Commonly agreed email etiquette

Image: by Scott Hodge happyweeble.blogspot.com ___002

Respectful customs

There are no 'official' rules governing electronic

communication. However, there are some commonly agreed polite or respectful customs in practice.

This is what we mean when we say ‘etiquette’.

Email (as a professional tool) is quite distinct from the informality of mobile texting.

Image: (adapted) commons wikimedia

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The Subject Field

Always fill in the subject field with a concise description of the content of your email.

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Subject line suggestions

• Unit name

• Your name

• Reference to the issue or task

Examples:

TEP021_JohnBrown_Activity 2.4

TEP021_JBrown_Issue logging on

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Avoid using all capital letters and, equally important, don’t use all small (lower) case letters in the subject field.

Avoid using Hi, Help or Please Respond, or even the recipient’s name.

Lazy behaviour could result in your email being blocked by spam filters.

Image from FallingFifth.com

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Opening and closing

Opening your email:

Hello / Hi / Dear ….

followed by the name of the person you are emailing

Closing your email:

• Regards

• Kind / Warm / Best regards

• With thanks and regards

• Sincerely

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Keep the thread

When replying to an e-mail, use the reply option in your email program. This will keep the message in the "thread", and make it easier for the recipient to follow the subject matter.

Image: from jpallan FlickrCC

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Orient your reader

Don't assume the recipient knows (or will remember) the background of the matter. Include enough information at the beginning of the e-mail for the recipient to orient themselves.

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Keep it concise

Keep messages brief and to the point, but not so brief that the reader doesn’t have the facts.

This includes deleting any irrelevant text when an email has been back and forth several times.

Image: What’s the point by nosemeat FlickrCC

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Don't shout at people

Don't use all capital letters (UPPERCASE) or overdo punctuation like !!!!!!.

If you must use UPPERCASE, use it only to emphasise a particularly important point. Image: Shouting by Sebastiaan ter Burg FlickrCC

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Avoid emotional outbursts

Don't send or reply to an email when you are angry or upset about something. Wait until you have calmed down, then compose the email. Once written and sent, an email can't be recalled.

As a guide, ask yourself – 'would I say this to the person's face?'

Image: Angry Anne by josh janssen FlickrCC

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Use spacing

Layout your message for readability.

Use spaces and breaks between paragraphs. Use short sentences to make it easier on the reader.

Image: bifocals and words by muffett FlickrCC

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Keep it simple

Do you really need to use coloured text and background images in your day to day communications? Your colour and formatting choices may make your emails difficult to read.

Fancy formatting is not usually appropriate for professional correspondence.

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Acronyms, abbreviations, and emoticons.

Emoticons can be useful to emphasise feelings in personal communications but are not always appropriate in professional communications.

It is OK to use acronyms and abbreviations in e-mails as long as you don't overdo it. People outside of your organisation may have no idea what you mean.

Image: We need more acronyms by cogdogblog FlickrCC

Image: Shout emoticon Wikimedia ___002

Proofread your email before sending

Always

• spell check your email

• proofread for errors

• capitalize your sentences

• use appropriate punctuation

• check your grammar.

Image: Passing Time by HikingArtist FlickrCC

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Reply as soon as possible

Get in the habit of replying promptly – it’s the polite thing to do, and the recipient will appreciate a quick response.

Replying promptly also makes you look efficient. The longer you leave it, the more likely you will forget. Image: FlickrCC

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Email is not confidential

It’s very easy for the contents of your email to be read by others without your knowledge. It’s wise not to include any confidential information in your emails, such as your bank account information or password.

Image: Confidential by mynetx FlickrCC

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‘Reply All’

Don't use the Reply to All option unless necessary. Evaluate and send only to those people who really need to see the email.

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Being respectful of others’ privacy

Use the Bcc field when sending bulk email. The Bcc field means that the email addresses are not visible. Privacy of individuals is respected and spammers cannot harvest the email addresses for other purposes.

If you can’t see the Bcc field when you create a new email, click on ‘cc’ and your address book will open to show the Bcc field

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Using the priority tag tool

Avoid marking an email 'high importance' when it is just normal priority.

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Return Receipt Request (RR)

Do not use Request a Read Receipt for each and every email you send.

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Allow time for a reply

E-mail messages are not usually required to be answered immediately, though it is good practice if you do.

Before sending a reminder, allow some time for a response, even a few days. Not everyone is online 24 hours a day.

Image: Clock 11-20 Wikimedia Commons

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Furthermore…

Do not forward chain letters (regardless of how noble the topic may seem), virus warnings or anything that says "forward to everyone you know”.

Don’t worry about breaking the “chain”. There is no such thing as “chain” in emails. Therefore, there are no consequences whether you “break” it or not.

Image: Chain of People by HikingArtist FlickrCC

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Illegal Activities

Illegal activities include

• libel (defamatory statements)

• discrimination (racial, sexual, religious, ageist etc)

• some adult material (child or violent erotica)

• illegal information (how to kill or injure people, incitement to violence, racial hatred etc).

Strong sanctions brought against them by the University and by the civil authorities.

Harmful or nasty

encouragement

Official control; legal action

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