Exploring Bias in Evaluation of Job Seeker Introductory Emails

Stephanie Kelly North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University ; Jorge Gaytan North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University ; Shona Morgan ; Michael K. Cundall North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University ; Galen Foresman North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University

Abstract

This study explored potential biases in professional writing evaluation. An experiment was conducted in which individuals with hiring authority or influence at their workplace evaluated an email with multiple grammatical/typographical mistakes requesting that the reader make time to speak with the author. Participants were randomly assigned into one of five conditions, each with a separate profile photo accompanying the email. Data analysis indicates that ethnicity of the author influenced how competent the author was perceived to be and the reader’s attitude about meeting with the author.

Journal
Business and Professional Communication Quarterly
Published
2023-12-01
DOI
10.1177/23294906231154853
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  1. Business and Professional Communication Quarterly

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