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#InfographicInspiration: Writing Email That Gets Read

#InfographicInspiration: Writing Email That Gets Read published on

This week, the daily posts focus on advice and strategies for writing effective email messages. You will find that writing email that is clear, concise, and engaging is critical to your success in the workplace. Since none of the course projects focuses on email, these posts will cover this important topic.

For our #infographicInspiration this week, I’m sharing a simple image that identifies key characteristics of effective email messages.

The website’s name is a little off-color, but the information clearly and concisely outlines specific ways to improve your email messages. Read more information about the infographic in the article 10 tips for effective email. Compare the parts of an email message that are identified here to those in the infographic from yesterday’s post.

Infographic: Email that works

Note: This infographic needs a text-based transcript. See the Optional Accessibility Transcript Activity for more details.


 
Last updated on Sunday, November 5, 2017

Survey on Online & Hybrid Courses

Survey on Online & Hybrid Courses published on

I am passing along a request to participate in a survey that focuses on how you prepare for and participate in online courses, like this one. Please consider completing the survey to add your voice to the study.

Details on the Survey

Online writing instruction experts, in conjunction with specialists at Mac​m​illan ​Learning, are researching student preparation, access, and learning in fully online and hybrid writing courses.

To assist us with our research, we need students’ perspectives in online and hybrid writing classes!

Please complete this survey.

Completing the online survey should take no more than 10-15 minutes.

This study has been approved by the IRB at Western Carolina University. For questions about this study, please contact Diane Martinez at dlmartinez@email.wcu.edu.

If you have questions or concerns about your treatment as a participant in this study, you may contact the Western Carolina University Institutional Review Board through the Office of Research Administration by calling 828-227-7212 or emailing irb@wcu.edu.

Thank you for your help with our research!

​Student survey researchers and consultants​

Diane Martinez, Western Carolina University
Suzanne Chouljian, Mac​m​illan ​Learning
Heidi Skurat Harris, University of Arkansas, Little Rock
Beth Hewett, University of Arkansas, Little Rock
Mahli Mechenbier, Kent State University
Lisa Meloncon, University of South Florida
Sushil Oswal, University of Washington, Tacoma
Leah Rang, Mac​m​illan ​Learning
Karita dos Santos, Mac​m​illan ​Learning
Kirk St. Amant, Louisiana Tech University


 
Last updated on Wednesday, November 15, 2017

#WednesdayWrite: Emails to Your Professors

#WednesdayWrite: Emails to Your Professors published on

This week, the daily posts focus on advice and strategies for writing effective email messages. You will find that writing email that is clear, concise, and engaging is critical to your success in the workplace. Since none of the course projects focuses on email, these posts will cover this important topic.

Anatomy of a Perfect Business EmailEveryone in this course has surely had to write to a teacher at some point. You may have had a question about an assignment, needed an extension on a project, or wanted to explain a class absence.

No matter what reason you write, the Inside Higher Ed article “Re: Your Recent Email to Your Professor” outlines tips for how to write email messages that persuade your professors to help you.

As a bonus, you can also consult the infographic on the right, which outlines the parts that comprise a perfect business email message:

  • Subject Line
  • Greeting
  • Introduction
  • Main Body
  • Closing Remarks
  • Closing Signature

Depending upon the purpose and audience of your message, the length of these sections may vary greatly. There’s no reason to pad your message out for a short request, for instance. Adding extraneous information in that way just buries the point you are trying to make. Use common sense.

Reflecting on these resources, what experiences or examples can you share that relate to writing to professors? What other advice have professors given you about writing to them? How would you compare writing to professors to writing to your manager or another executive in the workplace?

 

Note: This infographic needs a text-based transcript. See the Optional Accessibility Transcript Activity for more details.

 


 
Last updated on Wednesday, November 15, 2017

#TuesdayTutorial: Email Tips for the Workplace

#TuesdayTutorial: Email Tips for the Workplace published on

This week, the daily posts focus on advice and strategies for writing effective email messages. You will find that writing email that is clear, concise, and engaging is critical to your success in the workplace. Since none of the course projects focuses on email, these posts will cover this important topic.

For today’s #TuesdayTutorial, I have a collection of 27 email templates, broken into the categories of networking, management, in the office, and the job search. Additionally, I found a list of templates for 8 Sticky Situations You’ll Come Across in Your Career. There is some overlap between the two pieces, but that just gives you more options.

As you use these great collections, keep these things in mind:

  • Read through all of the titles to find the best one for your situation. Some of the templates could apply to other categories.
  • Be careful with templates. Readers can frequently tell when you use a template, so use the tempates as a guide for what to write. Don’t just copy, paste, and send.
  • Make changes to the template you want to use by personalizing the message for your situation and reader.

