In the world of instant messaging courtesy of WhatsApp, Messenger, and so on, sending an email seems a bit daunting for most people. Email etiquette for students, proper email etiquette, business email etiquette, email etiquette rules, et cetera, would probably be on your top Google searches. “How do I start it? Do I have to introduce myself? Should my email be formal?” Well, today’s your lucky day. Read on to discover seven basic email etiquettes to help you out!

Startup: Register for an Email

Nothing to practice if you don’t have an email address yet. In creating your email account, choose a name that can be used professionally. Don’t register yourself as dorkybeaver@gmail.com or sillybilly@yahoo.com. It’s essential that you only use your name (e.g. juandelacruz@outlook.com or delacruzjuan@gmail.com). If it’s already taken, you may include a period, an underscore, or two numbers, at most.

3 Leading Webmail

At present, there are three major webmail service providers:

Choose the one that best suits you. Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo! Mail all have different pros and cons. You may find out more information about them on their respective websites. There, you may also be able to explore their interface and select the one you’re most comfortable with.

Parts of an Email

First and foremost, let’s familiarize you with the parts of an email. There are several components you should be able to identify and work with.

1. Subject Line

This part should describe what you are writing about.

2. Sender

If you’re using your laptop, this will not appear. However, this is available with the application on your phone.

3. Recipient

Here, you should input the email address of the person you are sending the message to. If you are sending the message to more than one person, just separate their email addresses with a comma and you’re good to go!

4. Greetings/Salutations

Every time you write an email, always start it off with greetings, such as “Good morning,” or “Greetings!”

5. Body

Your content should be comprised of an introduction of yourself, the intention of your email, and gratitude.

6. Closing Remarks

Conclude your email with some best wishes to your recipient.

7. Signature

Write your full name in this section. If you’re writing to your professor, include the subject he’s teaching and your section. If you’re writing to another organization, insert your position in your affiliation.

8. Attachments

This pertains to the files (e.g. images, PDFs, word documents) you attach to your emails. Before attaching these files, change their file names into the title or purpose of the document. Also, include your name.

For instance, if you’re attaching a form for enrollment, it should look like this: Enrollment Form – Surname or Enrollment Form (Surname).

Forgetting to attach your files is also quite common. Fortunately with Gmail, if you state in your email that you have attached something, it will remind you when you forget to attach a file.

If you’re new to all of these, no need to worry! The contents of your email will be tackled in the next segments.

Importance of Knowing Email Etiquette

In today’s world, online communication is inevitable. Especially when the entire populace faced a global pandemic and turned to online learning and work from home jobs, the one or two emails you nervously sent your professors before became a regular occurrence.

Get started with these 7 basic email etiquette!

In this section, the email etiquettes will only be enumerated. They will be further explained in the following segments.

Put a subject in your email
Begin with a greeting or salutations
Introduce yourself to the recipient
State the purpose of your email
Ask your clarifications
Send your gratitude
Finish off with your closing remarks and signature
Know when to deliver an email

Email Subjects

The subject of your email should be concise. At the same time, it should also contain the main topic or objective of your email. As much as possible, your subject should not exceed six words.

For example, you’re writing to your professor about an upcoming exam. Include the name of your subject, the section you’re in, and your exam. It should turn out like this: MATH G2 Midterms.

In case you’re writing an email about a scholarship, simply put the name of the scholarship you’re applying for (e.g. Presidential Scholarship, College Board Opportunity Scholarships, AANAPISI Scholarship, Global Siemens MBA Scholarship for Master).

Greetings and salutations

Start your email with positive energy with greetings or salutations. It’s necessary to offer them courteousness before beginning your letter. Moreover, see to it that the greeting you’re using is appropriate. Below are examples of proper and improper felicitations.

Inappropriate greetings and salutations

Exciting news
Exciting email ahead
Good news
Guys
Hi
Hey
Hello
Hi there
Hey there
Hello there
Howdy
It’s me (Name)
Morning all
Morning team
Updates
What’s up
Yo

Appropriate greetings and salutations

Dear (Name)
Dear (Position)
Good day
Good morning
Good noon
Good afternoon
Good evening
Greetings
To whom it may concern

Your introduction

Given that you’re a student, your instructor presumably handles hundreds of pupils. You can’t expect them to recognize you. Introduce yourself, say your full name; state that you’re this student from this section or course. Don’t forget to address the person you’re writing the email to.

“I am Juana Silang, your student from MGT 13, section B.”
“I am Clarissa Campos of Grade 12 Maharlika, your student in Trend, Networks, and Critical Thinking in the 21st Century Culture.”

Purpose of your email

Immediately express the reason why you’re writing an email. In the same way that professors handle hundreds of students, it is probable they also receive hundreds of emails daily. It will do both of you good if you succinctly write your intent.

It’s best to limit the length up to two sentences only. In the event that you’re writing about requesting a recommendation letter from your professor, you can write “I am writing to you to ask if I can request a recommendation letter from you. I am applying for the Presidential Undergraduate Scholarship Grant and would appreciate it if you could compose one for me.”

Asking clarifications

It’s completely understandable if you’re left with questions after reading your assigned course outline or syllabus. Below are some examples of how to properly ask for clarifications.

“I’m having a hard time understanding… I would like to inquire about…”
“If it’s not too much trouble, I would like some clarifications regarding…”
“May I ask if…”
“Yesterday, there was an announcement about… I would like to confirm…”

Expressing your gratitude

Once you’ve specified and indicated your concerns, it’s time to thank the receiver of your email for their time. It’s disrespectful not to give thanks and issue a reply after you’ve received an answer from them.

Thank you for your time
Thank you for taking the time to read this
Huge thanks
Many thanks

Closing remarks and your signatory

The final part of your email consists of closing remarks and your signatory. Wish your recipient the best and put your closing salutations and signatory.

Closing remarks

Have a great day ahead
Have a wonderful day
I am looking forward to hearing from you
With gratitude
With great pleasure

Signatory

All the best
Best
Best wishes
Regards
Respectfully
Sincerely

When Is the Right Time to Send an Email?

Picture this: You’re studying your syllabus at three in the morning and you encounter a topic you do not understand. Are you going to go straight to your email application and compose your inquiry? Is it okay to send a letter in the middle of the night?

Yes and No. You can go ahead and write your email regarding your question but you can’t press send. There’s an option to schedule your email. Depending on whether you’re using Google Mail, Outlook, or Yahoo, you can pick the appropriate time you want your email to be delivered.

When is it acceptable to send an email? You shouldn’t send it at the dead of the night or the early hours of the day. Only send an email from eight in the morning to five-thirty in the afternoon, at most.

It is also important to note that you should only deliver it during school days and workdays. You must set a boundary between your work time and your break time. Of course, you should also respect your groupmate’s, colleague’s, professor’s, and employer’s period for rest.

Conclusion

Once you start practicing these basic email etiquettes, be it email etiquette for students, proper email etiquette, business email etiquette, email etiquette rules, it’s easy to get the hang of it. Apply the above-mentioned email etiquette every time you write an email to form a habit. If you want to ensure that you sound professional and grammatically correct, download Grammarly!