October 10, 2008
Could Google Have the Solution to All Those Inappropriate Student E-Mails?
Whether they’re making grammatical errors, using suggestive handles, or just writing in an inappropriately casual tone, many students don’t know how to e-mail their professors properly. Or at least that’s the sentiment expressed by the 300-plus posts to a Chronicle forum on the topic.
Common sense — or maybe a spell checker — might seem to be the best remedy for most inappropriate e-mail messages. But another solution may lie in a new Google e-mail application called “Mail Goggles.” The tool is named after “beer goggles,” the slang term college students use to describe how inebriation can make a potential mate seem inexplicably attractive.
Mail Goggles asks users when they might be most likely to send regrettable messages (the default setting is from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights). It then forces users to solve a few simple math problems before letting them send any messages during those dangerous hours.
Although there’s no proof that alcohol is driving students to send questionable e-mail messages to their professors, Mail Goggles might have blocked one note that ended up gracing the Chronicle forum: A student e-mailed a professor to say he or she had been drinking wine at a Seder dinner and might not make it to class in the morning. — Caitlin Moran
Posted on Friday October 10, 2008 | Permalink |Comments
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Maybe the Chronicle should try “Post Goggles” given the nature of so many comments on its articles?
— gregS Oct 10, 04:54 PM #
ROFLMAO
— Like this one Oct 10, 04:59 PM #
Given the average lefty drift here, running dog of academic impism, don’t you mean ROFWMAO? I.e., Rolling on the Floor Worshiping (not Laughing at) Mao?
— June Dania Quayle Oct 10, 06:19 PM #
Given the average lefty drift here, running dog of academic impism, don’t you mean ROFWMAO? I.e., Rolling on the Floor Worshiping (not Laughing at) Mao?
Huh?
— Maria Oct 12, 10:44 PM #
I understand that this is posted half in jest, but this solution wouldn’t help anything. The problem is that my students think that they’re acting appropriately when they send an email that says, “hey i rilly need the paper assinement i know you gave out in class but haven’t gone in few weeks so send it 2 me by 2day need to finish it need to get B in this class”. Google needs to create something that doesn’t prevent the email from being sent, but that instead runs it through a spell/grammar check!
— Tracy Oct 13, 08:09 AM #
That email needs more than correct spelling and grammar.
— Ken Oct 13, 08:18 AM #
I read a note on a blog last week: “Every time you type LOL a baby gets kicked in the head.”
Needs work, but I share the sentiment.
— BertW Oct 13, 09:57 AM #
Every time you type “Hey prof!” God kills a kitten.
— Bible Spice Oct 13, 10:50 AM #
I am always just thrilled to help a student who opens an email (or a conversation for that matter) with my first name. “Hey Fred – I need your help with…” always gets me excited about helping out a student.
— curious Oct 13, 11:58 AM #
I would prefer “Hey Pat…” to “Dear Sweetie,… .”
— PatS Oct 13, 01:14 PM #
try – Dear Respected Madam – when a madam in some circles is of questionable virtue.
— Rose Oct 13, 02:05 PM #
Spell check, grammar check and now sobriety check are nice, but when email reality check hits the market, then I’ll be impressed.
— Kungfu Librarian Oct 13, 02:47 PM #
Hey Caitlin!
Do they have queer goggles? Sometimes I think my emails sound too gay. Hahaha. Movin’ up in the world, eh! Keep it real!— Julius Oct 13, 10:54 PM #
You would Julius. Congrats on finally being able to use the term “beer goggles” in a public forum Caitlin. You’re my hero. (And this post could be filter worthy – it’s 11:52pm.)
— Autum Nov 7, 02:52 AM #