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One of the most important tools that you will probably use every day is e-mail.  You may not know it, but there is a commonly accepted etiquette that you should observe when using this system.

Many people communicate in their business e-mail messages the same way they do in virtual chat rooms, with much less formality and sometimes too aggressively.  E-mail etiquette offers some guidelines that all writers can use to facilitate better communication between themselves and their readers.

If e-mail is selected as the best way to communicate your message then, above all, make sure your e-mail is well written, grammatically correct, and spell-checked.  As a business tool, e-mail carries more than mere words and images — it also conveys distinct impressions, with the power to enhance or diminish your reputation, acceptance and credibility.

Things to consider before composing an e-mail message:

• Large attachments, logos, and other graphics can impede the flow of e-mail traffic. Consider using a link to point to documents in a Share Drive, the web, or 'ZIP' the attachment to condense the file using Windows Winzip Wizard feature.
• How should the message be crafted to avoid misunderstandings?
• The message should state purpose, specifics as to timeframes, people impacted, person(s) or groups owning responsibilities, identify action to be taken and contacts, and provide instructions if a formal response is required.

E-mail Etiquette: Do's and Don’ts

Do become familiar with the University's E-mail policy: http://www.murdoch.edu.au/admin/policies/itsecurity/sg_users.html#3

Do make sure that the content is relevant to the recipients.  Nobody likes to receive junk e-mail.

Do be careful when replying to messages sent to many recipients.  Replies to 'all' often result in slowing down system performance.  Possibly your response should be targeted toward specific persons or groups.

Do be polite. Terseness can be misinterpreted.

Do ensure that you have a relevant "Subject" line.  Be as specific and short as possible in the e-mail subject line, e.g. "Your Approval Required: Month End Report"

Do include what you want or require at the beginning.  The remainder of the e-mail should be used to explain your position or provide additional information.

Do use spell check. Ensure that spelling, names, and acronyms are correct.  Acronyms should be spelled out in full upon the first use.

Do read before sending to validate the facts and information.  A minute spent reading through an e-mail before you send it can catch all kinds of unintentional mistakes.

Do remember to delete anything that isn’t needed or is trivial.  There is nothing more boring than reading a long e-mail that has no purpose.

Do include a brief signature block — either your own personal signature or that of the person(s) or group(s) responsible for the message being communicated.  NOTE: If quotes, quips, or taglines are used, they should reflect a positive, professional image of Murdoch University.

Don't type in CAPITALS as this is considered to be SHOUTING.

Don't reply to an e-mail message when angry; you may regret it later.

Don't forward chain letters or "make money fast" messages.  These may be contain viruses.

Don't mark messages as urgent if they aren’t.  When you really do have an urgent message, it may not receive the attention it requires.

Don't keep mail on your server longer than necessary, especially large attachments.  Discover ways of archiving e-mail. 
 

Don't over-use punctuation such as exclamation marks ("!") as these are meant to be for emphasis. In particular, avoid more than one exclamation mark ("!!"), especially if your e-mail is quite formal.

Don’t send an e-mail that requires action to more than one person.  Recipients will be confused as to who is supposed to be actioning the request.   Instead, send the e-mail to the person who is meant to action the request, and “cc” the other recipients.