Netiquette

E-mail etiquette, or netiquette as it is commonly referred to as, is a difficult subject to address. Since there is no authoritative source, and this is mostly a matter of opinion, it is important to read a variety of sources. A simple Google search of “e-mail etiquette” is a great place to start. Many of the pages listed there give good suggestions. Still, one must remember that netiquette is different between cultures, sub-cultures, and organizations. For instance, one major point of contention is the use of smilies (e.g., ). To some, they are seen as childish and unprofessional. To others they are used to clarify tone, since written communication is ill-equipped to handle all of the complexities of interpersonal communications, and therefore perfectly acceptable in professional communications.

Tone can be misinterpreted in other ways. For this reason it is important to sparingly use imperative sentences (those ending with an explanation point ‘!’, or bang as it is also referred to). All-caps sentences like, “PLEASE SEND THIS ASAP!,” are considered the equivalent of shouting. A capitalized word may be used sparingly to indicate emphasis.

Most of what is considered good netiquette could also be seen as common sense and common courtesy. For instance, no one likes spam, therefore it would be impolite to forward on spam to someone. This can be expanded to other types of messages, which while they may not be ads are still unwanted. These types of messages include but are not limited to computer viri, chain letters, jokes, “interesting” stories, and the like. One must be careful to whom these type of messages are sent. To some, they are most welcome, and can even lighten up their day. To others, they are a waste of time, whose only purpose if to clog their inbox.

Unwanted messages come from many sources. Sometimes too much information is worse than not enough. If there is someone that is interested in a project that is being discussed over email, but is not directly involved with every detail, it is much better to send them a synopsis after some actions have taken place, rather than using the Reply All feature available in most email programs. Moreover, the Reply All feature should be used sparingly. Think about who is included, and if they really need to be. What is true of Reply All is also true of Carbon Copies (CC) and Blind Carbon Copies (BCC). If someone does not directly need to be involved, it is better to not include them.

It is important to make sure that all message subjects are concise and relevant. Subjects such as “IMPORTANT,” “URGENT,” “Status,” and “Hello” should be avoided. Even tagging message subject with “important” should only be used in very sparingly as this can be seen as it is usually seen as harassing over time.

One must also remember that not all recipients are using the same email client, and therefore it is best to keep messages as simple as possible. For instance, Outlook 2003 has many advanced formatting features, but if someone were to read a message sent in this manner on a text-only client, your brilliantly designed message may be next to unreadable. Also, not all recipients will have a broadband connection, so it is important to avoid large attachments whenever possible. As E-mail becomes an ever increasingly important part of interpersonal communications, more and more people are accessing their email on small devices, many of which are incapable to receiving attachments, or use a slow connection speed to do so. As an alternative, there are many services that will store files relatively securely, and provide a link for a recipient to download. One such service, called Drop Load, requires only a one-time, one-minute registration, and can store up to 100MB files for up to 7 days.

Everyone’s time is important to them, therefore it is generally best to keep messages short. This is especially true when sending messages to someone that is using a portable email device, such as the Blackberry. If a long message is required it is generally considered courteous to provide some sort of synopsis, either as the main part of the message, with the full details either below or attached, or to highlight key points in the message itself using bullets or some other form of emphasis.

Saving the reader time in actually reading messages isn’t the only concern though. E-mail has become as popular for both it’s convince and speed. A letter sent trough conventional mail can take weeks to travel across the globe, but an e-mail message generally takes much less time. It is important to provide swift replies. Not only does this prevent impatient, but it also prevents confusion when the original sender receives a message 5 days after he sent a message; it is still fresh in his memory. If you are not able to completely answer a message, it is best to send them a message bask to let them know that the message was received and that you are working on a response.

Privacy is another major concern with electronic communications. In this age of endless information, it is important to remember that we are not as anonymous as we think. When messages are transmitted around the globe, they go through many servers, and can be intercepted at any point; therefore it is ill-advised to send confidential information through e-mail without some additional form of encryption. While it is rare for important messages to be intercepted, it does happen.

An interloper is not the only cause of privacy concern. It is important to remember what information you are giving out. Whenever a message is sent with multiple recipients in the To and CC fields, everyone that receives the message will see the email addresses. This is an easy way to get more spam directed to that person. Also, many people do not want their e-mail address given to people that they do not know. If it is absolutely important to send a message to multiple recipients, then it is by far better to add the recipients to the BCC field.

While netiquette is difficult to pin down, there are certainly guidelines that can be followed to insure that the recipient of a message understand the meaning intended. Be concise and polite. Respect your reader’s time and differences choice of e-mail client. Above all, treat the recipient like you would if you were standing in front of them.