When is Email Appropriate?

In 2019 half of all people on Earth used email to communicate. Among the many users of email, some are sending messages to the wrong recipient , while others are sending emails that should not be emails at all.

So, when is an email appropriate?

Throughout this lesson, think of examples from your own life of when an email would be appropriate.

Email is great to use when you are contacting someone in another time zone or who is on a different schedule from you.  Your email recipient can follow up on their own schedule, so be sure the topic is not urgent.

Use email when you are communicating with a group of people . For example, email is a great way to connect with classmates for a group project. 

Use email when you need to communicate before you will next see the recipient. For example, if you need to ask your professor for clarification on an assignment, but will not see her until next week.

But don’t expect an immediate reply. While it may be possible to get a reply within a few hours, most people will respond within a day or two.

Use email to say good things to people. Saying thank you in person? Great, you should definitely do this. Saying thank you in writing? Truly excellent. An email like that can brighten a person's day long after you send it. Just think, every time they search for an email from you, they'll be reminded of that kind email you sent.

Related to this, use email when you need or want a paper trail . Whether it is for an extension on a paper at school or a price quote on a moving van, sometimes you need a searchable, written answer.

Email is a tool, and like any tool it has proper and improper uses. As you create emails in the coming days, consider whether your email should stay that way, or whether it should become a text, a phone call, or even just be deleted.