Annotated Bibliography

Extejt, Marian M. "Teaching Students To Correspond Effectively Electronically." Business Communication Quarterly 61.2 (1998): 57-67. Communication & Mass Media Complete. Web. 18 Oct. 2012.

Abstract
In their business careers, today's students will probably compose and send far more e-mail messages than memos or letters. Students should understand that e-mail messages have a unique place in the communications continuum and, therefore, their own rules. While the format of an e-mail message may resemble that of a memo, each element presents special requirements in an electronic medium. The interactivity of e-mail offers both opportunities and constraints to writers and readers. A special etiquette also applies to e-mail, especially the need to avoid flaming and spamming and to check e-mail often. While writers often think their office e-mail is private, employers who own the systems have been upheld legally in their right to monitor e-mail for business reasons, and thus students should pay careful attention to the content and tone of their messages. Assigning e-mail projects in class helps students prepare for this important communications medium, work effectively in teams, and correspond with corporations as part of their classroom research.

Annotation
Marian M. Extejt, Professor at John Carroll University, creates a framework for the medium of email, in which she explores the basic aspects that are required to effectively use email. The author decides to show how different email is than a memo even though it may sometimes look like one, by email’s ability to be sent instantly and to be broadcast to many recipients simultaneously (58). The way that email should be used effectively in a business setting is thoroughly looked at in the article, such criteria as: format, message length and salutation, are explored and explained (59-61).