Sample APA Paper

Abstract

APA 6th edition has specific requirements for all parts of a paper.  A word processor will put in a superscript for ordinal numbers such as 6th (like this: 6^th), which is not allowed.  This can be corrected by highlighting the superscript and going to the toolbar. Click on the x with a superscript (i.e., x²⁾ that will be highlighted, and the superscript will be removed.  Notice how there is double spacing after each sentence.  An abstract must be 150-250 words in length.  Note that the word abstract is capitalized, centered, and not bolded.  Note that the content of the abstract is flush with the left margin.  This is the only place in APA that does not indent paragraphs.  The content of the abstract does not contain general introductory information for the paper.  It contains specific information of what is found in the paper (American Psychological Association, 2010).  A good idea is to go by the grading rubric for the particular paper and incorporate into the abstract every topic to be covered in the paper.  Insert a page break after the last character of the last line so that the next page does not creep up onto this page.  Hit Enter after the last punctuation, and then insert the page break so centering on the next page does not center the last paragraph of this page. 

Sample APA Paper

On the first page of text, the exact same title used on the cover page must be placed at the top and centered with the main words capitalized.  It is not bold because it is the title of the paper and not a heading (American Psychological Association, 2010).  All paragraphs must be more than three sentences in length and no longer than a half page.

The first couple of paragraphs of the paper are for introductory information about the topic.  It is the introduction, but it should not have a title of introduction.  Notice that all paragraphs are indented, a function that is set in the toolbar of the Word program.  After the introductory information, headings are used, which have specific requirements.  There are no extra spaces anywhere between paragraphs or headings.  The entire paper is double spaced, including the reference list, and margins all around the paper are 1 inch (American Psychological Association, 2010). 

Headings

The use of headings organizes the paper.  Think of the topics for headings as if the topics were in outline form.  An outline breaks the information to be discussed into parts, with each part having subparts.  The main topics will be Level 1 headings, and the subtopics will be Level 2 or lower headings.  Level 2 subtopics may be broken down further, if needed, but most papers will only require Level 1 and Level 2 headings.

Headings should only have a few words to indicate the content.  An excellent method of organizing the paper is to use the topics from the criteria in the grading rubric.  The rubric specifies exactly what must be covered in the paper.  Using each general element of the rubric will provide the Level 1 headings for the paper.  Additional information required within each element will be the Level 2 headings.

Level 1 headings are centered, bolded, and have the main words capitalized.  Level 2 headings are flush left, bolded, and have the main words capitalized (American Psychological Association, 2010).  Refer to the APA Manual for additional levels.  A heading at the bottom of a page with no text under it is called an orphan.  All headings must have at least two lines of text under them, so the heading should be moved to the next page by hitting enter until the heading is positioned properly on the next page.

Grammar

It is a requirement of APA that good grammar be used in writing.  The first few pages of the manual are devoted to correct grammar.  Good grammar encompasses many rules usually learned by the eighth grade, such as only capitalizing proper nouns, subject and verb agreement, noun and pronoun agreement, and sentence structure.  This is basic to APA format and academic writing.

Seriation

            Seriation is the listing of information, and there are specific rules to follow.  There are four methods of listing information that are acceptable.  Specific rules for the types of seriation can be found on p. 63 of the manual.

1.  Numbers are used with the first word after each number capitalized and a period at the end.

2.  Bullets may be used with the first word capitalized in each entry and a period at the end.

3.  Information may also be written in a sentence as (a) good, (b) bad, and (c) ugly in the text itself.

4.  Items may be listed in a sentence, but three or more items require commas separating each item.  If any of the items contain a comma, the separating punctuation becomes a semi-colon.

Numbers

            Numbers less than 10 are spelled out.  Numbers 10 and higher are written as numerals.  There are exceptions, however.  Numbers relating to time, age, percentages, and money are some examples of when to use the numeral, no matter how small the quantity; basically, use numerals for anything that can be measured.  When writing a plural number, such as the 1980s, no apostrophe is used (American Psychological Association, 2010).  If a number is the first word of a sentence it should be written out, but try not to start a sentence with a number.

