Tips on using Email effectively

5.1. Creating a list

UCC and HEAnet both have a LISTSERV mailing list server specifically for this kind of application. List servers can archive mail for you, handle subscribing and unsubscribing, detect spam, provide features like daily digests, and they are usually more efficient at mailing multiple recipients. To apply for a UCC mailing list, fill in the form at http://www.ucc.ie/newlist. If your list is for worldwide use, or if you expect to have more than 1,000 users, it would be better to ask HEAnet to host the list. Contact us for more information.

5.2. Joining a list

When you subscribe to a list (or when a list owner subscribes you), you should be sent a reply explaining how to send mail to the list, and how mailing lists work. If not, the details are in the LISTSERV Subscribers' Manual. There are some important things to know:

The email address of the list

LISTSERV list addresses in UCC all end with @lists.ucc.ie so all you need to know is the name of the list, which is a 1-word name (often ending in -L to show that it is a list). You can use the LISTSERV web interface to see a list of all the lists in UCC.

Announcement lists and discussion lists

There are two types of list: announcement lists and discussion lists. As the names imply, they have two different functions.

Announcement lists are 1-way: the owners use the list to announce things to the subscribers. You usually can't reply to announcements lists: if you try to do so, your reply will go to the list owner, not to everyone else.

Discussion lists are for discussions, so they are 2-way: anything you send to the list address gets distributed to everyone else on the list, so that everyone can read it. When you reply to such a list message, your reply does to everyone else for discussion.

How to send a message

The normal way to send a message to a list is from your mail program, just like any other email message. It is also possible to send a message through the LISTSERV web interface: you need to log in at http://lists.ucc.ie/ to do this (and create yourself a personal password the first time round).

If anything gets stuck…

If your email gets rejected, or doesn't appear to have been sent, you can contact the owner of your list using the form of address owner-LISTNAME@lists.ucc.ie, where you replace LISTNAME with the actual name of the list you are having trouble with.

Change of address

One of the most common problems is when you change your email address and forget to tell LISTSERV. Mailing lists do not have crystal balls, so they cannot magically guess that you have changed address: you have to tell LISTSERV.

Send a 1-line email from your old address before you lose access to it to the list address saying CHANGE LISTNAME newaddress, replacing LISTNAME with the actual name of the list, and newaddress with your new email address.

If you can no longer send mail from your old account, contact the list owner (see above) and ask for your address to be changed manually.

Archives

Most lists keep monthly archives, so you can always go and look up past postings if you haven't kept a copy. These are all held on the LISTSERV web interface at http://lists.ucc.ie/.

5.3. Use the right headers

If you are mailing announcements to a large number of people, put one address (eg your own, so that you get a copy) in the To: header, and all the rest in the BCC: (Blind Carbon Copy) header, so that no-one has to wade through screen after screen of addresses before they get to the text. This also helps preserve security, as no-one will be able to see all the other addresses.

Multiple To: addresses and the CC: (carbon copy) header certainly send copies to additional people, but they can all see each other's addresses, and this can be a problem for security and for viewing the message when there are hundreds of them. The BCC: header sends copies, but each recipient only sees their own address. See the mess the US House Judiciary Committee and Verizon made by failing to use the BCC header.

If you are forwarding an email from someone else, especially if you are forwarding it to a mailing list, be very careful to edit out (remove) any extra addresses from the headers that get reproduced in the body of the message (immediately under where it says ‘Original message’). There may be addresses in there that the original author never intended to go beyond your mailbox. You should always ask the original author for permission before forwarding a message to a mailing list.

5.4. Reply sensibly

It's essential for efficient communication to make sure people understand what you are saying and why you are saying it. Don't forget they can't see you, so all your expression must be in your message!

When you reply to a message, make sure your mail program is set up to quote the message you are replying to. Remember your recipients may not have that message open at the time they read your reply, so you must quote enough context to remind them of what was being discussed.

From: Grant Applications List <GRANTAPP-L@listserv.unseenu.edu>
To: Brian Boru <bboroimhe@ucc.ie>
Date: Thu Mar 10 11:34:52 GMT 2011
Sender: Erik Red <erikthered@viking.org>
Subject: Using jargon in application forms

Dear All,

I have two applications in draft for funding marine exploration
but neither of them can be completed without significant detail
of the technical side of the planned voyages.

