Tips for writing good emails
Remember to check out the Cyber safety rules before sending an email.
- Think about who you are sending your email to (your audience). You might want to write with different words and a different tone depending on who you are writing to. Emails to people you have never met might be more formal; emails to friends will probably be less formal.
- Include a subject line that helps the person opening the email know what to expect.
- Get right to the point, and try to keep messages to one screen for formal emails.
- Write only what you would say to a person's face. Anything you say over email you should be able to say to someone's face.
- Only use CAPITAL LETTERS if you want to emphasise a word. TYPING WHOLE SENTENCES IN CAPITALS IS LIKE SHOUTING.
- Make sure what you write makes sense and the intent of your message is clear.
- Check your spelling, grammar, punctuation and formatting before sending an email, especially if it is a formal one.
- Emoticons, such as a smiley face, or an exclamation mark can be used if you want people to understand your meaning when they cannot see your face or hear your voice but are not appropriate for a formal email.
- Always type your name at the end of each email.