Appendix G: Netiquette Guidelines

Netiquette: Electronic Mail Guidelines for DO-IT Scholars and Ambassadors

• Keep paragraphs in your messages short, and separate paragraphs with blank spaces.
• Avoid covering several topics in one message. It's better to send multiple messages. Then the receiver can respond to each topic separately.
• Use mixed upper- and lower-case letters rather than all capitalized letters. Avoid using control characters or special keys.
• It's friendly to begin a message with the real name of the person with whom you are corresponding. End the message with your real name.
• When replying to a message that was sent to you, include the electronic mail message to which you are replying. Decide if the reply should be sent to the group or just the individual who sent the message.
• Keep discussions relevant to academic, college, career and disability-related topics. Do not send chain mail or junk mail to the lists.
• Do not use words others might find offensive. Avoid personal attacks. Don't engage in name calling.
• Do not participate in conversations that would not be acceptable to your parents and/or DO-IT staff.
• Do not engage in conversations that you are not comfortable with. Immediately report offensive or troubling electronic mail messages that you receive to the DO-IT Director at doit@u.washington.edu.
• Remember that an electronic mail message is easy for recipients to forward to others and, therefore, is not appropriate for very personal messages—it's more like a postcard than a sealed letter.
• Take advantage of the spell check feature.
• Review your message BEFORE you send it.