Citations

Citations are required any time information that does not originate completely with the writer is discussed in a paper, or to support original ideas that grow out of reading the literature.  Using information from any source without citing where it came from, whether from a conversation, website, journal, or book, is called plagiarism.  A good writer uses information from other sources and credits the source through the use of a citation.  Citations are used at the end of any information from another source.  It is not necessary to cite after each sentence, but it is necessary to cite at the end of the information before other information from another source is used.  The standard citation goes at the end of the information and before the punctuation, which goes after the citation (American Psychological Association, 2010).

There are many different types of citations.  Each citation must have a corresponding entry in the reference list at the end of the paper.  Each entry of the reference list must also have a corresponding citation in the body of the paper.  The reference list is done in alphabetical order.  Always keep the APA Manual next to the computer when writing a paper.  There are specific rules that must be followed in writing a citation and there are samples of all of the different types in the APA Manual. 

Quotations

            A quotation of less than 40 words can be used in the body of the paragraph and has double quotation marks around it.  A citation is required directly after the information that is in quotation marks.  A quotation of 40 words or more must be in a block of text, on a new line, double spaced, indented a half inch without a paragraph indent for the first paragraph, and with no quotation marks.  This is called a block quotation.  Information directly quoted must include the page number or paragraph number in the citation (American Psychological Association, 2010). 

Nonparenthetical Citations

            Nonparenthetical means not in parentheses.  “If the name of the author appears as part of the narrative, cite only the year of publication in parentheses” (American Psychological Association, 2010, p. 174).  An example is: According to Makhombe (2009), leadership is a matter of style. 

Parenthetical Citations

            Parenthetical means in parentheses.  Parenthetical citations are used when the information must be credited, but the author’s name is not used as part of the text.  This is the best way to cite as it does not intrude into the meaning of the sentence and focuses on the topic and not the author. 

There are rules that must be followed and are based on the number of authors in the reference.  For two authors, both names and the year must be used every time.  For three, four, or five authors, all authors must be used in the first citation in the text, but after the first citation, only the name of the first author is used followed by et al. and the year (American Psychological Association, 2010).  Note the period after the word al.; it is a Latin abbreviation and needs that period.

The following is an example of five authors in a citation for the first use in-text: Endicott appears to exhibit the transformational leadership style, which formulates a clear vision that allows employees to see the big picture and enhance their understanding of where they fit in (Nielsen, Yarker, Brenner, Randall, & Borg, 2008).  All subsequent citations for this reference would look like this: (Nielsen et al., 2008).  Notice the period and the comma after the word al.  There are exceptions to this rule and rules for six or more authors, so the manual must be consulted for exactly how it should appear in the paper (American Psychological Association, 2010). 

Referencing

            After all the text of the paper is written, a page break must be inserted to force the reference list to begin on a fresh page.  Every paper must have a reference list at the end of the paper.  Every citation used in the text of the paper must have a corresponding reference included in the reference list.  Conversely, every reference listed must be cited in the paper.  A reference list contains only what is read and used; a bibliography, which APA does not use, would list everything read, whether or not it is used in the actual paper.

            The heading References, or Reference, if there is just one entry, is centered and not bolded.  The reference list is double spaced, just as the entire paper is double spaced, with no extra spaces inserted anywhere.  The entries are listed alphabetically by the first author’s last name.  Hanging indents must be formatted for this page so the second line of each reference is indented (American Psychological Association, 2010).  Hanging indents are formatted by clicking on page layout, paragraph, indents and spacing, special, and hanging.  There are very specific rules for the order of information in a reference, so the APA Manual must be consulted.  Pay special attention to the use of italics, punctuation, capitalization, and superscript.  Do not double space after periods in the reference list.

There will always be something italicized in a reference.  It will be a book title, an article title, or a journal name and volume number.  Use the group name if no specific author is given.  Use the title of an article in the author’s place before the year element, if no author is listed.  A period is required after all elements in a reference unless the ending information is a website.  Always put a space between the first name initials of an author and do not use suffixes, such as degrees or titles.  The edition of a book must be written in a certain format, the volume of a journal is italicized, and the issue is in parentheses but not italicized.  If no date is given for the information, n.d. is placed in the date position.  Consult the APA Manual for samples of reference citations for each type.

