Professionally Written E-mails Make a Lasting Impression

Just as an ill-written letter can leave a negative impression on its audience, an ill-written e-mail will inevitably leave a negative impression on its reader(s). Because communication between teachers and other faculty has commonly moved away from the past practice of face-to-face and phone contact to the faster e-mail approach, it is necessary that you, as an instructor, are e-mail savvy. You don't want your reader to misconstrue your message, especially if they are an administrator who may one day be in charge of renewing your contract!

When e-mails are used as the primary form of communication within a school setting, it is important to keep in mind that your e-mail should embody the same format that you would use were you sending the message via memo or letter. Consider the following tips when writing in-school e-mails:

• Write concise, purposeful subject lines to help your reader determine the intent of your message.
• Create a salutation suitable for your message type, making sure to avoid one that is too informal for the work setting.
• Use proper English standards, not "text" language, to avoid misinterpretation by your reader.
• Create short paragraphs to avoid straining the reader's eyes.
• Send as attachments any information that is too lengthy or intricate to include in the e-mail, itself.

While it is tempting to send e-mails that are representative of the personal notes that you may leave for a friend, communication with faculty and administrators in the educational setting should be professionally written in order to uphold the professional atmosphere of any workplace. Education has become a much more competitive field, given today's economical setting, and you are much more likely to be taken seriously and leave a good lasting impression if your e-mails exhibit exceptional writing standards.