How much detail is an applicant expected to give, and where 
should it go if the agency form doesn't provide space for it?

Regards
Erik

Click on  Reply  and your mailer should a) quote the text, flagged with the > character (or should TAB-indent it); b) precede it with a line identifying who posted the message and when; and c) leave your cursor underneath the text.

If your mailer does not do this, change the settings so that it does.

To: Grant Applications List <GRANTAPP-L@listserv.unseenu.edu>
From: Brian Boru <bboroimhe@ucc.ie>
Date: Thu Mar 10 11:51:33 GMT 2011
Subject: Re: Using jargon in application forms

On Thu Mar 10 2011 at 11:34:52 GMT, Erik Red <erikthered@viking.org> wrote:

> Dear All,
> 
> I have two applications in draft for funding marine exploration
> but neither of them can be completed without significant detail
> of the technical side of the planned voyages.
> 
> How much detail is an applicant expected to give, and where 
> should it go if the agency form doesn't provide space for it?
> 
> Regards
> Erik
 

Now you should edit out all the irrelevant parts, and type the sections of your reply in between the separate parts of the original poster's text.

To: Grant Applications List <GRANTAPP-L@listserv.unseenu.edu>
From: Brian Boru <bboroimhe@ucc.ie>
Date: Thu Mar 10 11:51:33 GMT 2011
Subject: Re: Using jargon in application forms

On Thu Mar 10 2011 at 11:34:52 GMT, Erik Red <erikthered@viking.org> wrote:

> I have two applications in draft for funding marine exploration
> but neither of them can be completed without significant detail
> of the technical side of the planned voyages.

Are these being sent to agencies who regularly fund research in
this field, or are these agencies inexperienced in this?

> How much detail is an applicant expected to give, 

Enough to allow them to make the Right Decision :-) so don't
swamp them, but don't flood them with detail they don't need 
(unless they have asked for it).

> and where 
> should it go if the agency form doesn't provide space for it?

Most forms I have seen allow you to add continuation sheets, but
that only applies to paper forms. If it's a form you fill in and 
then send the Word/OO doc or print-to-PDF and send back, see if
they allow you to add pages. Otherwise see if they will allow an
extra separate attachment.

If it's a web form, or a fill-in PDF that has to be returned as-is,
and there really isn't a space for detail, I guess ask them.

Brian

Now it is clear exactly what was asked, and what your reply was.

If your mailer puts your cursor at the top of a reply instead of the bottom, you should reconfigure it, or change to a different mailer. In Thunderbird, for example, in the settings for an account, under Composition and Addressing, you can set ‘Start my reply below the quote’.

5.5. Sending on behalf of someone else

If you are sending a message on behalf of someone else, put their address in the From: header, and your own address in the Sender: header. This makes it possible to distinguish author (From) and submitter (Sender) in mail directories, without having to read the message itself.

5.6. Recalling messages

The Recall function only works for Outlook users on the same Microsoft Exchange server as you, and only for those who have not already read the message. Not everyone uses Outlook and Exchange, so be aware thet not all messages can be recalled.

Trying to recall a message that has been sent outside the Exchange server (eg off-campus, or to users in departments who don't use Exchange) simply doesn't work. All that happens is they get a message saying you tried to recall the message.

5.7. Forwarding messages with all headers intact

When something goes wrong and you get a strange error message back from an address, you may need to send a copy to the HelpDesk or other experts for them to find out what happened. In these cases you must send the message with all the headers intact, including the ones you cannot see. All mail programs have a menu option or procedure to show you the full headers. You must follow this procedure, otherwise no-one will be able to find out what the problem was. Do not just click  Forward .

Thunderbird | Outlook 2010 | Outlook 2007 | Outlook 2003 | Mac OSX Mail (mail.app) | Gmail | Hotmail | Yahoo | Outlook Express (Windows Mail) | Outlook Web Access

Thunderbird

1. Select ViewHeadersAll from the menu at top

2. Navigate to and highlight the message in question

3. Click the  Forward  button.

4. Enter the address you want to send the message to into the To: field.

5. Send the message.

   Once you have successfully forwarded the message with full headers be sure to switch back to normal headers by selecting ViewHeadersNormal.