Conclusion

            Always include a conclusion in a paper.  A conclusion tells us what the point of the paper was, what was learned, and such.  It is not a summary, which is a short version of the paper.          APA has very specific requirements about writing.  Contractions are not allowed.  Only certain words can have quotation marks around them such as words used in an ironic expression, slang, or coined words.  Abbreviations are only allowed if they are used a minimum of four times in the paper, and each abbreviation must be spelled out the first time it is used, unless it is recognized in Webster’s Dictionary as an abbreviation (American Psychological Association, 2010).  An example of one such abbreviation found in Webster’s is RN (RN, 2010). 

This document provides some valuable information to help write a paper in APA format.  This paper can be used as a template for writing all papers; this is highly recommended.  To use this paper as a template, save it to your computer.  Every time a paper has to be written, pull up this paper and begin typing in the new information.  Do not erase all the existing information until typing in some of the new information, or the formatting will be erased.  By using this paper as a template, new margins, spacing, hanging indents, and headers will not have to be formatted since they are already set.

References

American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

Makhombe, D. (2009). No perfect leader. Nursing Update, 33(2), 40. Retrieved from http://www.healthcare-events.co.uk/newsletter/

Nielsen, K., Yarker, J., Brenner, S., Randall, R., & Borg, V. (2008). The importance of transformational leadership style for the well-being of employees working with older people. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 63(5), 465-475. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2648.2008.04701.x

RN. (2010). In Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary. Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/RN

Ensuring Safety and Satisfaction: 

Getting the Basics Right

The idea behind writing this post is the excess usage of computers and related injuries due to the same. While we do discuss a lot about the emergence of computers and the revolutionary impact it has created. However, it is important to know a few fundamental issues as we work daily so that we do not win business on the cost of our well being.

In this new social technology age, we all are contributing towards the evolution of communication technologies in some way or the other. One common thing that most of the work place experience is the usage of computers, laptops and other devices that makes the working easier. One cannot think of a state of the art organization without the usage of computers. Well, for many of us, it is the first thing that we do when we get in our respective offices, i.e. to switch on our machines, check our respective notifications, set the agenda for the day and start working.

With the over usage of computers and other smart devices, one most not neglect the importance of some of the fundamental issues that can help the computers users to avoid injury and fatigue as they work for long hours on a computer.

Sitting using a correct Posture

·         As opposed to watching a close finish of a sporting event, when you are on the edge of your seat. While you are in the office, sit back and push yourself as much as back as possible in the seat.

·         The height of the chair should be adjusted in manner so that the feet are flat on the floor and the knees are not above the level of the hips.

·         Back of the chair should be reclined at 100°-110° angle.   

                                       

·         The use of cushions and other supports is encouraged to support the lower and the upper back.

·         Frequent position changes should be made while working, active back mechanism in the chair can help in this regard.

·         Keep your shoulders relaxed by adjusting the armrests. Remove them if they are in the way.

Using the Keyboard

·         An articulating keyboard tray, especially if it can accommodate other work materials such as files, folders, diaries, mouse, telephone etc is conducive for working.

·         Pull up to the keyboard as much as possible.

·         If you use certain sections of the keyboard more frequently then position the keyboard in a way so that those sections are centered with your body.

·         The hands, wrists should be straight and the shoulders relaxed while using the keyboard. The keyboard feet or tilting should be used to ensure that the wrists are straight.

·         Avoid over reaching the keyboard and use wrist rest to rest the palms of the hands between key strokes.

Positioning the Source Documents correctly

·         An awkward working posture is a result of incorrect screen positioning. The screen and other source documents should be adjusted in a way that makes the neck neutral and relaxed.

·         The top of the screen should be positioned at least 2.5” above the eye level.

·         Sit at an arm’s length from the screen, use of glass glare filters and light filters are also recommended.

