Email etiquette: 5 things to remember

There's not a common agreement governing email correspondence. There are too many contexts and purposes to consider.

However, here are five email etiquette tips to remember next time you contact your lecturer or tutor via email. 

1. Address the email recipient. Use the name you usually address them with, for example: 'Hi David'. 

2. Check your spelling. If unsure, look it up!

3. Use a subject line - two to three words to summarise the email and keep the body of the email concise.

4. Don't send an email when you are full of negative emotion especially during study stress. It's easy to click the 'send' button without double checking what you've written.

5. Email is not confidential. Don't write anything you wouldn't want someone else reading.

A good example:

To: david@studybreak.com.au

Subject: edu101 criterion 2

Hi David

Is it okay to use a table to display our results for criterion 2?

Thanks in advance,

Gen

Time to re-think pressing the send button example 

To: david@studybreak.com.au

Subject: question

Can I use a tabel to show results? Everyone keeps saying different things and I'm just not sure anymore. I'm getting concflicting info about this task.

Can you help me?

Gen

5 things NOT to ask your University tutor!

I love being a tutor. I love being able to encourage students in their studies but there are 5 things that students just shouldn't ask their tutor.

1. 'I put in so much effort - can I get a re-mark?'
That's great you are putting so much effort into your study but this really isn't a good enough argument to try and get a better grade! Marks are given according to how well you address the set criteria.

2. 'What did you say? I wasn't listening.'
Calling this out in a tutorial is really quite rude and it doesn't say much for your maturity -along with your actions, playing your iPhone and gossiping to your neighbour about something irrelevant. The tutorial is less than two hours-my 7 year old has a better attention span.

3. 'So, how do I write this assignment?
After going through with the tutorial group, the assignment outline (also explicitly written on the discussion board, the title headings and what is required within each section),  the marking rubric and providing time in two tutorials for the first step of the assignment, asking the tutor how to begin writing this assignment without attempting to write anything is just plain lazy. At least have a go.

4. 'Do you think I will get a good mark?'
As a tutor, I'm happy to provide feedback on drafts but when you ask this question on a half written draft without any references to the literature, this question is especially inappropriate.

5. Why do we even have to do this assignment?
Asking this question with your nose turned up and following it up with, 'I'll just write anything and you won't know that I've copied it or made it up,' only casts a suspicious eye on your work. And I might add it is unprofessional - I can't imagine this question would go down very well with your next employer when they ask you to fulfil a task that you don't see as worthy! Assignments are given to assess your knowledge and understanding of a topic.


I encourage my students to ask me questions and clarify their thoughts. Tutors want their students to do well but we also want you to be self-learners too. Tutors are their to assist and guide you through your study journey, not to hold your hand and do your assignments for you.