A trending hashtag — "so many college students don't know email etiquette" — has sparked widespread discussion online, with many netizens criticizing students' lack of basic professionalism in formal communication.
Many commenters said students, especially those applying for jobs or internships, often treat emails like instant messages, sending messages without subject lines, proper salutations or attachments, and using overly casual language.
"Students treat emails like WeChat messages," one commenter wrote, echoing a sentiment shared by many.
Others have called on universities to incorporate email 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 January 24, Peking University's School of Basic Medical Sciences published a detailed "Email 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 email reflects professional competence and recommends using a single color — red — only for critical deadlines, while favoring bold text over colored 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 emailing 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.
"Email 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 memorizing 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 emails because she worries that poorly organized 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, email 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 them develop basic professional communication skills, including email 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 emails without clear subject lines, blank message bodies or missing basic information such as students' names and ID numbers.
"Many treat email like instant messaging," he said, adding that such emails 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 email practices, noting that most are not intentionally being rude but simply have never been taught the basics.
Yao said email etiquette is about professional competence rather than formatting alone.
"Students will soon face graduation projects, internships and job applications, where email 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."