As a bonus, I also have some tips on how to sign your email messages. You’re bound to find something useful in this list of 70 Different Email Sign-offs (for When You’re Sick of Saying "Best"). If you don’t have time to read through the whole list right now, the 60-second video below provides some quick, general options:

Note: This video needs a text-based transcript. While the video has no audio recording of text, a screenreader would not be able to read the text in the video. See the Optional Accessibility Transcript Activity for more details.


 
Last updated on Sunday, November 5, 2017

Course Grade Reminders

Course Grade Reminders published on

Several of you have contacted me about your grades in the course, and I’m sure that many of you are wondering about grades even if you didn’t ask me. To help allay any stress you’re feeling, let me remind you where to find details on your grade and how the course assessment works.

If you are looking for… Look here…
The basic requirements for grades in the course Requirements Page
Options for earning a grade higher than a B Section on higher grades on the Requirements Page
Information on the check and X marks in Canvas Grades Completes vs. Incompletes section on How Canvas Grades Work Page
How to tell how you’re doing in the course How to Tell How You’re Doing section on the How Canvas Grades Work Page
The reason Canvas isn’t tracking your course grade What Is Tracked in Canvas Grades on the How Canvas Grades Work Page
Details on how to make your case for a grade in the course Final Exam Page

 


 
Last updated on Sunday, December 10, 2017

Continuing Work on Your Report

Continuing Work on Your Report published on

This is the post for the week of November 13, 2017.

Your Cheat Sheet for Writing HeadlinesAs I mentioned last week, I know you will soon be leaving for Break, so I have tried to keep the work light:

  • You will turn in your Progress Report and a Labor Log.
  • You will continue working on your Genre Analysis Report.
  • You will work on an outline of your report.
  • You can comment on daily posts if you like. This week’s posts will focus on effective email messages.

Readings for the Week

Review this week’s reading for help with the tasks for the week. These are not new readings, but they will help you with the organization activity listed below.

Tasks for the Week

  1. By 11:59PM on Monday, November 13, submit your 11/10 Labor Log in Canvas, if you are using the grace period.
  2. By 11:59PM on Monday, November 13, submit your Progress Report in Canvas. If you are using the grace period, submit your progress report by 11:59PM on Thursday, November 16.
  3. Review the readings above and sketch out a table of contents (TOC) that covers the required sections of your report. Be sure that your TOC informs your readers about the report’s contents. Incorporate your TOC in your Genre Analysis Report draft.
    Today’s infographic outlines some ways that you can write headlines, which can inform the way that you create information rich headings in your TOC.

    4. My Advice
    Submit your log before you leave for break. You will have a harder time trying to remember what you did this week if you wait.

  4. By 11:59PM on Friday, September 29, write your 11/17 Labor Log in Canvas. Specific questions for your log are included in Canvas. The grace period for your log entry ends after Thanksgiving at 11:59 PM on Monday, November 27.
  5. Be prepared to share a draft of your Genre Analysis Report with your writing group for peer review by 11:59PM on Friday, December 1.
  6. During break, I assume that everyone takes a break, including me. Naturally, you can work on your Genre Analysis Report if you want to. Here are some additional details:
    • I may publish some extra posts during break (for fun and amusement), but I will not post any work.
    • If you have a question during break, email me at tengrrl@vt.edu. I will reply within 48 hours, not counting Thanksgiving Day.
    • You can try Slack as well, if you like. If I’m at my computer, I will respond immediately.

 

Note: This infographic needs a text-based transcript. See the Optional Accessibility Transcript Activity for more details.


 
Last updated on Monday, November 13, 2017

#WeekendWatch: Video Progress Report

#WeekendWatch: Video Progress Report published on

There may be times in your work that you will use video to share a progress report. You might record a walk-through of a space you are building, for instance, to show your stakeholders the progress you have made. A game developer might demonstrate the latest features in a game as progress report on the next version. In any career field, you might make a video of a slideshow-based progress report with audio commentary so that stakeholders can watch the show on their own time.

Since today is Veterans Day, I have a video progress report Charlie, a service dog in training to work with a U.S. veteran who has a disability. The Today Show is working with America’s VetDogs to follow the work that goes into preparing a service dog and highlight how the animals help veterans.

This Today Show video is a very informal progress report. It would not work for every audience; but it does demonstrate Charlie’s progress very well.

From The Today Show: Checking In With Charlie

 

 

Note: This video has closed captioning, so it does not need a transcript.


