Electronic communication - Format

Obviously formatting applies to memoranda and other printed communication, but what does it have to do with e-mail or forum boards? Everything - from legibility to enabling the reader to receive all of the information you send. There are also organizational standards to consider when using University resources.

• Send links and attachments, not entire web pages and documents in your message.
  • Not only does this give the credit due the web site owners, but it enables the reader to find more information on their own and read at a time that may be more convenient.
• Use descriptive subject lines.
  • Some readers automatically delete messages with blank subject lines; it's a common enough spammer tactic.
• Use blank lines between paragraphs.
  • Some e-mail programs may not render tabs the way you'd wish and it interferes with readability.
• Strip the unnecessary from the message before sending.
  • By removing unnecessary characters, duplicate signatures, etc. or only quoting applicable text, you enable the reader to move through the text faster with only the relevant information.
• Use images sparingly - send them as attachments instead.

This document last reviewed November 1, 2004.