The following are some helpful tips on email etiquette, or "netiquette."

• Clearly summarize the contents of your message in the subject line.
• Address your email with care. The addresses in the "To" field are for the people you are directly addressing. The addresses in the "Cc" field are for the people you are indirectly addressing. They are the FYI-ers. Copy only those who need to be copied.
• Use BCCs (Blind Carbon Copies) when addressing a message that will go to a large group of people, or use a mailing list. Ensure there is a To: recipient, such as your own email address, as some email clients will populate it with an address if you have not entered one.
• Use attachments sparingly, and only when necessary. Many people read their email on clients or devices that cannot handle them. Avoid opening attachments unless you are sure who they are from or what they are. This is a common method of passing malware.
• Attachments should be less than one megabyte. Large attachments clog up servers and can be difficult to open (U of S servers can handle up to 50 MB attachments).
• Layout can be important. Short paragraphs and blank lines between each paragraph make it easier to read from the screen.
• Take care with rich text and HTML messages. Some email clients cannot handle them.
• Only use Reply to All if you really need your message to be seen by each person who received the original message.
• Delete chain letters as soon as you receive them, instead of forwarding them on to others.
• Unsubscribe from any mailing lists that no longer interest you since they generate a huge amount of mail traffic.