Email Etiquette

Guidelines from Professor Steve Hyzny

Why do you need to use proper email etiquette?

Professionalism: By using proper email language you will convey a professional image that will
be needed in the professional world.
Efficiency: Emails that get to the point are much more effective than poorly worded emails.

What are the rules?

Etiquette should be followed at all times while in school or in the business world. School is
intended to prepare you for the work world and your life beyond childhood. Following simple
rules for email use now will better prepare you for the work place. In addition, following the
simple rules listed below will make communication more efficient and easier for both parties.
For faster and more accurate responses, you need to insure the recipient of your emails has the
right kind and amount of information to respond.

My pet peeve is receiving an email without a name. The sender assumes I know that
hal2001cpu@google.com is John Smith and I know what class s/he is in. Following the rules
below will assist in getting the correct response to your email and make it easier for
communication with professors, instructors and students. These rules should be followed by both
the student and the teacher:

1. Make the Subject line meaningful.

Make the subject line meaningful to both the recipient and you. For instance, when you
send an email to a professor requesting information about a class, it is better to mention
the actual name of the class, e.g. 'Netw230 V’, than to just say 'class information' or the
professor’s name in the subject.

2. KISS – Keep It Short and Simple.

Do not make an e-mail longer than it needs to be. Remember that reading an e-mail is
harder than reading printed communications, and a long e-mail can be very discouraging
to read. If you have several points that need responses, use a numbered list to allow the
answers to easily match the questions.

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 3. Use proper spelling, grammar & punctuation.
This is not only important because improper spelling, grammar and punctuation leave the
reader with a bad impression of you, it is also important for conveying the message
properly. E-mails with no full stops or commas are difficult to read and can sometimes
even change the meaning of the text. And, if your program has a spell checking option,
why not use it?

4. Do not use text message abbreviations.

You want your message to be as clear as possible. Text message abbreviations were
designed to be used with a cell phone keypad. You have a full keyboard on your
computer and should make your messages as clear as possible. Not everyone knows the
abbreviations.

5. Always sign your emails with your full name.

Include your name in all emails, even if you have emailed the person in the past. Adding
your name is a good professional practice. It is best to use a standard signature whenever
possible. It is also good practice to include the class you are in when corresponding with
a professor or teacher.

6. Do not use email to discuss confidential information.

Sending an email is like sending a postcard. If you don't want your email to be displayed
on a bulletin board, don't send it. Moreover, never make libelous, sexist or racist
comments in emails, even if they are intended to be humorous. Grades should never be
discussed in emails. Never request your grade information to be sent via email.

7. Do not type in CAPITALS.

In e-mail, CAPITALS ARE CONSIDERED SHOUTING. This can be highly annoying
and might trigger an unwanted response. Therefore, don’t type e-mails in capitals. If it is
an important issue, state that in the email. Capitals will not convey its importance.

8. Remember to include the message thread.

When you reply to an email, you should include the original mail in your reply. In other
words, click 'Reply' instead of 'New Mail'. If you receive many emails, you obviously
cannot remember each one. This means that a 'threadless email' will not provide enough
information, and the lag time between emails means the recipient could become
frustrated with looking for the past conversations. Leaving the thread might take a
fraction longer in download time, but it will save the recipient much more time and allow
him/her to respond faster to your email.

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 9. Respond in a timely fashion.
People send e-mails because they want quick responses. Therefore, each e-mail should be
replied to within 24 hours. If the email is complicated, just send a reply saying that you
have received it and will send a detailed reply as soon as possible. This will put the
person's mind at rest and help him/her be more patient!

10. Responses: Do not “Reply to All” or forward email addresses.

Unless your reply has information intended for everyone on the original distribution list,
do not use the “Reply to All” feature. Many professors send emails to the entire class. If
your response is intended for the professor only, reply only to him/her. “Reply to All”
can be very annoying, waste time and take up Inbox space. All it takes is one person to
“Reply to All” and everyone else on the distribution list seems to follow like Lemmings.
Also, do not forward any message that contains the email addresses of others without
their permission. Instead, create a new email, and copy and paste the message you want
to forward. Sending the email addresses of others through “Reply to All” can eventually
lead to spam. This is a popular way for spammers and hackers to collect information.

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