Communication: Using Email

Understanding Email

Email, short for electronic mail, is a system of exchanging messages and files over a network such as the internet.
It allows for quick and efficient communication across great distances at any time.
Most email services offer spam filtering to sort out unsolicited bulk emails.

Sending an Email

An email is sent by entering the recipient’s email address, subject, and body text.
Multiple recipients can be added, and they can be classified as ‘To’, ‘Cc’ (carbon copy), or ‘Bcc’ (blind carbon copy).
Emails can have attachments which could be documents, pictures, or other files.
Most email services offer options to format the body text, add a signature, and set a priority level.

Receiving and Reading an Email

Received emails are generally stored in the Inbox, while sent emails can be found in the ‘Sent’ folder.
Emails might be sent to ‘Spam’ or ‘Junk’ if they seem suspicious or harmful.
Reading an email involves opening it and possibly downloading any attached files.
Email services typically notify you when a new email is received, sometimes through a ‘push notification’.

Replying To and Forwarding Emails

A reply can be sent to the sender or to all recipients of the original email.
Forwarding an email sends the message to a new recipient, not involved in the original conversation.
Both replying and forwarding keep the original message for reference.

Organising Emails

Email services usually have functions to filter and search emails, making it easier to manage and find specific messages.
Email can be marked as important or starred, to make it easier to find later.
Different folders can be created to organise emails by type, project, or any other category.

Security and Privacy in Emails

Emails can be protected by passwords and many services offer two-factor authentication for added security.
Be wary of phishing emails, which try to obtain sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, or credit card details.
Personal information should be shared with care and it’s important to verify the recipient’s identity before sharing it.

Email is an essential part of modern communication, not only for personal use, but also widely used in professional settings. It enables quick sharing of information and multi-directional communication, improving productivity and collaboration.