E-mail has been replacing the use of memos and handwritten letters. What hasn’t changed is the need to practice proper etiquette. When writing and sending e-mail, be sure to follow some rules to ensure polite and professional correspondence. Here are a few:

Use the subject line.

Let the person know what the e-mail is about with a few short words or phrases. Keep it short and to the point. You may indicate if the item is a high priority.

Don’t capitalize words.

In cyberspace, capital letters imply that you are shouting at the person. That’s why also that there’s something known as “bold” or “italics”. If you really want to emphasize something in your email, you can use bold, italics, and underline instead of using all caps.

Don’t send personal e-mail to the work e-mail address.

The office e-mail is issued to employees for work-related issues and correspondence. Open a separate e-mail account for personal use. It is also advisable not to check your personal e-mail during office hours. In some cases, it could be grounds for termination.

Keep the copy short and straight to the point.

Include proper greetings and salutations, but avoid rambling. Assume that the person reading is busy and only has a few minutes to address your concerns. For extra long files, add an attachment rather than typing everything in the main body.

Refrain from forwarding messages.

It’s annoying and not appreciated. You also increase the risk of spreading viruses. Besides, nobody likes getting chain letters.

Make sure you only reply to the one you need to.

If forwarding or replying to e-mails and if the e-mail is sent to multiple people, then reply by selecting that person’s address only; do not reply to all.

Minimize the use of carbon copy or cc.

Mass e-mail only those individuals relating to the e-mail. Not everyone in your address book needs to know your business. That’s why there’s something known as the BCC which is known for Business Carbon Copy. This allows you to send the same email to multiple people without them knowing who else you sent the email to.

Proofread your e-mail to make sure you won’t regret anything that you write and send out.

Avoid typographical errors and wrong spelling. Grammatical errors should be zero. Once you send out something, you cannot take it back. Save yourself the agony; think before you type and send. Avoid writing anything derogatory about anyone, especially if it work-related. Avoid sending sexist or racist jokes or anything that can be interpreted as defamatory. It could come back to haunt you and be grounds for termination.

Keep your address book confidential.

Never give someone’s e-mail address without his permission. A person’s e-mail address is sensitive information; protect your friends and co-workers from spam and viruses. Delete any old threads if you do forward a message so that only the most pertinent information is sent out.

Sign your name.

Although the person will see your e-mail address, it is just polite to end your note with your name.

Don’t forget your e-mail etiquette the next time you send an e-mail. It’s best to be polite in cyberspace.