1. Don't type in all caps, all bold, or all italics. This is the online equivalent of shouting.
2. Anything posted online is fair game for comment from any member of the public. If you want to keep something private, keep it offline. It is not a good idea to post anything online that you would not want your parent, partner, or employer to find.
3. Use short paragraphs-about six sentences long.
4. Get to the point you're trying to make by the time you get to the bottom of your comment field without having to scroll down.
5. Don't indent paragraphs online-justify all text to the left margin (the right margin if you are typing in a language that reads from right to left).
6. Leave a blank space between paragraphs in order to separate them for ease of reading.
7. If it's rude offline, it's rude online. Don't get into "flame wars." It's helpful to take a moment before responding to a post that angers or insults you, and respond in a calm manner, or simply ignore the post (not everything requires a response). Also, be aware that not all disagreements constitute "flaming" (polite disagreements do not), and don't post inflammatory remarks prefaced with "Don't flame me for this, but..."
8. Your spelling and grammar do not have to be perfect, but you should attempt to make your post as readable and understandable as possible by proper use of commas, periods, and other punctuation.
9. It's rude to act as the "grammar/spelling police" of other online information. If someone else has misspelled words or misused grammar, leave it alone unless it is your own name.
10. Familiarize yourself with the rules and standards of a website, blog, or forum before you post there. Obey their rules-if a post is deemed in violation of the rules, edit or delete it.
11. When E-mailing for business purposes, include your full name, phone number, and E-mail address just as you would in a business letter.
12. Keep attachments of a reasonable size and quantity.
13. Avoid excessive usage of emoticons and "netspeak," especially in professional settings. They convey a tone of informality.
14. Do not forward jokes, political rants, spam, thoughts-for-the-day, or anything else of that nature unless you know for a fact that your recipients enjoy receiving those types of E-mails.
15. Use BCC (blind CC) for group E-mails where everyone does not already know each other. Some people are protective of their E-mail addresses.
16. Remember that company-issued E-mails and computers are NOT private. Do not send risque, profane, controversial, or extremely personal E-mails to work addresses.
17. Remember that it's hard to indicate tone on the Internet. A comment that you meant sarcastically can go right over someone's head without an indication, like emoticons or an [insert sarcasm here].
18. Be careful with replies to E-mail. If you do not intend for everyone who received the original E-mail to receive your response, do not click on "Reply to All" when sending the response.