E-Mail Basics > 5: Signatures and Style

5A: What's in a Name?

A signature (sig file) contains information that you want to automatically include in your messages. It can contain some or all of these elements:

Example:

Brutus Buckeye Mascot, Ohio State University Buckeyes Email: buckeye.12@osu.edu My web site: http://www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com What a nut!

• your name
• job title
• e-mail address
• surface mailing address
• phone, fax or pager number
• address of your web site
• quote, joke, or philosophical saying

Include what you think is necessary, but try to keep your signature at five or fewer lines. Should you include decorative characters (dashes, underscores, etc.) as a separator? Avoid these if your recipients might be using screen reader software to help them read their email. What they will hear is "hyphen hyphen hyphen hyphen hyphen hyphen..."

5B: Using Signatures

Example: Outlook Express

1. Select Tools, then Options from the Outlook Express menu.
2. Click on the Signatures tab at the top of the Options window.
3. Select your signature settings (check the box to add a signature to all messages automatically).
4. Click on the NEW button, then type a name for this signature.
5. Now either create the new signature in the text window or select an existing signature file already located on your computer.
6. Be sure to click on the APPLY button when finished.

Example: Thunderbird

1. Create a text or HTML file that contains your signature and save it on your computer.
2. In Thunderbird, select Tools, then Account Settings.
3. In the Account Settings panel, check the box for "Attach this signature."
4. Click the Choose button and locate the appropriate file on your computer.
5. Be sure to save your changes.

Removing Signatures

If you have enabled a signature file, it will be added to outgoing messages automatically. There may be times when you want to disable this feature. For example, when subscribing or sending other commands to a mailing list, you should make sure your signature is disabled.

Choose the same command from the mail program's menu that you used when you set up your signature, and then turn off signatures for all messages. You may also disable your signature in specific messages. Simply highlight and delete it.

5C: Good Manners

E-mail is much more informal than communication on paper. There are still rules of good practice to follow.

• Be concise.
  Enough said.

• Indicate the nature of your message clearly in the subject line.
  This is somewhat like giving a good title to a research paper. It gives your reader some idea of what's coming and is is useful later for filing your message in a mailbox.

• Be polite.
  Don't write comments that you wouldn't make to someone in person (these rude or provocative messages are called "flames"). Take some time to read what you have written before you hit the Send button.

• Respond promptly to mail sent to you.
  Don't you hope others will do the same?

More information: The Core Rules of Netiquette

5D: Style Matters

Since your reader can't hear your voice, see gestures, or pick up on other clues to interpret your meaning, you must work a little harder to communicate clearly through e-mail.

You can use the following methods to add emphasis or convey emotions in messages:

-- Asterisks

Enclose words or phrases that you want to emphasize within asterisks.

Example: Don't take *that* route if you want to get there on time.

-- Capitalization

Capitalize the first letters of words.

Example: Bob said the assignment was a Major Headache.

Use all capital letters.

Example: Kate ate the WHOLE bag of cookies.

-- Emoticons

Some people use symbols called emoticons (or "smileys") to indicate various emotions. You can type them, as illustrated below. Tilt your head to the left to see these. Your e-mail program may allow you to add them in graphic form.

Smiling face	: - )
Wink	; - )

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