Etiquette
To be on the safe side, I would always treat my teachers as if they were my boss
when it comes to email. Why? Well, email is great, but it can be dangerous. We
can write the messages and send them very quickly. And then those messages can
get sent, well, everywhere. You may need that teacher later for a letter of
reference or just for some help, and if you have been rude, he or she may not
want to do anything for you. If you send a really bad email, you may even become
somewhat infamous, and that may not be what you wanted. My advice is to
always be professional, and consider the following:

Be polite. Use "Please" and "thank you." Address your professors by
their last name (Mr., Ms., Dr., Professor, whatever is most appropriate)
unless they tell you it is OK to call them by their first name. Personally, I'm
OK with Professor Tatum/Prof. Tatum, Ms. Tatum, Ms. T, Ann, even Miss
Ann is fine (and has actually come up). What I don't like are messages with
no greeting at all. That's usually OK in an informal reply or if we have been
talking back and forth for a bit, but you should always start the original
message with the name of the person to whom you are writing. Otherwise
it's kind of like saying, "Hey you," and that is rude.

Know your subject. Always include a subject in the subject line.
Some people will not even open any message without one, and in this day
of viruses, that is not a bad idea.

Reread the message. Make sure it says what you want it to say. And
please check for typos when sending an email to an instructor. Messages
full of spelling and grammar errors don't look so great, especially if you are
asking why your grade can't be "hired." Avoid email shorthand, too. "Can u
plz ad me 2 ur class" does not inspire any teacher to respond, "with
pleasure!"

Not too long, not too short. Generally, avoid long emails to
instructors (unless they ask for it or are a friend), but don't be so brief you
seem rude. "Can't come to class--will turn in paper tomorrow" is not good,
but neither is the play by play about what happened. Tell the teacher you
had some troubles and would like to discuss it with them at their
convenience. Plus, it is just not a good idea to tell a teacher when you'll be
turning in work--better to ask for an opportunity to discuss an extension.

Who do you want to be? I don't mind "informal" email addresses,
but you will always look more professional as
"jdoe@bakersfieldcollege.edu" than as "seXXXybootee@jigglypuffs.edu."
Just a thought! And if you do decide to go with seXXXybootee, make sure
you finish your email with your name. I may not remember exactly who
seXXXy is.

Don't send too much "fun" mail. When I worked in an office we
would get dozens of jokes a day--not a good use of time, and many of them
were not terribly funny. If you know without a doubt that it is something
that would be appreciated, that's OK, but don't make a habit of it. Don't
ever send "fun" mail with attachments--they could be viruses. (By the way,
I will never open an attachment that is not accompanied by a message
telling me what it is for exactly the reason I just mentioned.)

If you are angry, wait. Never, ever send an email in anger to anyone,
and especially not your instructor. You simply will not be able to be
objective about what you are saying, and odds are you will regret it later.
What seemed justified at the time may seem childish in an hour. If I get an
email that rubs me the wrong way that warrants a response, I don't even
start thinking about the reply until the next day.

Are you really funny? Be careful with humor--it is not easy to
convey in writing, and you may be offending someone if you don't know
what you are doing.

Don't go incognito! When you send an email, make sure you send it
from your own address. If the person to whom you are sending the email
doesn't recognize the name or address, they may not read it. For example,
it is the night before a paper is due. You have a question and email me, but
you use a family member's address. I see a name I don't recognize, so I
don't bother reading the message right away. You don't get your question
answered, the paper is done incorrectly, and you get a bad grade. Also,
keep in mind that in the course of your professional life, you may be
dealing with people who get hundreds of emails a day. They need to know
who is writing and be able to reply immediately. No one wants to have to
hunt through their address book for your correct address! Be considerate.
For the record, when you send me an email, I will always
reply to the address that appears. Also, I do not promise
that I will accept (or even open) assignments that are not
sent from your own address.
Attachments
This is how you will be sending work to me, so it is a skill you need to master. I
tried to write up some directions, but they were pretty lame. Thankfully, I found
some web pages that cover this topic better than I did.


The USGen Web Census Project: If you scroll down, you will find links to
instructions for emailing attachments using AOL, Eudora, Netscape,
Outlook Express, and Pegasus email systems.
The BC Online Survival Guide: If you go to Chapter 4 "Using Email," you
can read instructions for sending an attachment via Yahoo! mail.
A Sample
This is what I expect an email from you to look like. I know exactly who is
contacting me and what they are sending, and it is polite--perfect! As I mentioned
above, I will not open any attachments without a message explaining what it is.
If you are still having trouble, drop me a note (and remember your etiquette
lesson!)
And, finally, to access your BC Email if that is what you use, click here.