Email - Best Practice

Composing a good email message

To:	Person/people who are to act on your message.
Cc:	(carbon copy) Person/people who are sent the message for their information only.
Subject:	Should be concise and meaningful.
	Should summarise the most important points of the message.
	Include phrases such as "For action" (if appropriate)
		eg.	For action: Update your details in QUT Virtual
			For approval: Request to attend Time Management Course
			For comment: 2006 Communication Plan
			Urgent: Need monthly report by Friday
			Confidential: Applicants for Admin Officer position
			FYI: Anne's new contact details.
	If your subject is the whole message add (End of message)
		eg.	Cake in tea room 10:30 today (End of message).
	When replying or forwarding, ensure that the subject still accurately reflects the content of your message.

Body of message:	Restrict yourself to one topic per message.
	Start your message with enough context to orientate your reader.
	Keep your message short and concise (less than one page).
	Keep sentences short and their structure simple.
	Use layout to help you communicate.
		eg.	One main idea per paragraph
			Subheadings
			Clearly identify (eg.number) your questions/requests.
	When sending to multiple people, clearly identify what each person needs to respond to/note.
	Send replies to relevant people only, rather than use Reply to All.
	Re-read your message before sending it.

	Do not send attachments to more than a few recipients.
	Staff can use Fileshare (https://fileshare.qut.edu.au/) to store files on the Web and include the URL of the file in your message, instead of attaching large files or when sending to many recipients.

	Your signature should be brief (4-5 lines maximum) and informative (include a phone number).
	Include QUT's CRICOS number (CRICOS No. 00213J).
	Do not include drawings, quotations or anything non-business related in your signature.

	Delete messages you do not need! Trivial converations Working notes/drafts Duplicate messages (eg. annotated replies)
	Learn the features of your email client to steamline your practices. Create rules/filters to automatically sort messages Set up an orderly filing system for messages you will keep.
	Unsubscribe from all the email lists or discussion groups you are no longer reading.
	Check email at defined times during the day, so that email does not take over your day.
	Prioritise your replies according to urgency and importance.

	Send your message to the smallest possible audience, on a need-to-know basis. Email list details are available from Interest Groups in QUT Virtual (https://qutvirtual.qut.edu.au/).
	Do not send messages to large lists unless necessary.

	Remember that your message can be redirected to a third party without your knowledge or consent.
	Never say anything in email about a third party that you would not say directly to that person. Defamation by email can carry the same consequences as by any other medium.
	Do not pretend you are someone else when sending email. It is fraudulent, and could lead to legal consequences.
	Do not make changes to someone else’s message and pass it on without making it clear where you have made the changes. This is misrepresentation/ plagiarism.
	Sending email from your university account is similar to sending a letter on university letterhead, so be aware that your communication is identified as such.

Unacceptable use of the email service is outlined in QUT's IF Rules. To report abuses of the email service send a message to abuse@qut.edu.au.