{"id":1402,"date":"2025-03-17T13:15:53","date_gmt":"2025-03-17T13:15:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mitcommlab.mit.edu\/aeroastro\/?p=1402"},"modified":"2025-03-17T13:20:02","modified_gmt":"2025-03-17T13:20:02","slug":"how-to-write-effective-emails","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mitcommlab.mit.edu\/aeroastro\/2025\/03\/17\/how-to-write-effective-emails\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Write Effective Emails"},"content":{"rendered":"

Emails dominate our daily communication, whether for scheduling meetings, sharing information, or staying updated. Yet, writing emails can be challenging even for simple tasks, and we are seldom taught how to write effective emails that are clear, concise, and efficient. Even with modern AI tools that generate text for emails, it can be difficult to get the point you want across, as they tend to use overly flowery prose and fall short for emails that require more context. So in this blog, I provide tips for writing effective and efficient emails.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

1. Bottom Line Up Front<\/b><\/h2>\n

If you are to walk away with one point from this blog, it is to write emails with the bottom line up front (BLUF). This lingo is common in the US military (<\/span>Sehgal, 2016<\/span><\/a>) and refers to providing the reader with the most important information first. Why? Well\u2026because generally no one wants to write or read emails. By putting the most important information at the top, you get your point across immediately and save everyone time.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hence get straight to the point in the first one or two sentences after the greeting. Avoid filler phrases like \u201c<\/span>Sorry to bother you<\/span><\/i>\u201d and avoid being too general at the beginning of the email, for example:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHi, I have a question for you. I got stuck on my code and I do not know what to do. Something about my modeling code does not work as it is supposed to. Do you have any advice on\u2026?\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Instead, lead with specificity:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>Hi, I am having trouble modeling rigid body dynamics and generating a video to visualize the motion. Can you help review my approach? I am free to meet tomorrow.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cHi, I have a paper submission deadline next week. Could you review the attached draft and give feedback on organization, clarity, and flow?\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

The email subject is another good place to apply the BLUF concept, by keeping it concise and reflecting the main point of the email. Good subject lines prime the reader and also make it easier to find the email later if needed, for example:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFeedback request for Scitech presentation\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>Scheduling PhD committee meeting in March\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

For emails with more information, the BLUF concept may be harder to apply. However, the gist is to keep the email concise. Think of how you can write your email to save time for the reader. A good rule of thumb is to keep emails shorter than two paragraphs. Anything longer and you run the risk of it not being read.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you need more space to get your point across, try to still summarize the email in the first few sentences so the reader can decide whether they want to keep reading. If you do write a long email, ask yourself whether email is the best format to get that information across \u2013 maybe setting up a meeting would be better.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

2. Minimize Distractions<\/b><\/h2>\n

The next tip is to minimize distractions in your email, such as long URLs, dense blocks of text, and unnecessary media like QR codes. The purpose of an email is to convey information quickly, and excessive details or clutter can cause readers to overlook key points. A clean, structured email makes it easier to skim and absorb the important details.<\/span><\/p>\n

One way to reduce distractions is by using <\/span>descriptive hyperlinks<\/b> instead of long URLs. This keeps the email visually clean and improves readability. For example:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re interested, you can find more information on <\/span><\/i>our website<\/span><\/i><\/a>, or reach out to me or any of the <\/span><\/i>current Fellows<\/span><\/i><\/a> with questions.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span><\/i>Schedule an appointment<\/span><\/i><\/a> for help with your upcoming presentation!\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Hyperlinks provide additional information without disrupting the flow of the email, allowing readers to click only if they are interested.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Other ways to keep your email streamlined include using short sentences and paragraphs to improve readability, breaking up information with bullet points to highlight key points, and using<\/span> bold <\/b>or<\/span> italics<\/span><\/i> to emphasize critical details. For example:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow to write a good email?<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n