1. English Comprehension and Composition – Lecture 25 Objectives: What is an Email? Basics of an Email Tips for Writing Effective Emails

2. What is an Email? “A system for sending and receiving messages electronically over a computer network, as between personal computers.” Email is shorthand term meaning Electronic Mail. Email is much the same as a letter, only that it is exchanged in a different way. The first thing you need to send and receive emails is an email address. When you create an account with an Internet Service Provider you are usually given an email address to send from and receive emails. If this isn't the case you can create an email address / account at web sites such as yahoo, hotmail and gmail.

3. Anatomy of an E-Mail Message

4. The header of an email includes the From:, To:, Cc: and Subject: fields. So you enter the name and address of the recipient in the From: field, the name and address of anyone who is being copied to in the Cc: field, and the subject of the message obviously in the Subject: field. The part below the header of the email is called the body, and contains the message itself. Spelling the correct address is critical with an email. Like with a normal postal letter, if you get the address wrong it won't go the correct receiver. If you send an email to an address which doesn't exist the message will come back to you as a Address Unknown error routine.

5. Email Addresses An e-mail address typically has two main parts: editor@internet-guide.co.uk The first field is the user name (editor) which refers to the recipient's mailbox. Then there is the sign (@) which is the same in every email address. Then comes the host name (internet- guide), which can also be called the domain name. This refers to the mail server address, most usually having a individual IP address. The final part of an email address includes the top- level domain (TLD). For the above address this is 'co.uk', which is for commercial sites based in the UK.

6. Recap What is an Email? Basics of an Email Tips for Writing Effective Emails

7. References The material has been adapted from the following links: http://www.mindtools.com/CommSkll/EmailC ommunication.htm http://www.mindtools.com/CommSkll/EmailC ommunication.htm http://www.thefreedictionary.com/email http://www.internet-guide.co.uk/email.html http://www.english- online.at/media/emails/advantages- disadvantages-of-electronic-mail.htm http://www.english- online.at/media/emails/advantages- disadvantages-of-electronic-mail.htm