Include a signature for each professional email you send. Oftentimes, you can have your email client automatically include the signature; this means you don't have to type it each time, and you can delete or modify the signature, perhaps deleting your phone number, web, or physical address based on the nature of the communication i.e. you probably don't need to include your signature for personal communication.

Your email signature should begin with your name and your title, separated by a comma.

Brett Wiseman, Mechanical Engineering Major

Brenda Strong, Electrical Engineering Major

It should include your physical mailing address, your email address, your web address -- if you have one, and your phone number. Of course, you have to be smart about giving out your phone number, but in most professional situations you want people to be able to contact you.

If possible keep you signature to six lines or fewer.

Below is a sample, fictional, undergraduate signature:

Brett Wiseman, Mechanical Engineering Major
George Mason University
1234 University Dr. #333
Fairfax, VA 93117
(703) 555-1212
bwise@umail.ucsb.edu

Below is my signature:

****************************************************
Paul M. Rogers, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of English
Associate Director, Northern Virginia Writing Project
George Mason University
(703) 993-9124
progers2@gmu.edu
http://mason.gmu.edu/~progers2/
***************************************************

Below is the signature from Wanjira Mathai, Executive Director of The Green Belt Movement

GBMI Kenya Office
Hughes Building, 1st Floor
Muindi Mbingu Street,
Kenyatta Avenue Wing
P.O Box 67545 - 00200
Nairobi

Telephone:  +254.20.211842 / 220159
Fax: +254.20.221638
Cell: 0721376186
Email: gbm@wananchi.com

Check the signature lines of other professionals and colleagues who communicate with you to see if there are ways you could modify and improve your signature. Remember, signatures are an important way of providing information to people you are communicating with on the internet, and representing yourself through writing.