Using adequate Breaks and Pauses

·         Get away from your computer screens during the lunch hour. As an exercise, look at a distant object or close your eyes frequently. Resting your eyes by covering it with your palms can also help.

·         Take a five minute break every one hour. Change your task for some duration if you are working on a particular task that would take a long time.

·         Moving around and keeping a correct posture is critical.

Things to pay Attention to:

·         Correct positioning of arms/wrists (straight), head, neck/spine is crucial

·         Using minimum force while striking/using the keyboard

·         Take frequent breaks with the objective of rejuvenating yourself.

·         Relax your eyes, washing frequently with water and blinking helps.

Other Factors:

·         Maintaining proper light level in the office is imperative for efficiency. Users should also adjust the contrast and brightness appropriately so that the usage is comfortable.

·         Minimize the unnecessary materials on your desk like papers, files etc.

·         Maintaining a comfortable temperature in the working environment.

·         Cleaning of computer screens and other devices regularly.

·         Being considerate to others, this can include holding conversations at a specific place ensuring that the same is not disturbing others. Fabric partitions can help in this regard. Noises like that of type-writers and photocopiers can also be avoided using the same.

·         Plan ahead to set a realistic yet challenging agenda for the day.

·         Make tasks interesting, for example, instead of using the telephone to contact your colleague, reach out personally.

·         Paste your favorite quotation, pictures, arts, and plants etc which can help in encouraging you and keep you positive throughout the day.

·         Develop your own ways to relax yourself, it might be swimming for some, while driving or hitting the gymnasium for others.

All the above mentioned points are pretty basic but yet their importance should not be neglected at any point in time. Let us spread awareness and share this to encourage people to use the computer and work in the right manner.

CASE ANALYSES

by Budhesh Chopra

Cases are detailed descriptions of real management situations. In the Case Analysis your objective is to analyze the management problem and make a recommendation for solving that problem. By applying concepts to actual cases, you improve your ability to think analytically when identifying problems and creating solutions.

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Preparing the Case Analysis

There are four basic steps to follow when preparing a Case Analysis. However, because you will encounter a wide variety of cases and problems, you should determine the appropriate approach to each situation. Generally, the four steps are:

1.  Clearly define the problem.

Be sure to identify the problem and not the symptom of a problem. For example, a decline in sales is a symptom of a problem; you must identify the actual cause of the decline in sales. It is also important to establish that the problem is a major problem for the company.

2.  Formulate alternative solutions to the problem.

It may be helpful to brainstorm as many solutions as you can and then narrow your list down to three or four solutions you feel are the strongest.

3.  Evaluate and compare the alternative solutions.

To evaluate alternative solutions you should consider their strengths (e.g. increased productivity) and their weaknesses (e.g. increased cost).

4.  Recommend and justify an effective solution.

Be sure to record the reasons why the chosen solution is most effective. In your Case Analysis you must provide a recommendation that is supported by your analysis.

Note: Your assignment may require that you identify more than one problem and develop a set of recommendations. 

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Writing The Case Analysis Report

Once you have the results of your Case Analysis you are ready to prepare the written report. It is important that your report include both qualitative and quantitative evidence to support your recommendations. Depending on the requirements of your specific assignment, the format of your report may vary. Following are the general components of a written Case Analysis report:

Title page

Table of contents

Introduction (this is not a summary; briefly describe the purpose and sections)

Environmental Analysis

A. General environment (economic, political, social, etc.)

B. Operating environment (competitors, suppliers, customers, etc.)

C. Internal environment (organization's finance, marketing, personnel, etc.)

Problem definition

A. Problem 1 and evidence

B. Problem 2 and evidence (if applicable)

C. Problem 3 and evidence (if applicable)

Alternative solutions

A. Description of solution

a. Strengths

b. Weaknesses

B. Description of solution 2

a. Strengths

b. Weaknesses

C. Description of solution 3

a. Strengths

b. Weaknesses

Recommended solution

A. Description of solution

B. Justification for alternative chosen

C. Implementation specifics

Summary of analysis

References

Technical Appendices

A. Financial anlayses

B. Other technical information

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Presenting The Case Analysis Orally

Consider these tips when preparing for your oral presentation:

Use an outline; do not read the written report.

