- Urgent - a message is considered urgent if the answer to the question asked (or the information contained in the message) is useful only in the present or the very near future (typically within a few hours)
- Long - a message is considered long if its content is over 500 characters.
When communicating email, it is unreasonable to expect an immediate response. Emails are a more formal means of communication than texting, chatting, or calling. In most cases, it should be treated like paper mail.
Because emails are a formal means of communication, they should always be written with formal language. Misspellings, common internet abbreviations (i.e., IDK, LOL, etc.), and emoji should be avoided (Emoji are permissable in the context of a personal email, but generally discouraged in more formal contexts, such as a business transaction).
Emails starting a conversation should always start with "Dear, ___", "Hi, ___", or a similar greeting that is appropriate to the context of the conversation and the person being addressed, where the blank is filled by the name of the person or group of people being addressed.
Emails should always end with "Sincerely, ___" or a similar closing signature to indicate the close of the email, where the blank is filled by the name of the person sending the email.
Emails do not require an immediate response. It is polite to respond within a reasonable time frame (usually a few days), but it need not be responded to immediately.
Sometimes confusion arises when one is not sure whether they should send a "thank you" reply to an email. It is polite to send a thank you reply when appropriate, unless explicitly stated otherwise. However, if someone neglects to send you a thank you reply, assume it is because they don't wish to bother you, rather than thinking them impolite.
If the message you are intending to send is urgent (by the above definition), try a different form of online communication instead, when possible.
Text or chat is a less formal communication than email. It's primary purpose is for quick, short messages, with a generally quicker response time.
In the case of texting, misspellings, internet abbreviations, and emoji are acceptable, and to be expected. However, it is still polite to spell words carefully and write out words rather than using abbreviations, in order to reduce confusion.
When you have received a text message that requests a response, it is polite to do so as soon as a suitable answer is formed. However, you are never required to respond to a text message. If more time is needed to form a response, don't worry about responding. In cases where it may take particularly long to form a response (often for lack of information), it may be polite to reply with a message indicating that you cannot respond at the current moment, but will as soon as possible.
If your message is long, it may be better to use a different form of communication such as email or calling. However, do not do this if it breaks the flow of conversation - that is considered impolite.
If your message is urgent and requires a response within a matter of minutes, calling would be a better form of communication to use.
Calling is a form of online communication that has varying formality, depending on the parties communicating.
Calling can be used for communication of long or very urgent messages.
When making a phone call, always start by giving your name. When receiving a phone call, always start by asking the caller's name, if not given.
When a conversation has ended, there may be some confusion as to which person should hang up. If you believe the conversation has ended, say "Bye" and wait 2 or 3 seconds to see if the other person indicates a desire to continue conversation. If not, hang up.
Video calling is a more personal form of calling. It is best when you want as close to an in-person conversation as possible.
Feel free to suggest changes to this!