Self Study Guide
Writing Professional Emails
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Emails are the most common type of document written by engineers and scientists. While engineering and science students might learn to write emails in a technical writing course, those courses typically do not occur until the third or fourth year--often after engineering and science students have had to write emails to obtain summer internships and research experiences. This webpage presents the content from a self-study guide on writing professional emails. Sponsored by the College of Engineering at Penn State, this page carries the purpose of bridging this gap for engineering and science students. What distinguishes this content is that it has arisen from hundreds of surveys and scores of one-on-one interviews of alumni, faculty, and students.
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Analyzing Audience (about 6 minutes)
In contrast with essays that you wrote for first-year English, most professional emails carry specific constraints for audience, purpose, and occasion. Before you begin writing a professional email, you should think deeply about those constraints. For instance, in writing emails about a project, you often encounter different audiences who have decidedly different levels of familiarity with the content [1]. In addition, the level of persuasion expected varies much among emails. Moreover, emails at different institutions have decidedly different formats [2, 3]. Understanding your constraints of audience, purpose, and occasion put you in position to write a much more effective email.
In contrast with essays that you wrote for first-year English, most professional emails carry specific constraints for audience, purpose, and occasion. Before you begin writing a professional email, you should think deeply about those constraints. For instance, in writing emails about a project, you often encounter different audiences who have decidedly different levels of familiarity with the content [1]. In addition, the level of persuasion expected varies much among emails. Moreover, emails at different institutions have decidedly different formats [2, 3]. Understanding your constraints of audience, purpose, and occasion put you in position to write a much more effective email.
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Film 1. Analyzing what the audience knows. |
Film 2. Analyzing why the audience is reading. |
Film 3. Analyzing how the audience will read.
Organizing the Email (about 14 minutes)
In a professional email, the style refers to the way that you communicate the content to the audience [1]. Professional emails have two important perspectives on style: organization and language. Presented in films 4-7 are the aspects of organization that most distinguish professional emails from the organization of essays taught in English courses.
In a professional email, the style refers to the way that you communicate the content to the audience [1]. Professional emails have two important perspectives on style: organization and language. Presented in films 4-7 are the aspects of organization that most distinguish professional emails from the organization of essays taught in English courses.
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Film 4. Subject Line. Film 6. Middle Paragraphs. |
Film 5. Beginning Paragraph. Film 7. Ending Paragraph. |
Language of Emails (about 17 minutes)
Language concerns the way that you write at the sentence level. Two important aspects are how precise and clear your sentences are. Films 8 and 9 discuss that issue. In professional emails, another important aspect is how well you control tone, which is the attitude that you as an author show about the content. Film 10 addresses that topic.
Language concerns the way that you write at the sentence level. Two important aspects are how precise and clear your sentences are. Films 8 and 9 discuss that issue. In professional emails, another important aspect is how well you control tone, which is the attitude that you as an author show about the content. Film 10 addresses that topic.
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Film 8. Language: Being Precise and Clear Film 10. Language: Controlling Tone |
Film 9. Language: Avoiding Ambiguity Film 11. Language: Being Concise |
Acknowledgments
This self-study guide and microcredentialing badge are made possible by funds provided by the Leonhard Center for the Enhancement of Engineering Education in the College of Engineering at Penn State. Providing technical assistance on the films is the Office of Digital Learning, which is also in the College of Engineering at Penn State. Providing specific guidance and support for the guide and badge have been the following individuals: Stephanie Cutler, Casey Fenton, Andrea Gregg, Richelle Weiger, and Elaine Whitmer. Michael Alley, the author of The Craft of Scientific Writing [4], has overseen the creation of content for the guide and badge, and listed below are engineering students who have assisted in that creation.
This self-study guide and microcredentialing badge are made possible by funds provided by the Leonhard Center for the Enhancement of Engineering Education in the College of Engineering at Penn State. Providing technical assistance on the films is the Office of Digital Learning, which is also in the College of Engineering at Penn State. Providing specific guidance and support for the guide and badge have been the following individuals: Stephanie Cutler, Casey Fenton, Andrea Gregg, Richelle Weiger, and Elaine Whitmer. Michael Alley, the author of The Craft of Scientific Writing [4], has overseen the creation of content for the guide and badge, and listed below are engineering students who have assisted in that creation.
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Conducting Interviews
Justin Bardy Dean Ellis Jake Grant Alexander How Belinda Mativenga Kaitlyn Pigeon Alison Wanamaker Developing Website Marissa Beighley Alexus Eicher Editing Films Mary Duncan Carrie McCartney Roman Pero Caroline Sinz Sophia Zitkus |
Mechanical Engineering, 2021 Aerospace Engineering, 2021 Mechanical Engineering, 2020 Mechanical Engineering, 2022 Chemical Engineering, 2022 Industrial Engineering, 2021 Industrial Engineering, 2021 Computer Science, 2022 Computer Science, 2020 Mechanical Engineering, 2021 Mechanical Engineering, 2020 Chemical Engineering, 2020 Mechanical Engineering, 2020 Mechanical Engineering, 2020 |
Penn State Penn State Penn State Penn State Penn State Penn State Penn State Penn State Penn State Virginia Tech Penn State Penn State Penn State Penn State |
References
- Michael Alley, The Craft of Scientific Writing, 4th ed. (New York: Springer, 2018).
- "Report Templates," Writing as an Engineer or Scientist, ed. by Michael Alley (University Park, PA: College of Engineering, 1996).
- "Sample Report Format," Writing as an Engineer or Scientist, ed. by Michael Alley (University Park, PA: College of Engineering, 1996).
