Mind your p's and q's, now, and you'll go far
Or, using email effectively to get help
When we talk to each other, we use tone of voice, body language, and eye contact to help us understand each other. When in doubt, we ask each other questions. Using all of these methods, we can communicate with almost anyone--even people speaking languages we aren't familiar with.
Many people use emails like text messages or IM's--that is, as though each one is part of an immediate, real-time dialogue. That works great if both people are online, but if they're not, you may get stuck wasting valuable time and confusing each other. Emails are more like a hybrid of snail mail and instant messages; use them wisely, and they're like super-fast letters that can bring essential information in record time.
Good academic emails:
- identify the sender and the recipient
- present the assignment, issue, or question clearly
- give a clear sense of the level of urgency of the request
- outline the sender's expectations of the recipient
- describe the sender's plans or next steps
- utilize clear, correct, accurate language
Here's an example of a useless email...
From: craziiiguuurl @ myserver . com
To: Ms. Hughes
Subject: huh???!?!?
hi ms huges i'm lost wit the HW and i was hoping you'd be able to tell me what you meant today in class because we have to PRESNT!!! i dON't know if your around bu I guess ill wait for you to tell me what to do.... help PLEEZE!
See what I mean?
I teach five classes, with over 100 students total, and every class has a lot going on at all times. If you send an email like that at, say, 5:30, I have to waste time decoding it and emailing to ask who you are, what class you're in, and what assignment you're working on. You may already have gotten an answer, completed the assignment incorrectly, or given up and gotten off-line by that time. At that rate, we'll be going back and forth until midnight... not a good start.
Here's an example of a useful email...
From: mwilliams @ myserver . com
To: Ms. Hughes
Subject: Hamlet Seminar
Hi, Ms. Hughes
It's Maya--I'm in 3rd period, and I'm in the group doing character development for the seminar. I wasn't sure if we have to memorize our presentation. I also didn't know if we had to do every single character, or if we can skip the little characters. Do we have to do Hamlet's friends and the courtiers? How about the ghost?
Jen and I are going to make index cards but try to mostly learn our stuff, and I think we're gonna skip the courtiers, the officers, and Reynoldo, but do the ghost. Let me know if that's all right.
Maya
That student gets a gold star.
The second email is really clear. It contains all of the information I need to give informed advice. Best of all, it shows me that the student is willing to make a decision that makes sense to her. Chances are, if a student makes a reasonable choice, I'll support that choice, and give full credit because she or he gave it their best effort. Remember, give me as much information as you can and make an informed plan for yourself, and I will give you good, clear answers and reward your effort. Give me the opposite, and you'll unfortunately be penalized for your unpreparedness.