Writing effective email

when you've finished this page you will be able to...

write effective email to a course tutor

You're probably used to sending email to your friends and course mates, but at university you'll often communicate with staff through email too. If you want to be taken seriously and 'get on the right side' of your tutors, lecturers and course administrators, and if you want your email to get results, it's important to send professional email.

There's a list of good email protocol below that you can use to help you get the most out of your emails.

check your inbox regularly
use a 'signature' at the foot of your email - your name, course, and a student number will do
keep attached files to under 2MB in size, or warn the recipient that you are sending a large file
don't send messages when you're angry - calm down first
don't write anything in an email that you would not happily say to someone's face
never use the student announcement system for personal business - this include selling text books or advertising a room to rent

Activity: write effective email - 5 minutes

1. Next time you send an email to a course tutor, lecturer or administrator, use the check list below to make sure what you send is effective and professional.

When you write an email, remember to...
include a clear, concise and explanatory subject
include any attachments
use an appropriately respectful greeting (Dear...)
use the recipients correct title (Dr, Prof. etc. - if you don't know their title, don't use one - or 'promote' them!)
introduce yourself and give a brief background to the email
use correct spelling, grammar and punctuation
write in standard English - no 'text' language
no inappropriate use of 'emoticons'
use a polite and appropriate tone
clearly and politely explain what you would like the recipient to do
sign-off politely - avoid using 'cheers', 'tnx' or 'love/luv'

How to write professional email