Dear Tpyo

What’s the worst possible offense you can do to an academic?

Misspell his or her name, of course.

In academia, next to the institutional reputation, one’s name is like a personal brand in which people invest during an entire career.

Please learn how to spell it correctly, if you would like to get an answer to your email.

Also if you are not an academic, I am sure you will enjoy to begin reading a fresh new email not addressed to a typo. Whether it’s intentional or not, the sheer level of disrespect to misspell someone’s name is hard to fathom. Especially in a professional email reply when the correct spelling was right there in the business signature of the original message.

Also Bryan (Brian), Candice (Candace), Lara (Laura), Laura (Lauren), Theresa (Teresa), Sara (Sarah), Darcy (Darcie), Christy (Christie/Kirsty/Kirstie), Vanessa (Venessa), Kelly (Kelley), and Louise will be grateful if you spell their name right.

If you choose to invest into a personalized greeting (Hi Leslie!) replying to an email from Liselle (clearly spelled out in her email address, salutation and signature), you might as well radically simplify your opening with a plain and friendly Hi!

When in doubt, here is a useful trick which requires little effort to master.

If only my email client was smart enough to start writing that address line by itself!