1. Mastering Email Etiquette for World Communication
Eric H. Roth, University of Southern California
Teresa X. Nguyen, Irvine Valley College
Santa Clara Convention Center October 19-22, 2017

2. Mastering Email Etiquette page 2
Why is etiquette important?
We interact more and more with the written word all the time
Without immediate feedback from the reader, it’s easy to be misunderstood
is still formal writing
is a professional document
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What can go wrong?
Google and James Damore
Hillary Clinton and the State Department
Goldman Sachs
Reply all - clerks to federal judges regret explaining replying to all
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What are three mistakes you might make in writing an ?
_______________________________________________
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Multiple ways to think about …
A simple problem to be solved.
Why am I writing?
What should I write?
Who am I writing to?
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Another way to think about …
Two: Your as narrative (story and backstory)
Even the simplest has multiple meanings.
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The Basics
Think twice about whether or not the content of your is appropriate for virtual correspondence - once you hit Send, anyone might be able to read it
Respond to s within the same time span you would a phone call
Use a professional font, not decorative
Be cautious about sending personal information
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Leslie Chu
Survey Data
Leslie,
Thanks for the last night. However, I couldn’t find the data from the survey in your last mail. Is it possible there was a missing attachment?
--Aaron
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Three approaches to writing
The “I” approach
The “we” approach
The “you” approach
In what situations would you use each one?
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Perceived Positions of Power: Writer vs. Reader
What is your relationship to the reader?
What role does polite or respectful language play?
Which do you think is more important – trying to write appropriately to the audience or using correct grammar?
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Types of
Why might you have to write an ?
Try to think of at least four reasons….
_______________________________________________
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Common Tasks
Giving information
Requesting
Confirming information
Addressing a problem
Sales
Social interactions
Professional networking
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Think about…
…your “voice” – active or passive?
…your approach – I, we, or you?
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Giving Negative Information
This is the area where most people run into trouble when writing an .
How might you open an that gives negative information?
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Addressing a Problem
Brainstorm a problem…
How might you open the ?
How might you present the solution(s)?
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Salutations and Closings
What type of honorific should you use?
Do you know the gender of the recipient?
Which is better Mrs. or Ms.?
Should you use the first name, the last name, or the full name?
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The “Thank You in Advance” Conundrum
How do you express gratitude in an ?
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Offering, Requesting, and Ordering
Think about your use of ‘I’ and ‘you’
Consider your audience
Think about the imposition of the request
Consider whether what you have written sounds most like an offer, order, or request
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Too Common Mistakes
Sending to the wrong person
(or persons = be careful about reply all)
Misspelling the name of the person
Double tasking (e.g. sending a response while walking)
Not replying in a timely manner
Using inappropriate tone (don’t write when angry)
Not including a salutation, heading, or “signature”
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Other Mistakes
Punctuation
Homonym misspellings
Not changing the header to reflect new focus or information in a long chain
Excessive detail
Poor word choice or mistranslations of similar terms
Typos/DON’T USE CAPS LOCK
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Best Practices to Avoid Mistakes
Be aware of multiple potential audiences (who might read your mail later?)
Remember context and subtext (personal or professional?)
Be careful about attaching excessively large documents
Don’t be obsessive about checking /text messages
Don’t forward jokes or other non-professional mail
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Avoiding Good Mistakes in Tone and Grammar
Write important s in Word – the spell check and grammar check are better here than in most providers.
Reread your mail before you send it. For very important mails, print and read.
Again, remember the possibility of s being forwarded
Invisible, possible, and multiple audiences
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23. Humor = Riskier Mastering Email Etiquette page 23
Friendly Reminder
Humor = Riskier
Nearly a quarter of employees have suffered problems with colleagues or clients because their use of humor in an has not been understood or appreciated, according to a survey.* *
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Friendly Reminder
Sloppiness is one of “seven deadly sins”
Bad grammar, misspelling and disconnected arguments gave 81% of the survey sample "negative feelings" towards the senders.
41% of senior managers said badly worded s implied laziness and even disrespect.*
*Source: CNN.com
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Friendly Reminder
Hit Send and it’s gone
Hit Reply All and your career may be gone
Deleted s live on
Messages can be forwarded without your knowledge or consent
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Appropriate
Respectful
and Polite
Proper Spelling and Grammar
Contains Clear Subject Line
Clear
Proofread
Planned
Professional
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Why etiquette?’
The electronic equivalent of a set of fussy rules that tell you … which fork to use with the salad course?
etiquette does not consist of a set of rigid rules.
It encourages you to adopt a certain attitude of thoughtfulness.
Gregg Reference Manual, 10th ed.
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28. Thank You! Mastering Email Etiquette page 28 Eric H. Roth, M.A.
Master Lecturer, USC ALI
Teresa X. Nguyen, M.A.
Lecturer, Irvine Valley College
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References
Epley, N. (2015). Mindwise: Why We Misunderstand What Others Think, Believe, Feel, and Want Paperback Reprint Edition: Vintage.
Garfield, S. (2013, October 28). 10 old letter-writing tips that work for s
Retrieved from 
Guffey, M.E., & Loewy, D. (2013). Essentials of Business Communication, Ninth Edition. Mason, OH: Cengage.
Labovich, L, M., & Salpeter, M. (2012). 100 Conversations for Career Success: Learn to Network, Cold Call, and Tweet Your Way to Your Dream Job!. New York: Learning Express.
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References, Continued
Nguyen, T., & Roth, E. (2017). Compelling Conversations – Vietnamese: Speaking Exercises for Vietnamese Leaners of English. Chimayo Press.
Sabin, W. (2006). The Gregg Reference Manual 10th Ed. McGraw Hill Irwin.
USC.edu
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References, Continued
Additional Links:
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