Outlook 2010

1. Double-click on the e-mail message to open it in its own window.

2. From the Message tab, Locate the group called Tags.

3. Select the arrow in the bottom right hand corner of the group.

4. A box will appear with the header information on the lower portion.

5. Copy the headers:

   • Click anywhere in the Internet headers box.

   • Press Ctrl+A

   • Press Ctrl+C

6. Open a new message composition window:

   • Select New from the menu at the top.

   • Enter the address you want to send the message to into the To: field.

7. Paste the complete message in the body of the new message.

   • Click your mouse in the body of the message (does not matter where).

   • Press Ctrl+V

8. Send the message.

Outlook 2007

1. Double-click on the e-mail message to open it in its own window.

2. From the Options dialog box

3. Select the arrow in the bottom right hand corner

4. Copy the headers:

   • Click anywhere in the Internet headers box.

   • Press Ctrl+A

   • Press Ctrl+C

5. Open a new message composition window.

   • Select New from the menu at the top.

   • Enter the address you want to send the message to into the To: field.

6. Paste the complete message in the body of the new message.

   • Click your mouse in the body of the message (does not matter where).

   • Press Ctrl+V

7. Send the message.

Outlook 2003

1. Double-click on the e-mail message to open it in its own window.

2. Click the View menu.

3. Click on Options…

4. Copy the headers:

   • Click anywhere in the Internet headers box.

   • Press Ctrl+A

   • Press Ctrl+C

5. Open a new message composition window.

   • Select New from the menu at the top.

   • Enter the address you want to send the message to into the To: field.

6. Paste the complete message in the body of the new message.

   • Click your mouse in the body of the message (does not matter where).

   • Press Ctrl+V

7. Send the message.

Mac OSX Mail (mail.app)

1. Select the message you want the full headers for.

2. In the menu bar click View.

3. Go down the list and select Message, Long Headers.

4. Click on the message to highlight it, and then click on the Forward button.

5. Enter the address you want to send the message to into the To: field.

6. Send the message.

Gmail

1. Open the message you'd like to view headers for.

2. Click the down arrow next to Reply, at the top-right of the message pane.

3. Select Show original.

4. Copy the entire content and paste into a new message

5. Enter the address you want to send the message to into the To: field.

6. Send the message.

Hotmail

1. Highlight the message you'd like to view headers for.

2. Right-click the message in the message list

3. Select View message source.

4. Copy the entire content and paste into a new message

5. Enter the address you want to send the message to into the To: field.

6. Send the message.

Yahoo

1. Highlight the message you'd like to view headers for.

2. Right-click the message in the message list

3. Select View Full Headers

4. Copy the entire content and paste into a new message

5. Enter the address you want to send the message to into the To: field.

6. Send the message.

Outlook Express (Windows Mail)

1. Highlight the message whose headers you want to forward, by right-clicking the mouse on the message in the folder view window

2. In the menu that appears, click on Properties

3. At the top of the current window, choose the Details tab with the left mouse button

4. Right click with the mouse anywhere in the window now open

5. In the menu that appears, click on Select All

6. Right click with the mouse again, as in step 4

7. In the menu that appears, click on Copy

8. Click on the  Cancel  button at the bottom of the window

9. Click on the  Forward  button

10. Fill in the boxes as with a normal email, addressing the email to the desired recipient

11. Click at the top of the message body

12. Click on the Edit menu at the top of the window

13. In the menu that appears, click on Paste

14. Put any other text into the message body as usual and then send the message

Outlook Web Access

1. Double click on email message to open in a new window

2. Click Message Details which has the icon of a envelope and paper

3. Highlight all of the contents of Internet Mail Headers box

4. Right click inside the box and copy the highlighted text and click  Close 

5. Click  Forward  on that the message you have just copied

6. In the new message pane, right click in the text box and select paste to insert the full headers

7. Forward the message to the appropriate email address or addresses