E-RUDENESS: You still need a salutation and complimentary closing in an email

[Toucano]

What's wrong with people!!

Not putting a salutation and complimentary close in an email is the same thing as walking up to a stranger, saying something to them (other than "hello", "good morning", "excuse me" or what have you), and walking away. How rude?!

Of course, if you already have a relationship with the recipient, it can slide. That's between the two people. But when you don't know them or it's a business relationship you need a fucking greeting!

And if you're email address is something like [e-mail], you need to sign your name. Otherwise, expect my reply to begin, "Dear Mr. Off" because I DON'T KNOW YOUR NAME! Morans!

RANT OFF. Thank you.

[LearnedHand]

1. Thank you

What the OP said!

I TOTALLY agree! I friggin' HATE receiving emails with demands for information -- or even offering information -- and there's no greeting and only the auto signature. Even with my colleagues I begin an email with "Dear All" or something equally informal. :mad:

[JuniperLea]

3. I just sent a couple of "Greetings All" email today

And I ended with "Many thanks" and my name... even though the email system will automatically put my name and contact info at the bottom of the email, I put my name there as if I were signing it.

Everything you ever learned in Strunk and White, as well as The Gregg Reference Manual, applies to email.

It doesn't apply to DU, so don't expect it from me!

LOL!

[Maddy McCall]

2. And let me add: in professional context, if your email is [e-mail]...

do NOT use that address.

It's FREE to set up another email addy that is more appropriate in the professional/academic setting.

[JuniperLea]

4. I've actually seen several naughty email addresses...

On resumes!!! Dumbasses.

[petronius]

5. Exactly! I posted about that just the other day wrt to student e-mails

I've gotten so many e-mails from students where the e-mail is totally inappropriate, the subject line is "Hey dude", there's no indication of what class they're in, there's no salutation, and there's no signature. I haven't the faintest idea of who the person is or what they want, and they write as if I owe them a favor!

I lectured one of my classes on this last quarter, and it was as if I'd hit them with a basebal bat - they were stunned that there was any sort of problem...

:shrug:

[Maddy McCall]

7. One of my students had the audacity to include his myspace URL ...

in his email sig.

On that website, he claimed to be a drug dealer. W. T. F. ??

[Telly Savalas]

11. Perhaps it was a naive attempt to expand his customer base.

[Kali]

12. ...

:spray: OMG. Are people really that bad? Nevermind of course they are. Just took me by surprise. heh

[Redstone]

6. Mr Toucano:

I agree.

Redstone

[jobycom]

8. Dear Luddite

Who the heck else would you be writing to than the person whose email it is? Makes no sense to include a "Dear Sammy" in an email when you had to type in Sammy's email address at the top.

Fight mindless conventions, especially when they add needless keystrokes! :rofl:

[reyd reid reed]

9. Exactly.

An e-mail is written communication and, as such, should always include a salutation and a closing. There's absolutely nothing wrong with addressing someone by name and including your own. Another things that drives me straight up the wall and across the ceiling. "Plz look 4 my reply l8r." Stuff like that.

Makes me want to commit heinous and unthinkable crimes against humanity.

And...it never hurts to have two e-mails. One for business and one for play. It's not like it costs extra or anything and it can make the difference between a good first impression and a really rotton one.

It's not that complicated, but it seems like a lot of people these days just don't 'get' it. Or am I just old?

Nah. Not me.

Curmudgeonly maybe, but not old.

[Toucano]

10. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who objects.

Thanks to everyone in education who tries to keep the world a nicer place.