Journal of Business and Technical Communication Jan 1997

An Analysis of Stylistic Variables in Electronic Mail

RODNEY P. RICE

Abstract

This article presents the results of a stylistic analysis of 200 samples of electronic mail memorandums gathered from four organizations. Through systematic counting of textual features such as sentence and paragraph length, grammatical types of sentences, sentence openers, and diction, the study examines patterns of rhetorical choice common to electronic mail. In this sample, writers combined elements of formal and informal discourse but preferred simple coordinate sentence patterns, brief paragraphs, and active verbs. Additionally, the serial structuring of message content and reluctance to coordinate and subordinate ideas into appropriate rhetorical patterns indicate a general inattentiveness to providing logical frameworks for readers.

Journal
Journal of Business and Technical Communication
Published
1997-01-01
DOI
10.1177/1050651997011001001
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Open Access
Closed
Topics
rhetorical criticism discourse analysis voice and style
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Citation Context

Cited by in this index (2)

  1. Machili et al. (2019)
    ‘The Snowball of Emails We Deal With’: CCing in Multinational Companies
    Business and Professional Communication Quarterly
  2. Bushneil (1999)
    A contrary view of the technical writing classroom: Notes toward future discussion
    Technical Communication Quarterly

References (26) · 3 in this index

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  2. Angell, David
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  3. Christensen, Francis
    Notes toward a New Rhetoric
  4. Clark, Herbert H.
    Discourse Production and Comprehension
  5. Corbett, Edward P.J.
    Classical Rhetoric for the Modern Student
Show all 26 →
  1. Corbett, Edward P.J.
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    American Scientist
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  4. Horowitz et al. (1994)
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    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
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    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
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  10. Murray, Denise
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  11. Ong, Walter J. (1965)
    PMLA
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     ↗
  13. Redish, Janice C.
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CrossRef global citation count: 9 View in citation network → Build reading path →

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