Letter FormatsE-mail is an increasingly more important part of workplace communication but the rules of netiquette appropriate to professional e-mail have not yet been finalized. As these continue to evolve, it is your obligation to watch the practices you see developing in the work world and to adapt accordingly. One thing is certain, IM or text-messaging language will not be used in professional correspondence because that language is not as clear and accurate, especially for international audiences.E-mail was originally designed as a vehicle for sharing information between scientists working on the same project, and that is why it looks more like a memo than a letter format. It is being used today for everything from confirmations of appointments to transmittal pieces for detailed formal reports. Rules for using e-mail have not been universalized; however, there are guidelines for best practices.E-mail should look and sound professional. Do not use slang or abbreviations. Do not add smiley faces or other emoticons. Identify what program your attachments are in. Be brief but be careful not to clip the tone by being too terse. Note that it is possible to draft a message in Word and then paste it into an e-mail if you do not have a spelling or grammar check feature on your e-mail system. [Use Control + C to copy and Control + V to paste.]E-mail is a hybrid from of correspondence. E-mails most closely parallel memoranda in physical format, but the content and tone should lean toward letter style. This is not a place for Text-messenging or IM language. Give it as much careful attention as you would any other report in the workplace.As a courtesy to your reader, you should specify what type of word or data processing system (such as MS Word 2007 or Excel 2013) was used to create any attachments to the e-mail. To keep e-mail short, do not embed (copy and paste) documents into the e-mail; instead, clip it on as an attachment.