics of a good email • Writing effective subject lines • How to make a request in an email • How to apologize in an email • Establishing appropriate tone

Characteristics of a Good Email • Brief • Has a clear topic and introduction -Give good background information about the situation to avoid confusion -Use conclusion to give summary of main points • Free of errors -No spelling or grammar mistakes -Try reading aloud to find and correct mistakes

Subject Lines • Detailed, yet brief • Very direct Exam I have a question about the ME 270 exam Upset Student Question about ME 270 exam

Making a Request • Have a good introduction -Explain the situation -Explain the need • Give details about the request -The reader should be very clear about what you are asking -Keep this section as brief as possible, but give enough details • Make it easy for them to accommodate your request -Do most of the work for them -Provide suggested meeting times, or other solutions

COMPETITION TIME! This email is too long! In teams of two, try to see how short you can make this section. Remember, keep the basic information, and briefly and clearly state what you want to say.

Making an Apology • Steps to making an apology: • Apologize for what happened • Briefly explain why it happened • Offer a solution to fix the problem • An apology may be similar to a request

Tone of an Email • Decide tone by considering -Relationship with recipient -Topic of email • Convey tone through degree of formality -Greetings -Closings -Terseness

For More Information • Contact the Purdue University Writing Lab with questions about email etiquette. -Drop In: Heavilon 226 -Call: 765. 494. 3723 -Email: owl@owl. english. purdue. edu -On the web: http: //owl. english. purdue. edu

The End Nisha Nagarajan and Kaitlyn Neis Brought to you in cooperation with the Purdue Online Writing Lab