PC Magazine shares some useful tips and rules for more effective email communication. Favorite picks:

1. Don’t e-mail what you can IM (or text, or Twitter) - Not everything you want to say may actually be worthy of a full message. Take advantage of the fact those you want to reach may use an instant-messaging application or may be following you on Twitter.

2. Trim excess in replies - When you reply to a message, usually the original is appended below what you said. While handy, this can be a pain when you’re searching through e-mails later. At some point, take the time to cut some of the messages below. Better yet, just copy the most relevant part and paste it in above what you’re typing. Use >>> in front of that section to indicate that it’s from a previous message. Your succinctness will be appreciated.

3. Brevity is the soul of wit - How often do you read e-mail messages that are over three paragraphs long? Neither does anyone else. ‘Nuff said.

Related: Email Etiquette