Manners...

I have written about this before, but the problem appears to just keep exacerbating throughout the professional community. 

In my school work through Capella University, there is a whole module offered to all students about how to write professionally online.  This module covers manners, how to write concisely, and what not to include in professional emails (specifically emotioncons and the abbreviate words). The module also states one should reply with a 'thank you' for information provided to you via email. 

Now I have dealt with many 'professionals' via email, and have seen all kinds of email errors, and now they have reached a peak with me.  So, as this blog is "Rene's Mumblings," I shall mumble for my own benefit on this subject.

First off, when someone does a favor of providing information to your via email, a quick "thank you" and then hit send is all that is required.  This is not for the enrichment of the receiver's ego, but just a common courtesy.  It is the same when someone hands you something, or tells you something, you would just say "thank you" out of habit (hopefully!) not just take the information or item and turn to walk away.  It is the same, only easier, for an email:  one need only read the content, hit reply, write thank you, and then hit send.  How hard is that?! 
This courtesy accomplishes two important parts of communiction: first, the receiver of the original email offers their gratification for someone offering the information to them; and second, it also lets the original sender know the person has read the email.  If nothing is sent in return, then the writer has no idea if the email has been read, did the receiver actually get it (I find there are some programs which place some emails automatically in the trash or spam file), and that they receiver is grateful for the information or at least for being thought of and included in the distribution of the information. 

Then there are the emails wherein a person does not proof read them, and wrong words are used, there are continual misspellings, or the attachments are not included which are referred.  In a Yahoo! article on email courtesy the above advice on offer gratification for information is listed as well as proof reading emails.  The Yahoo! article also states one should attach all documents, pictures, etc., before writing the email, so there is no chance of finishing the email and then just hitting send. 

It is amazing to me in reading documents which are submitted to Courts, which are published in newspapers and email versions of newspapers, and which are supposed to come from well educated professionals, to see how many misspellings, grammar mistakes, or just plain weird writing is included.  I have seen legal documents which read as fairy tales as the type style used at the beginning of each paragraph is about 24+ points and is something only used in scrap-booking or in fun. 

What has happened to just the basic courtesies and responsible writing which used to be a standard?  One used to be able to count on a legal document as being quite near perfect in grammar, spelling, and appearance.  Now we have courts who don't even require the legal standard of line numbers and legal margins.  I can understand a lesser standard if the document is produced by a litigant them self, but if it is from an attorney's office, with paralegals, law clerks, and secretaries, there is no excuse for shoddy work. 

Ok, now I am done.  This blog may not be perfect, but as I have already stated, this is not a professional piece of work, nor is it to appear to be professional in any manner.  It is "ramblings", and that is all.