Just as someone preparing a flyer must decide the appropriate place to post it and someone writing an article must find the appropriate publication outlet, sending a message to an e-mail group requires knowing which messages are appropriate for which groups. At U-M, added to the normal communication challenges are the stresses of student life, especially during finals. Among other things, the user advocates handle complaints regarding inappropriate use of e-mail. The pressure is incredible. Any interruption in service becomes a raging emergency.
Any minor argument is likely to flare up into a huge one.
Although it is important to deal with egregious behavior, Reichbach and her co-workers decided it would be more effective for the educational campaign to focus on inadvertent mistakes and misunderstandings. Many misunderstandings arise simply because it is harder to convey something in writing than it is in person or over the phone. Without cues such as facial expression or tone of voice to let them know a message is in jest, people sometimes misinterpret the meaning of the words in front of them. Other misunderstandings occur because new users are unfamiliar with the standard conventions of e-mail, such as including part of the message to which you are replying to provide context. Still others occur because standards vary from one electronic environment to another.