Below are a list of ten tips that you should consider before writing another email.  If you use these tips, you will become a more effective online communicator!!  Combine writing skills with email capabilities to improve your emails!  Simply read each tip carefully and then put them into practice with EVERY email that you write!

                   1.  Your Email Address - Think about who will be receiving emails from you...friends?...parents?...teachers?...your boss?  If you really want to use ilovejon@gogirl.com, use it with friends ONLY!  Create a second email address like csmith@yahoo.com to use with adults.  

               2.  Know Your Audience - Think about who you are writing to in order to decide how your email should be formatted.  Is this a "friendly" email or should it sound professional??  It is inappropriate to send an email to an adult (teacher, boss) that starts with "Hey, what's up?"  just as it would be inappropriate to send an email to a friend that sounds too "professional".

               3.  Create a Clear Subject - Do not leave the subject line blank.  Give your audience a clear idea of what they will read about in your email.  Avoid writing "Hey" in your subject line and be more specific with "Saturday Night - Movie??" instead. 

               4.  Keep It SIMPLE!! - Most people are "busy" when using a computer.  Also, email allows your reader to respond to your questions/ideas very quickly.  Therefore, keep your emails short and to the point.  In addition, use a simple text (fonts and colors) when emailing someone.  You may email someone who's computer does not know how to read the "Rage Italic" font or the color "Light Indigo" anyway.  Choose a font that their eyes can read comfortably!

              5.  Emphasis & Gestures - Similar to letter writing, email lacks any information that non-verbal cues (smiles, shrugs, etc.) may give.  Here are two ways that you can make your message more clear to the reader(s):
                            a.  Emphasis- make "important" words stand out:  you can CAPITALIZE, put *asterisks* around words, or even use bold, underline and italics if you know that your reader has the software to read it.  Check out your email website to see what options they provide.
                            b.  Gestures - put some emotion into your text to make your message clear, so your reader will not misinterpret anything.  Use LOL (laugh out loud) when you are joking/being funny.  Use smileys such as :)  :(  :D ....or some email websites are starting to use their own smileys.  These are from Yahoo! Mail...

               6.  When You Reply - Make sure that you have the original message in the text, so that the reader can remember what they had said.  Also, the subject should say RE: (their original message subject).  Do not change the subject.

               7.  Attachments - Do not send large attachments to anyone!!  First, they may not have the software to read your attachment.  Then, the reader may not have enough disk space to download the attachment.  Also, make sure that you include a brief description of the attachment in the message box.  Your reader trusts that you will not send them anything that may contain viruses!!

              8.  Greetings & Signatures - Use the proper letter format that your RLA teachers taught you!!  Begin your email with a proper greeting or introduction if necessary.  End your email with a closing/signature that is appropriate!  Remember your audience!
               9.  Proofread & Edit!! - Use a spellchecker if available, and carefully read through your emails!!  Show your peers, parents, and other adults that you have good spelling/grammar skills! 

               10. Save a Copy - Keep a copy of your sent emails in a folder (some email sites automatically put them in a Sent Messages folder).  If you write an important email that your reader does not receive or loses, you can easily retrieve it without starting from scratch!!!