Etiquette Rules for Communicating via
Email and Bulletin Boards

Whenever you write to your instructor or fellow classmates, it is required that you follow ALL the rules below.  In general, just because your form of communication is not on paper, you should still follow the some guidelines.   Using email does not change that you are communicating with others who deserve consideration and respect (this definately includes your classmates).  In addition, you may be expected to use email in future employment situations and it might be helpful to develop good habits now.  These are NOT listed in order of priority, but in the order in which you would need the information while writing an email or other electronic message.

IT IS NOT APPROPRIATE TO SEND YOUR INSTRUCTOR:  CHAIN LETTERS, JOKES, PHOTOS OF ANY KIND, INVITATIONS TO COMMUNITY OR SOCIAL EVENTS, "WARNINGS" ABOUT VIRUSES OR ANY OTHER EMAIL FORWARDED TO YOU, AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT IS CASUAL OR NON-ACADEMIC. 

1.  When writing an email, please write something in the "subject" line.  If you write "Hey," the reader should be able to assume this is a casual, friendly, not-pressing message.  ON BULLETIN BOARDS, please write "BB3" in the subject line.  This will help EVERYONE.  If your email is about a specific topic, write the name of it (e.g., "normal distribution question")

2.  Begin the communication with a salutation, i.e. "Greg,"   "Dr. Robinson," (use of Dear Dr. Robinson is optional).

3.  Write complete sentences.  This includes the correct use of capital letters to begin the sentence and a period to end the sentence. 

4.  Do NOT write in all capital letters nor all lowercase letters.  Write electronic messages the same way you would write a formal paper.  Reading a message in all capital letters is like someone screaming at you.

5.  Delineate separate ideas by using paragraphs.

6.  Re-read the message before sending and check for spelling errors, sentences that might not be clear, or other organizational errors that happened during the first draft. 

7.  Sign the communication with your name and the course in which you are enrolled.  (You do not want to look at the return address on a snail-mail envelope to find out who sent you mail.)  It is helpful to have your email address underneath your name, but this is optional.

8.  If you are replying to a message sent to the listserve, please be aware that if you hit "reply," it sends your message to everyone in the class.   This might be a mistake.

9.  Last, but not least, please be courteous.  It is important to remember at all times, that even though you are writing to a computer, there is a person with feelings on the other end. Please write suggestions, criticisms, or comments using a tone and manner that is not aggressive nor harsh (do you like to be yelled at??).  We're all in this together and it will help if we treat one another with respect and consideration.   Thank you.

Any electronic communication written to me that does not follow ALL of the above rules will be returned with the following editorial comment:  "This does not follow the Etiquette Rules required for written communication in this class.   Please make all necessary corrections and re-submit."  If you send a required/graded communication and it is returned for violation of the Rules of Etiquette, it will NOT count towards the grade requirement.  You must re-submit in the required format for me to count it towards your grade.