BEIJING (China Daily/ANN): A trending hashtag – “# so many college students don’t know e-mail etiquette” – has sparked widespread discussion online in China, with many netizens criticising students’ lack of basic professionalism in formal communication.
Many commenters said students, especially those applying for jobs or internships, often treat e-mails like instant messages by sending messages without subject lines, proper salutations or attachments, and using overly casual language.
“Students treat e-mails like WeChat messages,” one commenter wrote, echoing a sentiment shared by many.
Others have called on universities to incorporate e-mail etiquette into their curricula, arguing that professional communication is a basic life skill that should not be left to chance.
Some universities have already responded.
On Jan 24, Peking University’s School of Basic Medical Sciences published a detailed “E-mail Etiquette Guide” on its official WeChat account.
Compiled by graduate students, the guide covers six common scenarios, including communicating with faculty members and applying for jobs. It provides practical advice on mailbox selection, subject lines, attachments and sending settings.
The guide says a well-written e-mail reflects professional competence and recommends using a single colour – red – only for critical deadlines, while favouring bold text over coloured fonts to avoid distracting readers.
Feng Sijia, a 23-year-old first-year postgraduate student at Beihang University in Beijing, said most communication with professors now takes place on WeChat, but she has noticed that many students ask questions in course groups without proper greetings.
When e-mailing professors, she always includes a clear subject line, writes a concise message and gives attachments descriptive file names. Even on WeChat, she uses respectful language.
However, Feng does not believe universities need to offer dedicated courses on the topic.
“E-mail etiquette is part of basic manners. If someone is careful, they’ll learn it on their own, and a few examples are enough,” she said. “The key is having a serious attitude, not memorising formats.”
Wei Xiangming, a 24-year-old first-year postgraduate student at Tsinghua University, takes a different view.
She said she pays close attention to formatting in formal e-mails because she worries that poorly organised messages could leave a negative impression.
She disagrees with the idea that “just getting the message across” is enough, saying clear formatting is the foundation of effective communication and helps recipients quickly identify key information.
Unlike instant messaging, e-mail is a relatively formal communication channel, and ignoring context-appropriate conventions can easily come across as rude, she said.
Wei believes universities should provide relevant instruction, saying they are the final training ground before students enter society and should help these students develop basic professional communication skills, including e-mail etiquette, before they begin academic and professional careers.
Yao Jingyuan, a lecturer at a university in Jiangsu province, said the most common problems he encounters are e-mails without clear subject lines, blank message bodies or missing basic information such as students’ names and ID numbers.
“Many treat e-mail like instant messaging,” he said, adding that such e-mails significantly increase his workload when collecting assignments.
Rather than ignoring these messages, he spends extra time checking class rosters and contacting students to obtain missing information. He also reminds them of proper e-mail practices, noting that most are not intentionally being rude but simply have never been taught the basics.
Yao said e-mail etiquette is about professional competence rather than formatting alone.
“Students will soon face graduation projects, internships and job applications, where e-mail remains an important formal communication tool,” he said. “That’s why I use every assignment submission as an opportunity to help them develop good habits.” -- CHINA DAILY/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