Provide class members with a copy of the outline.

Emphasize only the key points of your analysis; do not provide excessive detail.

Use visual aids such as simple pie charts, graphs, or bulleted statements.

Make sure visual aids are large enough to be read by people in the back of the room.

How to Write Good Essays

The goal of the essay is to use material from the course to answer a question in a brief and analytically rigorous manner. A good essay states a clear thesis and systematically supports the thesis with evidence from the lecture and readings.

Some general comments about social science writing are in order. Social science writing is fundamentally about making an argument. Writing a social science paper is like having a debate. You, the author, decide upon the position you find most persuasive; it is your job to convince the reader that your interpretation of the evidence is most convincing. This entails citing evidence from the course materials to support your claims and making an argument for why your position is the most convincing interpretation of the evidence. The debate analogy also implies that you succinctly demonstrate why your interpretation is more convincing than the other competing interpretations. These skills take time to perfect.

Answer the question

A good essay answers the question asked. Read the question carefully, and answer it as it is asked. Be careful that you do not answer the question you wish had been asked, or a variant of the question closer to what you know. If the question has multiple components, be sure to address all parts of the question.

Write an outline

Writing an outline before you start the paper is imperative to the coherent organization of the essay. An outline will help you make sure that your thoughts are organized and presented in the most cogent possible manner.

Have an argument

Part of answering the question is crafting an argument. The importance of having a clear argument cannot be overstated. All too often, students submit papers that have the elements of a good paper but lack coherence. This trap can be avoided by presenting your general argument in the opening pages of the paper and then turning to the evidence. Make the argument clearly, cogently, and with logical precision.

Don’t waste space explaining what other people have or have not said, how important the topic is, or why and how it is related to other important themes (on which you know more and feel more comfortable writing).

Use evidence properly

Once you have established the argument, think about how you can illustrate and support it using evidence and facts that you have learned from the lectures and readings. Evidence supports an argument; it does not constitute an argument. Importantly, evidence must be interpreted to explain why it supports your claim.

In other words, do not just present a set of facts or state the argument of a particular author; rather, you should demonstrate precisely how and why this evidence makes it more likely that your argument is correct. Simply presenting information that is vaguely relevant to the question is not marshalling evidence.

Structure effectively

Academic writing involves fashioning a coherent set of ideas into a logically structured paper. This means presenting your points in the order that will make the most sense to a reader. Do not forget to state your argument clearly in the first paragraph of the essay. A good introduction should also present a “road map”

for the paper (i.e., a brief explanation to the reader of how the essay is organized). Since your argument is very likely to evolve as your write, it often easier and more effective to write the introduction last.

Be direct

This is not a course in creative writing; there is no premium placed on maintaining suspense or a sense of drama. Write precisely, clearly, and simply. Obviously, good papers will be free of spelling and grammatical errors. Be sure to leave yourself enough time to edit and proofread your work. If possible, have someone else read your essay before you hand it in.

Be prepared

There is no substitute for knowing the course material. No amount of clarity (or obfuscation) can compensate for a lack of basic knowledge and understanding of the readings and lectures. By the same token, if you know the material very well, and present it clearly, you will do well on the exam.

20 Steps to Case Solving

1. Determine what main questions are being posed in the case.
2. Determine what additional questions need to be  answered  for you to make a recommendation – think total business solution.
3. Group like questions together; this will often spawn more questions to be considered .
4. Reread case a second time, making notes and jotting down additional questions, observations and potential solutions that come to mind.
5. Evaluate your data – use tools such as SWOT, PESTLE, etc. to organize your thoughts.
6. Write your problem statement.
7. Prepare to write your situational analysis by assessing the overall macro environment situation/ market conditions (from case which must be taken into account when determining your best solution to the stated problem. 
   8. Write the situational analysis. Remember: It must be an assessment/ analysis, NOT simply a recitation of case facts.  Think: “So what?”
   9. Identify your evaluation criteria; can be Quantitative or Qualitative.
   10. Evaluate the Status Quo (allowing for changes in macroenvironment).
   11. Develop possible solutions for each of the questions posed/ problems identified.  Come up with as many options as you can.
   12. Develop 2 or more viable, distinctly different alternatives; you will know they are truly different if they take the company/product in different directions. Feel free to combine options and to have some options be repeated in each alternative.
   13. Evaluate your proposed alternatives using the evaluation criteria you set earlier.
   14. Identify your top alternatives; write a short rationale for keeping or discarding each one.
   15. Review your recommendation to ensure that it is comprehensive and that all elements work together.
   
