Part 1: Think Before You E-Mail

• Beware Potential Perils
• Deciding When to Use E-Mail
• Addressing Your E-Mail Message
• Replying to E-Mail Messages
• E-Mailing to International Audiences

Part 2: Composing Your E-Mail Message

• Collecting Your Thoughts with the Five Ws
• Writing Subject Lines with Real Oomph
• Incorporating a Salutation and Signature
• Grabbing the Reader’s Attention: The Lead
• Organizing with the Inverted Pyramid
• Comparing Chronological Writing
• Getting Started in Three Easy Steps

Part 3: Keys to Effective E-Mail

• Striving for Simplicity
• Writing with Power…or Paste?
• Eliminating Mechanical Errors
• Spelling Counts!
• Using the Active Voice
• Avoiding Sexist Language

Part 4: Polishing Your Cybermanners

• Setting the Right Tone
• Dodging Conversational Pitfalls
• Watch Your Cyberlanguage
• Extinguishing Flames
• Punctuating with Smileys and Shorthand
• Reviewing Netiquette Guidelines
• Netiquette Guidelines for Managers

Part 5: Formatting Your E-Mail Message

• Selecting Format Settings
• Enhancing Readability
• Sending Attachments with Care
• Battling Electronic Viruses

Part 6: Managing E-Mail Overload

• Controlling Your In-Box Clutter
• Reducing Spam Intake
• Organization-Wide E-Mail for Your Organization
• Devising an E-Mail Policy for Your Organization
• Using a Sample E-Mail Policy as a Guide

Appendix

• Drafting Electronic Writing Style Guidelines for Your Organization
• Directory of E-Mail Hardware
• Authors’ Suggested Responses to Exercises
• Glossary of E-Mail Terms
• Recommended Reading