 
Last updated on Sunday, November 5, 2017

#FridayFact: Deal with Trouble in Advance

#FridayFact: Deal with Trouble in Advance published on

Infographic: How to Beat Deadline StressAt some point, you are going to face a challenge that threatens your progress on a project in the workplace. No matter how hard you work, it’s bound to happen. Sometimes it’s your fault. Sometimes someone else is to blame. Regardless of who is responsible, the important question is how you will respond. You have to decide what you can do that will preserve your (or the company’s) reputation while still satisfying the needs and requirements of your client.

That is where today’s #FridayFact comes in: The best strategy is to let people know of problems immediately. I don’t mean call the stakeholders in a panic, of course. Meet with your team or your manager, and figure out how to handle the situation.

As soon as you have a plan, let your stakeholders know. Tell them what happened, why it happened (if pertinent), and what you are going to do. Don’t blame anyone. That doesn’t help. Focus on how you will do your best to get the project in as close to the deadline as possible.

Sometimes you need your stakeholders to help with the solution. Perhaps they will need to approve a new supply or a different design. In those cases, you meet with your team to figure out the alternatives and their strengths and weaknesses. Once you have the options figured out, contact the stakeholders with the information, giving them a recommendation for the best choice.

In addition to my suggestions, check out The Muse’s suggestions for What to Do When You Know You’re Going to Miss a Deadline.

 

 

P.S. Anyone other than me bugged by the gender representation in that infographic? Notice that it’s all men, except for the suggestion that deals with cleaning. Grr.

 

 

Note: This infographic needs a text-based transcript. See the Optional Accessibility Transcript Activity for more details.


 
Last updated on Sunday, November 5, 2017

#InfographicInspiration: Progress in an Infographic

#InfographicInspiration: Progress in an Infographic published on

Since you are writing your progress reports this week, today’s #InfographicInspiration is the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Association’s Progress by the Bucketful, which shows the impact of the Ice Bucket Challenge.

This visual presentation of the progress in the work to find a cure to ALS shows the same kinds of information typically included in a progress report: what has happened, what still needs to be done (and why), and how remaining work will happen (in their section, Why Stop Now?). How effective does this progress report seem to you? Does it accomplish its secondary goal of inspiring people to continue contributing to the fight against ALS?

You may also consider what you might include and how you would present information if your progress report were an infographic. Yesterday’s post on visual representation has related ideas that can help you think about how you would create an infographic.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Association’s Progress by the Bucketful Infographic

 

Note: This infographic needs a text-based transcript. See the Optional Accessibility Transcript Activity for more details.


 
Last updated on Saturday, November 4, 2017

#WednesdayWrite: Visualize Your Progress

#WednesdayWrite: Visualize Your Progress published on

You can often show trends and comparisons with graphical elements than with text descriptions. Consider the difference between describing the performance of a stock or a portfolio during the last year and showing that performance with a line chart. Here’s an example from the Student-managed Endowment for Educational Development (SEED) 2016 Annual Report. Which seems easier to read and process to you?

Text Description

The portfolio performed relatively in line or slightly below the respective benchmark until the final quarter, as shown in Exhibit 1. We included the Consumer Price Index as a preservation of spending power benchmark to monitor changes in our real returns. From mid-November to year-end, the portfolio significantly outperformed and finished 2016 with an active return of 5.13%. In order to calculate our risk-adjusted return, we incorporated our portfolio’s beta of 1.2 and historical average for yields on the 1-Year Treasury note (1.84%) in order to compute a CAPM-based implied alpha. This calculation resulted in an implied 2016 alpha of 3.11%.

Line Chart

SEED 2016 Performance

For my money (yes, a pun), the line chart is much easier to understand quickly. In many circumstances, you will include both a text description and a graphical representation. The point of today’s post is that the graphical version is not just an illustration. It is critical to showing the reader information about the topic.

For your #WednesdayWrite, think about how you can add graphical representation of information in your progress report. The infographic below shows a collection of graphics you can use to communicate information. Visit the post How to Think Visually Using Visual Analogies from Anna Vital for a larger version of the image and short details on the various kinds of charts and graphs.

Once you explore the options, add a comment that discusses a graphical representation that you might use in your Progress Report. Talk about what you have chosen, how you will use it, and why it will be effective in communicating with me about your progress.

How to Think Visually Using Visual Analogies

Source: How to Think Visually Using Visual Analogies from Anna Vital

Note: This infographic needs a text-based transcript. See the Optional Accessibility Transcript Activity for more details.

 


 
Last updated on Saturday, November 4, 2017

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