Email Guidelines
Example 1 - The email acid test
The Discussion Forum will be our primary communication tool. It provides a one-to-many interaction which is suitable for most of the questions that arise during the semester. However, there are conditions under which the use of email is more appropriate.
The purpose of this section is to provide you with the rules of deciding when a question or comment should be a discussion posting or a direct email to the instructor.
The Rules for passing the email Acid Test:
Email messages that FAIL the Acid Test
The following are a few examples of what should not be sent as e-mail items but are appropriate as discussion postings:
The main advantage of posting questions or comments of this nature in the Course Related Q & A discussion topic is that other students are able to respond. Additionally, there is a single answer for all to see.
E-mail messages that PASS the Acid Test
The following are a few examples of what should be sent as mail items and are NOT appropriate as a discussion posting:
The purpose of this section is to provide you with the rules of deciding when a question or comment should be a discussion posting or a direct email to the instructor.
The Rules for passing the email Acid Test:
- The contents are highly personal in nature.
- The only possible person that can answer the question is the instructor.
- My answer is not the business of anyone else in the class.
Email messages that FAIL the Acid Test
The following are a few examples of what should not be sent as e-mail items but are appropriate as discussion postings:
- "When is Assignment #1 due?"
- "I don't understand what is required of the needs assessment assignment. Could someone please explain?"
- "I can't open the PDF document. What should I do?"
- "Where is last week’s Elluminate recording link posted?”
The main advantage of posting questions or comments of this nature in the Course Related Q & A discussion topic is that other students are able to respond. Additionally, there is a single answer for all to see.
E-mail messages that PASS the Acid Test
The following are a few examples of what should be sent as mail items and are NOT appropriate as a discussion posting:
- "I am struggling with problems at home and need an extension for the needs assessment assignment."
- "I have just found out that I have to take care of my mother who was injured in a car accident for two weeks. What can I do to make up the work?"
Example 2
Please feel free to email me directly with questions of a personal nature, grading questions, advising help or with any other issues that are not appropriate for the rest of the class to read.
I check my email regularly and will respond to all emails within 24 hours during the work week. Please note that I am not available on weekends but will respond to weekend email messages on Monday.
I check my email regularly and will respond to all emails within 24 hours during the work week. Please note that I am not available on weekends but will respond to weekend email messages on Monday.