Subject Lines and File Names

Stopping to consider how your document or message or memo will be used – who is reading and why? — this is your first consideration.

Sometimes, I open an incorrectly named attachment and the document does not have a student name, there is no date and sometimes, not even a name for the assignment. So, I have to stop and figure out who’s work is this ? – and then I need to re-name the document correctly, add a date and a student name and even title at the top of the document, and then I can file.

This takes time away from providing feedback.

Please name all files: ‘301 “Student Name” Assignment name’

I am sure you can all imagine how much email and how many documents I file on a regular basis — all you need to do to is multiply the assignments you are responsible for each week by the number of students in the class, and multiply this by the number of courses I teach and you can easily imagine how many documents I deal with daily.

I do not open all the emails that arrive in my box and I do not read every attachment I open in the moment; rather, I file them according to their subject and student name.

This is reminder to consider the Subject lines carefully – how can you best assist your reader in terms of identifying the message without opening? How can you enable your reader to quickly file the message? Or, alternatively, if your email requires a response, how can you alert your reader to that necessity?

While the emails you use to communicate in this course are only worth 7% of your total grade, it is nonetheless so important that you learn the skill of professional emailing – and that you understand the differences between the purpose of sending a memo or a message. If there were a final exam for this course, I would ask that question, because it is important; memos serve a different purpose and different reader[s] than messages.

And as you are aware, today, emailing is the main form of communications between professionals.

One more time – stopping to consider how your document or message or memo will be used – who is reading and why? — this is your first consideration.

Making it easy for your reader to know the importance of the message, and easily file the attachments, will ensure a happy reader and increase the likelihood of achieving the goal of the message.

Subject Lines and File Names

Subject Lines and File Names

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