The document outlines 8 axioms for effective email communication: 1. An email should have one clear subject. 2. Emails should be simple to respond to and dismiss when completed. 3. New subjects should be used when conversations change topics. 4. Suggest meeting times directly in initial emails and include assistants. 5. Make additional requested actions outside the norm as easy as possible. 6. Clarify required actions if an email contains a lot of information. 7. Short emails and responses are acceptable. 8. Consider using emoticons to convey tone since it's hard via email alone.

1. Email is more
than 40 years old.
Texting will turn
20 this year.

2. Reply All
Forgotten attachments
Sending to “the wrong Bob”
Spelling and Grammar
Weird formatting errors

3. Those are
(for the most part)
the digital “oopsies”
typos of the email world

4. What really paralyzes us
(and makes us dread that inbox)
are emails that can’t
be easily processed.

5. The “kitchen sink” email:

6. Axiom #1:
An email should have
one clear subject.

7. Axiom #2:
Emails should be simple
to respond to and to
dismiss when completed.

9. Axiom #3:
When an email
“conversation” takes a
U-turn into new territory, a
new subject line is in
order.

10. When you forward
this to 20 of your
closest friends, do
you really want to
accidentally include
a sensitive
conversation about
a student issue by
accident?

11. Axiom #4:
Need to arrange for an in-
person meeting? Suggest
several possible meeting
times in the first email
communication.

12. If the person has a secretary, include them in the meeting request

13. If there are several people involved,
use a Doodle.

14. Axiom #5:
If you want the recipient to
take additional action
outside their normal
routine, make it as easy
as possible for them to do
so.

15. The “involves more work
than necessary” email:

16. Don’t place the text of
the message within an
attached document if it
can be pasted into the
body of the email.

17. Include an easy-to-share
blurb and link to website
for more information for
events, in particular.

19. Don’t link to files on
drives that are only
available on-site.
(Smartphones, working from home)

20. Axiom #6:
If the message contains a
lot of information, make
required actions clear.
Use phrasing like “What I
need from you is …”

21. Axiom #7:
There’s nothing wrong with
a short email message or
response – don’t take
offense when you get one.

22. Axiom #8:
(and this will be shocking)

23. Axiom #8:
Because it’s difficult to read
voice inflection, facial
expressions, or body language
from an email, consider using
emoticons or words to convey
these emotions.

24. Are you kidding me? ;-)

25. Are you kidding me? :-(

26. Are you kidding me?
<fuming>

27. Are you kidding me? <hug>

28. Eight Axioms
One Manifesto
(I’m hoping now for something
like a rousing “Amen!”)

29. And, the next time
you send an email,
make sure that we don’t
have to reply with…

30. Are you kidding me? <sigh>

31. by Maria H. Andersen
Learning Futurist
The LIFT Institute
Muskegon Community College
@busynessgirl
TeachingCollegeMath.com

32. Handouts can be found at:
http://bit.ly/axiomsonly
http://bit.ly/emhandout
Please feel free to
download, modify, share, and
give this presentation as long
as you include the author slide.