• Keep it simple.
    Readers sort through email quickly, so keep your messages simple. Try not to include more than one major subject per email. If you have several topics to discuss, break them into several messages. Otherwise, the last part of your message may get lost between the scrollbars.

  • Write descriptive subject lines.
    Some people receive so much email that they begin to delete some messages without viewing them. To avoid this fate, make sure your subject lines are descriptive.

  • Give the reader some context to avoid misunderstandings.
    Email is infamous for causing misunderstandings. The receiver may not understand that the sender is joking, serious, or just tired. Advice can sound preachy and minor frustrations like major anger. This is because the context of body language, tone, and setting are lost online. Add them back in to avoid problems by describing your mood at the start of a message and stating what result you hope to get from the communication.

  • Use writing tricks like "emoticons," acronyms, and extra punctuation only if allowed by your instructor! If used, use them judiciously.
    Each instructor will have their own guidelines when posting to forums and other online activities. To earn the highest credit for writing assignments you must follow their instructions and guidelines regarding the use of emoticons, "text" language, etc. Online communication has spawned a whole school of trick you can use to look extra clever wink (an "emoticon") and get your message across to listeners. IMHO (in my humble opinion), these are worth learning because they enhance communication. *However* don't OVERDO it!!! You'll end up looking like a big clown <%-) LOLAMOS (Laughing out loud at my own stupidity) and NOBODY $#&&@!!! will take you seriously sad.

  • Don't use all caps. There are better ways to emphasize.
    ONLINE, THIS IS SHOUTING. DON'T SEND MESSAGES THIS WAY UNLESS YOU ARE ANGRY. Instead, if you want to emphasize, *try something like this*. You can make the Big Point in more subtle ways.

  • Reread your message before you send it.
    This is especially true if you are sending any sensitive content. Try to read the message from the point of view of your intended receiver and see if there is anything they won't understand. Or even better...

  • Compose your message in a word processor, save it, then copy and paste it into the message box.
    This will give you a chance to review the content carefully and even better, spell check! If the message is important, or if you think you might not be able to remember what you wrote, save it or print it as well. You'll have an archive of messages that you can scan for reminders or re-use as the basis of other messages.

  • Remove most of the pronouns.
    Have you ever received a message such as "I will check it out and let you know before we respond." Who is I? What is it? Is "you" one person or many? Are you included in "we" or is this somebody else? Pronouns which don't refer clearly to their antecedents are a big problem in online communication; weed them out of your writing.

  • In Moodle, you will have only 30 minutes to edit any Discussion Forum. After that time you will be unable to change what you stated in THAT forum. If you need to clarify anything, simply Add a New Discussion unless the instructor allows only one post.