Whether you remain in academia or transition into the business world after graduating, much of the communication you conduct with your superiors, peers, and students/employees will occur through digital modes of address. Thus, it is imperative that you are familiar and comfortable with writing professional emails.
As such, you will compose a professional email for your next major assignment in this course. I've provided a few, useful links that offer guidelines and tips for writing such a communication. Please read through all these sites, critically analyzing any examples that may be provided:
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/owlprint/636/
http://www.ucdenver.edu/academics/colleges/CLAS/Centers/writing/resources/Documents/Resources/Composing%20Professional%20Emails.pdf
http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/effective-e-mail-communication/
http://www.englishtown.com/community/Channels/article.aspx?articleName=184-email
http://grammar.about.com/od/developingessays/a/profemails.htm
In addition to including the information above, the content of your email will address the small groups you will be forming and working in for the remainder of the semester. To this end, you will want to think critically and carefully about with whom you'd like to work, as well as why.
The subject line of your email should read (exactly): Professional Email, [Your Section Number]. If your email does not contain this subject line, it will not be read and you will not receive credit for this assignment. For example, then, if you're in my section that begins at 12:30pm, the subject line of your email will read: Professional Email, 29.
The body of your email should begin with an introduction that clearly states your academic and personal interests, specifically those which relate to the intersection of "Science and Society." Once you address this subject matter, in detail, articulate how these interests would manifest themselves within the projects we'll be working on the rest of the semester.
After completing your introduction, provide the names of three students in your course section with whom you'd like to work. Again, offer detailed and specific reasons for why those you've chosen would be a good fit. Along these lines, I want you to clearly articulate what characteristics, academic strengthens, and personality traits make each of these students an adequate match. In order to do this, think about how your peers workshopped your resumes and cover letters, how they composed their own resumes and cover letters, how they comported themselves during their presentations, the topic of their presentations, and how often they ask questions or speak up during our class sessions. Likewise, think about their technical and intellectual training: will their skills compliment your own, or will they be redundant?
Finally, provide the names of three alternate choices; no explanation will be needed for your alternates.
Emails must be sent on 30 September, between the hours of 7am and 7pm. No assignments outside of this time frame will be accepted.
