#16 Email best practices

Email comes with its own rules of etiquette and safety concerns. This week, we'd just like you to read about a few things to keep in mind when using your email.

First, take a look at email etiquette (or netiquette), to go over some basics to keep in mind when writing email. You probably already know not to write an email ENTIRELY IN UPPER CASE, but you might come across something else that you hadn't thought about.

Next, we'll take a look at the dark side of email, reading about phishing (email fraud), and how to avoid being scammed. If you're still nervous about good old-fashioned viruses, you'll want to read about email safety in Microsoft Outlook, the third article on the list. Remember, as a general rule, if you're in doubt of an email or an attachment, just don't open it.

Discovery Resources:

• Email etiquette, an overview from Purdue University.
• All about Phishing; definition, common-sense pointers, and how-to-recognize phishing.
• Avoiding Viruses in Microsoft Outlook
  

Discovery Exercise:

1. Read the articles listed above to learn more about the basics of email etiquette, phishing, and email safety in Microsoft Outlook. If you'd like to read a more thorough write-up on etiquette, try Yale University Library's discussion of email netiquette.
2. Write a few reflections in your blog. Did you learn anything new? Did the etiquette articles mention any of your pet peeves?
   

Optional: If you'd like to test your skill at recognizing phishing, try this Phishing IQ Test.