Ins and outs of

Email Writing

Shanto Roy

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University of Houston (CS, Fall-19)

Jahangirnagar University (IIT, 41)

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October 16, 2021

“You can spend hours editing an email but send it as if you wrote it in a minute.”

• Sally Rooney

Basic Email Structure

• A standard email should have the followings-

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• subject line
• greetings/salutations
• email texts (introduction + details)
• closing
• signature

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Example Email

Hi John,

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I am Shanto Roy, from the Department of Computer Science, University of Houston. I have some questions regarding your recent publication entitled “<publication_title>”.

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I have been working on the <project_title> and while searching for recent literature, I came across your publication. Your methodology and results are interesting. However, I did not understand your implementation details. Could you please answer my following questions?

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Thank you in advance and apologies for taking up your time. I look forward to hearing from you.

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Regards,

Shanto Roy

PhD Student and research Assistant

University of Houston

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From shantoroy@gmail.com

To johndoe@gmail.com

CC

Subject Request for information regarding your recent publication on Cyber Security

Opening Statement (First Email)

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• Allow Me to Introduce Myself
• Good morning/afternoon
• Hope this email finds you well
• I hope you enjoyed your weekend
• I hope you’re doing well
• I hope you’re having a great week
• I hope you’re having a wonderful day
• I’m eager to get your advice on…
• I’m reaching out about…

Opening Statement (Response Email)

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• It’s great to hear from you
• Thank you for your help
• Thank you for the update
• Thanks for getting in touch
• Thanks for the quick response
• Thanks for the prompt response
• It’s great to hear back
• Your kind words have made my day
• Your quick response is much appreciated
• Thanks for reaching out
• I could use your advice

Opening Statement (Follow-up Email)

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• As promised, I’m…
• As we discussed on our call…
• Can you provide me with an update on…
• I’m checking in on…
• I’m getting back to you about…
• To follow up on our meeting…
• As per our telephone conversation…
• I’m just checking in about…
• To get a follow up on our conversation…
• Would you be so kind as to provide an update on…
• I wanted to circle back around to…
• I wanted to float this back to the top of your inbox…

Do’s

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• Write a clear and concise subject line
• Always start with “Hi”, “Hi <first_name>”, “Dear <first_name>”, “Dear Professor/Sir”, “Dear Dr. <last/full_name>”, etc.
• Always write an introduction (either the topic or about yourself if you are unknown to the recipient)
• Do Double-Check your attachments
• Reply as early as possible
• Proofread before sending
• Keep it short and simple
• Include a signature block
• Use easy to read fonts and regular font sizes
• Be kind and thankful

Don’ts

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• Never write like the reader is your best friend
• Avoid humor or sarcasm!!!
• Avoid writing short forms, emojis, or social media phrases
• Avoid using “reply all” unless it is really necessary
• Never use unprofessional email address- “angel_fairy@gmail.com”, “duke007@gmail.com”, etc.
• Don’t use informal salutations like "Hey you guys," "Yo," or "Hi folks,", etc.
• Avoid Negativity and Biased Attitude or Information

Additional Tips

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• You should check your spam folder sometimes
• Always verify the contents and address of an unknown sender
• Be aware of phishing emails!!!
• You can use separate tabs for maintaining important emails and automated site-generated emails (e.g., primary, social, promotions, updates, etc.)
• You can forward all emails from different addresses to a single one. It really helps!
• You can schedule an email if necessary
• Use labels to organize emails in a better way
• You can even undo sends (if you accidentally sends something)

Thanks!!

Contact and Collaboration:

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Shanto Roy

Research Assistant and PhD Student

Dept. of Computer Science, University of Houston

Website: https://shantoroy.me

Blog: https://shantoroy.com

Email: shantoroy@ieee.org

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