   
   16. Create your implementation plan; ensure that all items outlined in your recommendation are included in the implementation plan.
   17. Revisit your situational analysis and see if anything needs to be added, amended or deleted.
   18. Write your conclusion.
   19. Write your Executive Summary: It should be a précis of your paper, not a roadmap.
   20. Hand  your paper in on time. 

How to install Harvard referencing style to MS Word 2007

Research Timeline

Research papers come in many sizes and levels of complexity. There is no single set of rules that fits every project, but there are guidelines you should follow to keep yourself on track throughout the weeks as you prepare, research and write. You will complete your project in stages, so you must plan ahead and give yourself enough time to complete every stage of your work.

Your first step is to write down the due date for your paper on a big wall calendar, in your planner, and in an electronic calendar.

Plan backward from that due date to determine when you should have your library work completed. A good rule of thumb is to spend:

• - Fifty percent of your time researching and reading
• - Ten percent of your time sorting and marking your research
• - Forty percent of your time writing and formatting

Timeline for Researching and Reading Stage

• - 1 week for short papers with one or two sources
• - 2-3 weeks for papers up to ten pages
• - 2-3 months for a thesis

It's important to get started right away on the first stage. In a perfect world, we would find all of the sources we need to write our paper in our nearby library. In the real world, however, we conduct Internet queries and discover a few perfect books and articles that are absolutely essential to our topic - only to find that they are not available in the local library.

The good news is that you can still get the resources through an interlibrary loan. But that will take time. This is one good reason to do a thorough search early on with the help of a reference librarian.

Give yourself time to collect many possible resources for your project. You will soon find that some of the books and articles you choose don't actually offer any useful information for your particular topic. You'll need to make a few trips to the library. You won't finish in one trip.

You'll also discover that you will find additional potential sources in the bibliographies of your first selections. Sometimes the most time consuming task is eliminating potential sources.

Timeline for Sorting and Marking Your Research

• - 1 day for a short paper
• - 3-5 days for papers up to ten pages
• - 2-3 weeks for a thesis

101 Email Etiquette Tips

It is important that whether for business or personal use that you follow the basics of email etiquette. This document covers for you the top tips for email etiquette that everyone needs to be aware of and follow. By doing so you will be a joy to communicate with while being perceived as a caring and intelligent human being.

