Replying to E-Mail
There are particular conventions about sending e-mail that make e-mail easier for you and your recipient.
To reply to an incoming message, choose your mailer's reply function. In most cases, you will see:
- The sender's address in the To field
- Your name and address in the From field
- Subject line will refer (RE) to the original message
- The original message will be included, each line marked with a chevron (>). (Most e-mail programs do this. You can change how the program does this through Options.)
- Your prepared signature will be appended. (This depends on your e-mail software).
Your reply should begin at the top of the message - move your cursor if necessary, and refer to the original message as you deem appropriate.
| Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1836
19:12:48 -0500 (EST) Dear sister Susanna: |
Some Reply TIPS
To: Robert Service |
Some mailers in reply mode, will position the cursor at the end of the quoted message. Overrule the mailer: move your cursor to the top of your message window and enter your reply there. Your correspondent will thank you.
Do not automatically include the whole message to which you are replying. Delete the non-pertinent sections, and just leave enough to put your comments into context.
E-Mail Workout
- Do you still have those messages you sent yourself? Bring up the message
and click on Reply.
- Note the new header and subject line.
- Edit your original message so that only the points to which you are
responding are in your reply. See Sam McGee above as an example. (Note
- most mailers automatically include the original message in the reply.
All or part of this text may then be deleted using the delete
key on your keyboard.)
- You may put your response either immediately above or below the sentence(s) to which you are replying. Make sure that it will be clear to your reader.
Congratulations! Mastering send and reply functions means that you have a good base for using e-mail on the Internet.
Where to next?
The Internet community has developed a code of etiquette to be respected in e-mail communications. Much of this netiquette is just good manners but some points are particular to the technology and ethos of the Net. Read more in E-Mail Etiquette.