Sharon Inge

SLM 521

Email Tips for 5th graders

Top Ten Tips for Email

 

 

            Email can be a wonderful communication tool but it can also add new pitfalls that keep you from communicating effectively.  Some people receive hundreds of emails a day.  You want to make sure that yours captures their attention without distracting them to the point where they lose interest in what you have to say. Use this top ten list when composing your emails and you’ll be on the right track to getting your message across in an effective and efficient way.

 

  1. Keep your subject line brief but be sure it clearly conveys the purpose or topic of your message.
  2. When responding to someone else’s email, include a copy of their original email in your response.  Otherwise, they may not remember what email you are responding to.
  3. Keep your messages short and to the point.  Shorter paragraphs and text limited to one page are good guidelines when considering length of emails.                                                                                                                                                                                                
  4. Typing in all capital letters can show your emphasis but be careful, it can also indicate that you are angry.
  5. Be sure to use spell check and reread your email before you hit send.  Misspellings, typos and poor grammar can distract the reader and prevent him or her from getting your message.
  6. Email does not convey emotions the way a face-to-face conversation does. Try not to use language that could be misconstrued in an email.  Sarcasm especially is hard to identify in an email – you’re better off avoiding it.
  7. Think about who your audience is.  Do you really need to send your message to everyone in your address book or should you be a little more discriminating about recipients.  The same applies to responding to emails.  Be careful of “respond to all” when you really just want to share your response with one or two people.
  8. Don’t send an email to someone in anger.  Chances are you’ll see things differently after you cool off but once you send that email you can’t take it back.    

                                        

 

  1. Don’t send any confidential information via email.  Emails can and will be intercepted.
  2. The most important advice when sending an email?

Don’t send anything that you wouldn’t want your mother (or teacher) to read.  Emails can be easily transmitted to hundreds of thousands of people and if you wouldn’t want to have to explain your message to any one of them, don’t send it!!!