SLM521

E-Mail (Elective 5)

Richard McFarland

November 4, 2005

E-Mail

As Fourth Graders many of you have heard of e-mail. Perhaps you have sent an e-mail. E-mail is the primary method of communication over the Internet. An e-mail is a message created by a person that is sent electronically over the Internet to another person or group. Because the primary purpose of e-mail is to communicate, it is important to create messages that effectively convey your thoughts. Listed below are important tips for sending an effective e-mail.

The Header

The header is the top section of the e-mail which contains the name and address of the recipient, the name and address of anyone being copied, and the subject of the message.

Header Tips:

1. Make sure you input the correct address for each person you are sending the e-mail to.

2. Always press return after entering the addresses. This will load the person’s e-mail address into the address space correctly.

3. Use clear, concise language in your subject which describes what the message is about.

The Body

The body of the e-mail contains the message itself. Some people find e-mail more difficult to read due to screen resolution, so it is important to organize the body of your e-mail to communicate your message effectively.

Body Tips:

4. Use a common font that is easily readable. Not all computers carry the same fonts. If you use an unusual font in a message and you send it to someone whose computer does not have that font, they may not be able to read it.

5. Use short paragraphs which contain only a few sentences.

6. Use short text line lengths as some software does not wrap text lines which may result in long sentences.

7. Be sparing in the use of symbols to convey emotion. Make sure the symbol you use is commonly attributed to the emotion you are trying to convey. Example: Smiley face :-)

8. Use Greetings and Signatures that are appropriate for the message. For example if you are sending an e-mail for a job interview your Greeting might be “Dear Sir” and your Signature might be “Respectfully” followed by your name.

9. Use correct spelling and punctuation. Always use the spell check feature to help locate mistakes before sending the e-mail.

Safety Tips

10. Do not open or respond to unsolicited emails. Many computer viruses are transmitted in this way.

11. Do not give personal information out over the internet to someone you do not know. Remember e-mail is not face to face communication, so you may not know who you are corresponding with.