Southeastern recognizes
email as one of the official forms of communication at the University and
provides students with an email account. Students are expected to check the Southeastern
email account for communications from faculty and University offices. See
the Southeastern Email Policy for further
information.
In addition to that
policy, please read the following:
Make certain that you sign your name to any email you
send. Your instructors do not know you by your W number. Southeastern
WebMail uses W numbers as the “Sender” so it is very important to sign
your name to your emails.
It is considered impolite to use UPPER CASE typing in
emails. UPPER CASE LOOKS AS IF YOU'RE SHOUTING.
A better way to emphasize words in email correspondence
is to use an asterisk (*) immediately before and after the words you want
to stress. Careful placement of these asterisks can communicate subtle
differences of meaning. For example, compare the difference in these 3
statements:
*I*
said that we should all go to the library for this assignment.
I said that we should *all* go to the library for this assignment.
I said that we should all go to *the library* for this assignment.
Take a few moments to proof-read before you send an
email. Frequent typographical errors or misspellings will distract your
readers, and may leave a bad impression.
Mail should have a subject header that reflects the
content of the message.
If you are forwarding or re-posting a message, don't
change the original wording.
If you are replying to a message, quote only the
relevant parts.
Do not send abusive, mean-spirited or heated messages
(flames). If you receive a flame, it is best to ignore it.
Avoid sarcasm in email as it is often misunderstood in
an online environment.
Take care with addressing email.
Be careful about forwarding email sent to you by
another as it may contain personal information.
Allow time for mail to be received, and replied to,
keeping in mind other peoples' busy schedules.
If you want your mail to be read, don't make it too
long unless the receiver is expecting a verbose message.
Remember the Internet is a global community, and other
peoples' values and outlook on life may be different from your own.
Be tolerant and careful with slang or phrases that may not be understood
by the person reading the email.
Don't assume any Internet communication is completely
secure. "Never put in a mail message anything you would not put on a
postcard." Likewise, independently verify any suspect mail, as
addresses can be forged.
Adapted from:
BlackBoard. A Guide to 'Netiquette. The Center for Faculty Excellence,
Southeastern Louisiana University. 10 August 2004
<http://www.selu.edu/Academics/FacultyExcellence/BB/resources/netiquette.htm>