The relationship of factors considered in writing a favorable email message

Abstract

The types of consideration that an individual undertakes when writing an e-mail message has not yet been elucidated. However, an email is written to properly maintain human relationships. Hence, the present research examined the manner in which people adjust content and expression when writing email text. Five Japanese people with different occupations participated in the survey. They wrote an email message refusing a request from their superior to work on a holiday. Afterwards, they articulated their thought process during the writing task in an interview session during which they watched a video recording of themselves composing the message. The participant interviews were recorded and were subsequently analyzed using the grounded theory approach. The results of the investigation generated three category interrelationship diagrams: detailed scene setting, exploring the favorability of the email, and contemplating the degree of favorability of the email. The thought process of an individual writing an email message may be elucidated in the following manner: first, before determining what to write, the environment and situation of the reader is estimated based on given information and existing knowledge; next, a decision is made with regard to the manner in which a favorable message can be written, aiming simultaneously at positive evaluation and the avoidance of negative evaluation from the reader; further, various ways of writing highly favorable emails are devised; and finally the intended content and the expression are adjusted to maximize the degree of favorability. At this juncture, we write after deciding whether to write what we intend to, and then we evaluate the content and expressions of what is written.

The results evidence that when communicating via e-mail, people wish to write emails that the reader would find favorable, which is why they attempt it.