Tips on Using Email

• Sensible use of email
• Receiving email
• When sending email
• In replying to email
• Housekeeping
• The auto-expire option
• Out of office
• Email lists
• Unacceptable use

Sensible use of email

To aid communication between students and staff here at the University, an email system has been provided. The sensible use of email aids the easy flow of messages and keeps down large amounts of traffic. Everyone is responsible for the email transmitted under their personal ID and you should not let anyone else use it nor should you ever send messages in someone else's name. Please keep the following points in mind.

Receiving email

• Make sure that others have your correct email address, or messages may go astray
• Check your email regularly and, if a message requires an answer, then at leastacknowledge receipt within the working day. You cannot presume that email has been received (or if received that the messages have been read); however, the sender should be informed that you are aware of the message

When sending email

• Make sure you have the correct destination address before you send a message
• Include a meaningful subject field and try to keep to one subject per message
• Keep your emails brief, clear and concise. Your writing style should be friendly but formal and polite. It is easy to convey the wrong impression
• Do not use abbreviations that your recipient will not understand
• It is also not advisable to send large email messages. This could cause email performance problems on the mail servers. There is a limit on your mailbox size and if you exceed it then new mail will automatically be returned. If you need to send a large email then contact the Advice Service (Library and Computing Centre Floor 4 or tel.3737)
• Use the spelling and grammar checker then read over the message before it is sent
• Remember that email is not private. Confidential messages should be in encrypted form
• Never send email that may be considered offensive by the recipient or that breaks laws e.g. on pornography, obscenity or defamation
• Not all users can read attachments so limit their use and size as they may fill the quota of the recipient's mailbox. It is best not to send attachments with external messages unless you first inform the recipient. Many people automatically delete such messages without reading them due to the risk of viruses
• Do not use part of someone else's message without making it clear what changes have been made. You may also need permission, and remember to give acknowledgement. Only include relevant parts of a message
• At the end of each message add your name and contact details. External messages should also contain your telephone number and email address

In replying to email

• Let the enquirer know what you intend to do and when it will be done. When the work is complete, inform the enquirer and provide copies and details of the results. Include an invitation to follow up details in case the recipient is not satisfied
• If you send a request to an email list, allow time for people to respond then summarise the results and post them back to the list
• Use distribution lists and Reply all with caution. This will keep the number of copies sent to a minimum and reduce the risk of sending messages to the wrong people.

Housekeeping

• Use Personal or Team mailboxes as appropriate. If you do use a shared mailbox, agree a procedure for dealing with messages
• Organise your email into electronic folders, only keeping the most important
• Archive all your Sent Mail before you delete it
• Keep a lookout for unsolicited email that looks unusual, especially with an attachment. It may contain a virus. If in doubt delete it or check with the sender
• Should you receive chain messages or abusive material report the matter by forwarding details to: Misuse; a choice will be given, choose Misuse and abuse of Computing Services.

The auto-expire option

Please use this option if it is relevant. For example a message asking for attendance at a meeting will be out of date once the meeting has taken place. The auto-expire option will cross out the message once the deadline has passed. You may set the option from the View menu within your message. Choose Options, then under Delivery options tick Expires after: this brings up a date and time which you can change as necessary.

Out of office

During holidays or times of significant and lengthy absences, use the Out of Office feature. Within email use the Tools menu click Out of Office Assistant. You may then click I am currently out of the office, there is a space provided to allow you to type the message required. If you wish to cancel the message it can be done from this window. On logging in after your return, you will be prompted with a dialogue box asking if you wish to turn off the message. You could also arrange for someone to deal with your email when you are away.

Email lists

During long absences you should also suspend your mail from distribution lists. Contact Staff Support (3737) to remove yourself from Distribution Lists.

For external lists please check the details with the Help file provided with the list. If you belong to a large number of lists from one service supplier then it may be possible to suspend all your subscriptions from that supplier at the same time instead of one list at a time. A good example is the JANET (Joint Academic Network) JISC mail lists.

To suspend mail from all JISCmail lists:

Send the following commands to : jiscmail@jiscmail.ac.uk.

• In the text of the message type: set*nomail. There should be no other text in the message
• On your return send: set*mail

For further details see the JISCMail Common User Commands Information Sheet free from the Library and Computing Centre Sales Counter. A summary of all JISCmail user commands can be found at:

Unacceptable use

All email usage must be in accordance with the University's computer regulations (available on line here or at the Sales Counter on level 4 of the Library and Computing Centre). Examples of unacceptable activities are: sending mass email (known as spamming) and the transmission of unsolicited commercial or advertising material. Such activities could result in your email and/or your computing facilities being withdrawn.