Email Tips for Students

by
Lauren Day-Lewis
SLM521
Fall 2004
Elective





Introduction:  Today, email is used as an effective and fast means of communication.  When sending an email message, students should follow proper email etiquette in order to properly communicate with others.  Below, is a list of email tips for 9-12th grade students to follow when composing an email.




  1. In the subject line, be sure to summarize the main idea of the message in a few words.  You do not need to write a complete sentence, though - make it brief!
  2. Since email is informal, it is okay to use "Hi" or "Hello" as a greeting, especially if you know the person you are writing to. Try not to write "Good Morning/Aftenoon", because the recipient might open your email at another time of day.  Also, if you feel more comfortable writing "Dear _____", then do so.  However, try not to write "Mrs./Miss" or "Sir/Mr." unless you are positive that the recipient is a woman or man.  *Be aware that proper greetings vary in different cultures*
  3. If you are writing to someone who does not know you, introduce yourself and explain why you are writing to them in the first paragraph of the email.
  4. Use plain text and make shorter paragraphs (about three or four sentences), so the document is easier to read.  Also, put spaces in between each paragraph to separate the paragraphs.  Recipients probably read their messages in a document window with scroll bar, so shorter paragraphs are easier on the eyes.
  5. To emphasize a word or phrase, capitalize the whole word or phrase, or use an exclamation point at the end of the sentence. DO NOT CAPITALIZE A WHOLE SENTENCE OR PARAGRAPH - IT WILL SEEM LIKE YOU ARE SHOUTING AT THE READER!
  6. When we talk to someone in person, we often use facial expressions to show our feelings.  In an email, it is difficult to express feelings of happiness, anger, etc.  So, use smiley faces to convey a tone a voice.  Examples:  :-)  =  happy,  :-(  = sad.
  7. Use grammar and spell checkers to improve your language.  Then, the email recipient will be able to understand your message better.
  8. Sign your name at the bottom of every message you want to send.  Then, they will know that the message is from you and the recipient will know he/she received a complete email.
  9. Read over your email before you send it.  This will only take a minute or two if you followed tip #4.  By doing this, you will be able to view your message through the eyes of the recipient.
  10. DO NOT send confidential information through email or use profanity in an email!  The recipient can forward your message to anyone, possibly by accident, too.  Remember, once you send a message, you cannot get it back!
  11. Finally, DO NOT forward nasty emails, including spam, chain letters, urban legends, etc., to anyone!  Just DELETE them to avoid insulting others!!!