• 2.2: Major Topic Emails

      • 2.2.1: Purpose

        • Business Communication for Success: "Text, E-mail, and Netiquette"

          Read the second section, "E-mail". The authors define several purposes for email, including serving in both internal and external communications contexts.

        • Writing Activity: Analyzing a Memo Assignment
          In a paragraph (50-100 words), create an inventory of the emails you received or sent in the last two days. Where they internal or external? What purpose did the sender have for sending the email? Was email the best communication tool for that purpose?
        • E-mail Assessment Quiz

          Read these e-mails and then follow the instructions to complete this assessment. Note that it is important for you to critique each element in the table and that you recognize that some elements have more than one problem. Realize, however, that while your revised emails should improve the elements you criticized, there are many ways to do so and thus the emails you produce will not be the same as the examples provided in the answers.

        • Writing Activity: Questions To Ask Yourself Before Sending an Email Message Assignment
          In a page (150-250 words), answer the following questions about an email you might want to compose for your personal or professional life:

          1. Is this message suitable for e-mail, or could I better communicate the information with a letter, phone call, or face-to-face meeting?
          2. What is my purpose for sending this e-mail? Will the message seem important to the receiver, or will it be seen as an annoyance and a waste of time?
          3. How many e-mails does the reader usually receive, and what will make him/her read this message (or delete it)?
          4. Do the formality and style of my writing fit the expectations of my audience?
          5. How will my message look when it reaches the receiver? Is it easy to read? Have I used correct grammar and punctuation? Have I divided my thoughts into discrete paragraphs? Are important items, such as due dates, highlighted in the text?
          6. Have I provided enough context for my audience to easily understand or follow the thread of the message?
          7. Did I identify myself and make it easy for the reader to respond in an appropriate manner?
          8. Will the receiver be able to open and read any attachments?

      • 2.2.2: Best Practices for Emails

        • Business Communication for Success: "Text, E-mail, and Netiquette"

          Read the third section, "Tips for Effective Business Emails."

        • Writing Activity: Effective Emails Assignment
          In a paragraph (50-100 words), review the subject lines of emails you have received. What made them effective or ineffective? What role does a subject line play? In a second paragraph, critically examine the formatting of several of the emails you have received or sent. Do they meet the standard of using line breaks or whitespace and being concise (under three paragraphs)? Why is formatting key in emails? How does save time for both the sender and the reader?