Emails: Part 2

When is e-mail NOT an appropriate form of communication to use?

E-mail is not an effective means of communication when:

Your message is long and complicated or requires additional discussion that would best be accomplished face-to-face. For example, if you want feedback from your supervisor on your work or if you are asking your professor a question that requires more than a yes/no answer or simple explanation, you should schedule a meeting instead.

Information is highly confidential. E-mail is NEVER private! Keep in mind that your message could be forwarded on to other people without your knowledge. A backup copy of your e-mail is always stored on a server where it can be easily retrieved by interested parties, even when you have deleted the message and think it is gone forever.

Your message is emotionally charged or the tone of the message could be easily misconstrued. If you would hesitate to say something to someone's face, do not write it in an e-mail.

Who is your audience?

People have different opinions about the form and content of e-mails, so it is always helpful to be aware of the expectations of your audience. For example, some people regard e-mail as a rapid and informal form of communication--a way to say "hello” or to ask a quick question. However, others view e-mail as simply a more convenient way to transmit a formal letter. Such people may consider an informal e-mail rude or unprofessional.

A message like this one might be o.k. to send your friend, but not to your professor:

Hey Joan,
Do you know what the assignment is about? Can U help me?

Although it may be obvious to you that you wouldn't send such an e-mail to your professor, let's carefully examine what assumptions this message makes about the reader and his/her expectations. The tone of this message is very casual; it assumes that the reader knows who the sender is and has a close personal relationship with the sender. Because it contains an ambiguous reference to "the assignment,” this message also assumes that the reader is familiar with the subject matter at hand (for instance, it assumes the reader will know which course and which particular assignment the sender is referring to). In this message, the writer also makes an implicit assumption about the reader's familiarity with the slang that is often used when sending an instant message or text message. If the reader is not familiar with this type of slang, the "U” in "Can U help me?” might be confusing, or it might even be taken as a sign that the writer is too lazy to type out the word "you.”