Writing and Composing Electronic Mail

Skill-Set: Real World Information Technology Business Skill

Category: Communication

Composing Email
Although often forgotten, rules of grammar and spelling should apply to email. In addition, one should be very careful about the subject line and the signature. The subject line is the line that tells the potential reader what they email is about. Many people ignore email if the subject line does not appear to be important. Leaving the subject line blank will usually mean that the email will be deleted before being opened. The subject should be short and to the point.

The body of the email should also be short. Most people don't expect to read long documents as email. We have come to expect short notes that provide the pertinent information in a hurry.

At the end of the message should be a signature that tells the reader about the writer of the message. If you don't identify yourself the reader may not know who wrote the message. Never give personal information, such as your address or phone number, to a stranger.

Email Etiquette
Email has developed an etiquette of its own. Here are some of the rules of email etiquette:

• Do not send unsolicited email to groups of people. That's called spamming.

• Avoid using all CAPITAL letters. That's considered as shouting at someone. Using both upper and lower case letters also makes it easier to read.

• Emoticons and shortcuts can help you express feelings. For example, :) means a smile. LOL means laughing out loud.

• Respond to an email in a timely manner. Sometimes folks actually wait on the other end for an answer. :)

• Use a subject line to give the recipient an idea of what the email is about.

• Never assume your email will be private! If you'd be embarrassed if your email appeared on the front page of a newspaper or wouldn't say it in front of your mother or a clergyman...don't say it in email.
   

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