Sending Emails Make sure your e-mail includes a courteous greeting and closing. Helps to make your e-mail not seem demanding or terse. Address your contact with the appropriate level of formality and make sure you spelled their name correctly. Spell check - emails with typos are simply not taken as seriously. Read your email out loud to ensure the tone is that which you desire. Try to avoid relying on formatting for emphasis; rather choose the words that reflect your meaning instead. A few additions of the words "please" and "thank you" go a long way! Be sure you are including all relevant details or information necessary to understand your request or point of view. Generalities can many times causing confusion and unnecessary back and forths. Are you using proper sentence structure? First word capitalized with appropriate punctuation? Multiple instances of !!! or ??? are perceived as rude or condescending. If your email is emotionally charged, walk away from the computer and wait to reply. Review the Sender's email again so that you are sure you are not reading anything into the email that simply isn't there. If sending attachments, did you ask first when would be the best time to send? Did you check file size to make sure you don't fill the other side's inbox causing all subsequent e-mail to bounce? Refrain from using the Reply to All feature to give your opinion to those who may not be interested. In most cases replying to the Sender alone is your best course of action. Make one last check that the address or addresses in the To: field are those you wish to send your reply to. Be sure your name is reflected properly in the From: field. Jane A. Doe (not jane, jane doe or JANE DOE). Type in complete sentences. To type random phrases or cryptic thoughts does not lend to clear communication. Never assume the intent of an email. If you are not sure -- ask so as to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings. Just because someone doesn't ask for a response doesn't mean you ignore them. Always acknowledge emails from those you know in a timely manner. Be sure the Subject: field accurately reflects the content of your email. Don't hesitate to say thank you, how are you, or appreciate your help! Keep emails brief and to the point. Save long conversations for the old fashioned telephone. Always end your emails with "Thank you," "Sincerely," "Take it easy," "Best regards" - something! Formatting Emails Do not type in all caps. That's yelling or reflects shouting emphasis. If you bold your type, know you are bolding your statement and it will be taken that way by the other side - X10! Do not use patterned backgrounds. Makes your email harder to read. Stay away from fancy-schmancy fonts -- only the standard fonts are on all computers. Use emoticons sparingly to ensure your tone and intent are clear. Typing your emails in all small case gives the perception of lack of education or laziness. Refrain from using multiple font colors in one email. It makes your email harder to view and can add to your intent being misinterpreted. Use formatting sparingly. Instead try to rely on choosing the most accurate words possible to reflect your tone and avoid misunderstandings in the process. Email Attachments When sending large attachments, always "zip" or compress them before sending. Never send large attachments without notice! Always ask what would be the best time to send them first. Learn how to resample or resize graphics to about 600 pixels in width before attaching them to an email. This will greatly reduce download time. Never open an attachment from someone you don't know. Be sure your virus, adware and spyware programs are up to date and include scanning of your emails and attachments both incoming and outgoing. It is better to spread multiple attachments over several emails rather than attaching them all to one email to avoid clogging the pipeline. Make sure the other side has the same software as you before sending attachments or they may not be able to open your attachment. Use PDF when possible. To, From, CC, BCc, RR, Subject: Only use Cc: when it is important for those you Cc: to know about the contents of the email. Overuse can cause your emails to be ignored. Don't use Return Receipt (RR) on every single email. Doing so is viewed as intrusive, annoying and can be declined by the other side anyway. Include addresses in the To: field for those who you would like a response from. Include addresses in the Cc: field for those who you are just FYI'ing. Make sure your name is displayed properly in the From: field. Remove addresses from the To:, CC; and BCc: field that don't need to see your reply. Always include a brief Subject. No subject can get your email flagged as spam. Think about your motives when adding addresses to To:, CC:, BCc. Use your discretion. Never expose your friend's or contact's email address to strangers by listing them all in the To: field. Use BCc:! Make sure when using BCc: that your intentions are proper. To send BCc: copies to others as a way of talking behind someone's back is inconsiderate. Email Forwarding Don't forward emails that say to do so--no matter how noble the cause may be. Most are hoaxes or hooey and may not be appreciated by those you send to. If someone asks you to refrain from forwarding emails they have that right and you shouldn't get mad or take it personally. When forwarding email, if you cannot take the time to type a personal comment to the person you are forwarding to--then don't bother. Don't forward anything without editing out all the forwarding >>>>, other email addresses, headers and commentary from all the other forwarders. If you must forward to more than one person, put your email address in the TO: field and all the others you are sending to in the BCc: field to protect their email address from being published to those they do not know. This is a serious privacy issue! Be careful when forwarding email on political or controversial issues. The recipient may not appreciate your POV. Email and Perception, Privacy, Copyright Choose your email address wisely. It will determine, in