Business & Technical Writing/communication

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Expert: - 10/20/2010


Question
kindly provide me the correct usage of email while using for business communications? is it e-mail or email or E-mail or E-Mail or E-MAIL etc.  

Answer
Ananda, I'm sorry this took a few days. I do this for free, and I had two small projects to finish up. Now, to your question, which is a good one.

Some corporations and other institutions--newspapers, for instance--have their own internal 'style guide.' That is a manual that spells out (no pun intended) how the organization wants its people to write. The New York Times, for instance, insists on inserting an apostrophe where, in my view, it doesn't belong: 1950's, for instance. Every other publication, including the Wall Street Journal, uses 1950s. So my first thought is that, if you're writing internally for your employer or writing externally but representing an institution or employer, first check to see if there is such a document for the employer or other organization. My hunch is that, in this case, there isn't, but I wanted to get that one on the table first.

If no such document exists, my first source in anything related to writing "style," which is what you're talking about, is always the Chicago Manual of Style (CMS), now out in its fifteenth edition. CMS uses e-mail. At the beginning of a sentence, you would capitalize it, of course (i.e., E-mail). But that's the only time, except, perhaps, on a business card. Even there, though, I increasingly see just a capital E, along with F (fax), L (landline), and C or M (Cell or Mobile, respectively).

I then checked the American Psychological Association's 'Style Guide.' This is the guide for most scholarly writing in the social sciences. On this page, http://www.apastyle.org/learn/faqs/cite-individual-email.aspx it, too, uses e-mail.

Both of those are authoritative reference sources, so they are more than good enough for me. I hope they are acceptable to you, too.

Thanks for raising an interesting question. I have zero doubt that you helped a whole lot of people around the world by asking it.

I hope that my response is helpful and on-point. Please do me a favor by completing the rate-the-expert e-mail you'll receive about the same time you get this reply from me. Your ratings and, especially, your comments help me do a better job of helping folks like you who ask such interesting questions!

Take care, Ananda--

Warren

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Warren D. Miller

Expertise

I believe I can answer nearly any question about business writing. That goes in spades if the target audience is a lay readership. I make my living writing and speaking. N.B.: I DO NOT ANSWER QUESTIONS MARKED 'PRIVATE' because I believe that knowledge should be shared, not hoarded. I also believe such questions are likely to be submitted by people trying to cheat. In addition, don't waste your time asking me to write something for you. You don't learn anything if I do that. I'm happy to critique something that YOU write, of course. That's the best way for you to learn how to write well.

Experience

My profession is business valuation, which means appraising businesses whose shares are not publicly traded. This requires in-depth knowledge about a number of disciplines, including economics, finance, strategic management, accounting, anthropology, statistics, and psychology. The left-brain part of me must conduct rigorous research and financial analysis. The right-brain side must then separate what matters from what doesn't and then explain it all in writing (and in everyday English) to people (usually business owners, but sometimes judges and juries) who do not have the expertise that I have been lucky enough to acquire over the years. I love what I do and consider myself fortunate to live in a country where I can do what I love doing and make a nice living doing it. I am glad to help with writing issues, but NOT, please, with any valuation, business consulting, or other non-writing questions.

Organizations
CFA Institute, American Society of Appraisers, Strategic Management Society, Academy of Management, Culver Legion, National Association of Scholars.

Publications
Besides two published books (search for "Warren D. Miller" on Amazon), I have written for the Harvard Business Review, American Fly Fisher, Business Valuation Review, CPA Expert, Academy of Management Executive, CFA Digest, Valuation Strategies, and others.

Education/Credentials
MBA - Oklahoma State U. (1991); BBA - U. of Oklahoma (1975); Chartered Financial Analyst designation (2006) Accredited Senior Appraiser (2006) Certified Public Accountant (1992)

Awards and Honors
Business Valuation Volunteer of the Year (2001) - American Institute of CPAs Winner - Oklahoma Humorous-Speaking Contest - Toastmasters International (1971)

Past/Present Clients
Confidential.

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