Emailing & Business Writing Tips

Consider your Audience

To: requires action and encourages readership/responses

Cc: FYI recipients not expected to Reply to All

Embiggened Email

Concise Email

Action Point Followup

Get to the Point - Formatting

Subject LineHeadings/Subheadings

One Topic per MessageBullets & Numbers

Plain LanguageStandard Font

Get to the Point

Try PEST Control!

Prepositions

Extra Words

Slow Windups

To Be Verbs

Get to the Point

Prepositions afteratuntilbeforeduringinon toforaroundthroughnear

At some point during the semester, IT will be upgrading computers.

Get to the Point

Extra Words

In addition, another thought that I also had. . .

Due to the fact that the deadline had passed. . .

Get to the Point

Slow Windups

In regards to the email that you sent me the other day about ordering Xerox parts, yes, you may order them direct.

Get to the Point

To Be Verbs amis waswerebe being been

There are several problems that are in need of being addressed.

Get to the Point

Stay Active!

The link was fixed by me.

I fixed the link.

Deciding When Not to Email

● emotionally charged

● an immediate response is needed

● the discussion thread is going nowhere

...THIS!If you feel...

Recalling an Email

Made a mistake?

All is not lost.

Recalling an Email

Outlook can delete

unread messages.

Want more?

Writing ThatWorks

The Elements of Style

Four Common Types of Business Correspondence  Asking for Something 

●  Ask for what you want. ● Explain why you want it. ● Express appreciation to the receiver for considering your request. 

 Saying No 

● Empathize with the sender’s situation, but be clear. ● Anticipate objections. ● Give hope by suggesting alternatives. 

 Writing a Complaint 

● Explain the problem objectively instead of letting off steam. ● Propose options for solving the problem. ● Ask the receiver how he or she will solve the problem. 

 Answering a Complaint 

● Be personal, sympathetic, and responsive instead of defensive. ● Acknowledge the valid aspects of the complaint. ● Explain what you will do in response to address the complaint. 

  

Concise Writing: PESTS  Prepositions Reword your writing to eliminate awkward prepositional phrases.  Extra Words Say it in fewer words by looking for repetition and inflated phrases.    Slow Windups Check the beginning of your message and sentences for meaningless words and phrases.  To Be Verbs Reduce the use of am, is, are, was, be, being, and been.  Stay Active Change passive sentences by having someone do something.    

Recalling an Email  1. In Outlook, click on Sent Items. 

 2. Open the message by clicking on it. 

 3. On the Message ribbon, go to Actions in the Move section and select Recall This 

Message.   

 

To: English Faculty and English Adjunct Faculty

Cc: English Department Coordinator

Subject: PLEASE COME to the meeting on Friday

Message:

Don’t forgot to mark your calenders for the upcoming meeting this Friday. We’ll be discussing the

calendar and class schedule remember to bring your availability since everyone forgot to do that at the

last meeting. We wasted a lot of time trying to figure out who works when and where. ☹ We can be

more efficient when everyone shows up prepared. Besides the class schedule we also need to discuss

who is interested in joing the subcommittee for the reading and writing across the curriculum project.

This committee will meet once a month starting in December. And does anyone want to start the Secret

Santa thing that we did last year? IT WAS A LOT OF FUN! Don’t be a “bad Santa” not participate!

If u can’t make the meeting, please let me know ASAP!