part, how you are perceived. Try not to make assumptions when it comes to email. Always ask for clarification before you react. Posting or forwarding of private email is copyright infringement -- not to mention downright rude. You need permission from the author first! Even though it isn't right; emails are forwarded to others. Keep this in mind when typing about emotional or controversial topics. When there is a misunderstanding by email, don't hesitate to pick up the old fashioned telephone to work things out! Know that how you type, and the efforts you make or don't make will indicate what is important to you and if you are an educated courteous person. If you forward an email that turns out to be a hoax, have the maturity to send an apology follow up email to those you sent the misinformation to. When filling out a contact form on a Web site, do so carefully and with clarity so your request is taken seriously. If a friend puts your e-mail address in the To: field with others you do not know, ask them to no longer expose your address to strangers without your permission. Business Email Think of your business email as though it was on your business letterhead and you'll never go wrong! If you cannot respond to an email promptly, at the very least email back confirming your receipt and when the sender can expect your response. Emailing site owners about your product or service through the site form is still spam. Ask them if they want more info first! When replying to emails always respond promptly and edit out unnecessary information from the post you are responding to. Formality is in place as a courtesy and reflects respect. Assume the highest level of formality with new email contacts until the relationship dictates otherwise. Refrain from getting too informal too soon in your email communications. Never send anyone an email they need to unsubscribe from when they didn't subscribe in the first place! Be very careful how you use Reply to All and Cc: in a business environment. Doing so for CYA or to subtlety tattle can backfire and have your viewed as petty or insecure. When replying to an email with multiple recipients noted in the To: or Cc: fields, remove the addresses of those who your reply does not apply to. Never send business attachments outside of business hours and confirm that the format in which you can send can be opened by the other side. IM, Blackberry With IM and Chat, try not to be overly cryptic or your meaning can be misread. Use Instant Messaging (IM) for casual topics or informational briefs. IM is not the place for serious topics or confrontational issues. Start by always asking if the person you are IMing is available and if it is a good time to chat. Refrain from IMing during meetings or when your attention is required. Practice communicating briefly and succinctly. Use IM for casual topics or informational briefs. Serious topics are not for IM. IMing is not an excuse to forget your grade school education. If you are not a smooth multi-tasker, do not continue multiple IM sessions and leave folks hanging while you communicate with others. Learn how to use the features of your IM program. Specifically your "busy" and "away" message features. Never IM under an alias to take a peek at friends' or associates' activities. Take into consideration who you are communicating with to determine the acronyms and emoticons that should be used - if at all. Email and Blogs, Forums, Message Boards Keep in mind when in newsgroups or message boards that you are in a global arena. Read the charters and rules - before you post. When discussions get out of control; don't stoop to name-calling or profanities. You are better than that! Keep your signature file to no more than 4-5 lines. Keep commercialism to no more than a link at the end of your comment or contribution. Stay on topic and discuss issues only relative to the thread/topic in question. If new to the message board, "lurk" for awhile to get a feel for the community and personalities of the regulars before you post. Never give out personal information or specifics to your location on message boards. Keep in mind there will always be differences of opinion. Try to remain objective and not personalize issues. Don't fall for trolls. Trolls are folks who will post rude comments just to get a rise out of everyone. Be sure to down edit, or remove any part of the post you are replying to that is no longer necessary to the ongoing conversation. Email Considerations... Before getting upset because you perceive someone didn't respond, check to see if their reply was inadvertently deleted or sent to your Trash or Junk folder. With emotionally charged emails, wait until the next morning to see if you feel the same before clicking Send. Feel free to modify the Subject: field to more accurately reflect a conversation's direction. When it comes to your email communications, know who you can trust; trust only those you know. Take the time to review each email before clicking Send to ensure your message is clear and you are relaying the tone that you desire. Never use an old email to hit reply and start typing about an entirely new topic. Regardless of how noble a forwarded email may be, don't just forward without investigating its authenticity @ Snopes.com. Always add the email addresses of Web sites and new contacts immediately to your approved senders or address book so they get through Spam filters. Before completing a Web site's Contact form; make an effort to review the site to be sure the information you seek is not already available. Take a quick look at the e-mails in your Trash before you delete them just in case a good e-mail landed there by mistake. If any email states to forward to all your friends, or just 5 people -- do everyone a favor and just hit delete! Don't mass e-mail people who didn't ask to be on your personal "mailing list". Double check that your adware, spyware and virus programs are set to automatically update at least once each week so the software knows what to protect you from. And finally... Type unto others as you would have them type unto you!