This document contains some suggestions on how to most effectively use email. These suggestions are general and not intended to be for any particular email software.
- When you are talking face to face or by telephone you get immediate feed back. However, when using email feed back is not immediate. Take extra time to write your email, and keep it short and to the point. Consider whether or not your message might be better suited to a phone call or in person meeting.
- Create subject lines that are descriptive enough for the reader to easily sort and filter the items.
- If your message is confidential, you need to say so in the beginning of your email.
- If your message is important, mark it that way. Many software packages have this feature.
- Use paragraphs or bullet points when writing your email. The spacing between paragraphs makes it easy to read. Avoid huge blocks of text.
- Place URLs in one line. Do not split the URL in two lines, which might break the link. If the URL is unavoidably long you can create a hyperlink out of just one word so that when the recipient clicks on the word it takes them to the website. This can be found under the insert menu (insert link/hyperlink) on most email clients.
- Avoid large attachments. Some universities do not allow large attachments through their email systems. If you need to compress your attachments, contact USS Help Desk for help. Compressing an attachment will reduce the size of the actual file. Additionally, several attachments are automatically removed by PSU's system. Click here for a list of these file types.
- Be careful when you open an attachment. Many viruses are spread by opening attachments that came in an email. If you do not know the sender, it is best to simply delete the message.
- Before you reply to a message look to see if you are replying to the sender or are you replying to the entire recipient list. Only copy those really needing to see the message.
- Do not leave your workstation unlocked when you are not next to it. Anyone could use your unsecured computer to send mail from your account. Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete and choose 'Lock Workstation'.
- Include your signature in the bottom of your email so recipients know who you are and how to contact you. Call the helpdesk if you need help setting this up.
- Do not ever send sensitive data such as social security numbers, credit card numbers, or passwords in email.
