Module 2 - Email Tasks

I have been using email for more than 10 years. Email is used to one of the communication tool for me to communicate with my families and friends. Basically I just write and read emails and never really care what others function does. When I start working and receive many emails from colleagues and clients then I start to think I really should organise the emails, then I realise it is much more easy to check the emails from clients or colleagues after organised. This is how I begin to organise my email, learn what is cc, bcc, attachment file, add signature, filter messages etc.

1. What information about a user's email, the origin of a message, and the path it took, can you glean from an email message? (Allen et al. n.d.)

• You can identified who is the sender and where it is from by looking the email address. For example if I receive a email from peter@xyzcompany.com.au, by looking the email address I know Peter send me a email from his XYZ Company in Australia.
• Subject will tell me what it is all about. It is a junk mail or email from families, friends, work or client.
• You can tell who the recipients by checking 'To' and 'CC', unless the person 'BCC' otherwise you will be see all the recipients.
• You also can see the email is actually send to you or forward to you by Re: and Fwd:.
• The body or text will give you the message from the sender.
• You know when was the email send to you by checking the time and date.

2. In what cases would you find it useful to use the 'cc', 'bcc' and 'reply all functions of email? (Allen et al. n.d.)

• CC is used for sending email to second important recipients or for information only to inform the recipients. For example you send the main email to the person in charge and cc to all the people who involve in this project.
• BCC is used for sending email to recipients without letting other recipients know. For example you send a quotation email to your clients and you doesn't want to let your client know who are the other people you sending to, so you bcc them.
• Reply all is used to replying email to all the recipients and let other recipients know who will receive. For example you receive email from friend about the reunion dinner so you can reply all to let them know whether you will be going or not.

3. In what ways can you ensure that an attachment you send will be easily opened by the receiver? (Allen et al. n.d.)

• To make sure all recipients can open the attachment, you have to send documents file as plain text (ASCII) or Rich Text File (RTF) or;
• Convert to pdf file. PDF is universal format, most of the computer will be able to open the file or;
• Email or call the recipients ask what format should you send for them make sure they can open the file.

4. What sorts of filters or rules do you have set up, and for what purpose? (Allen et al. n.d.)

• I have a spam filter set up. It automatic send suspected spam to my spam folder to make sure I don't get the spam.
• I have blocked some email address, mostly from the person I don't know or some online advertisement, it help me get rib of unwanted email.

5. How have you organised the folder structure of your email and why? (Allen et al. n.d.)

I have organised my folder structure to suit my personal need. Such as I have Families, freinds, studies, work folder etc. I do check my email few times a day, after reading it I will decide whether I should file or thrash it. This help me to organised my emails and also keep track of all my emails and never mix up with other.


Reference
Allen, M., et al. (n.d.). Module 2 Communicating in the Infosphere. Curtin University of Technology. Retrieved June 28, 2009, from http://lms.curtin.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_18825_1&content_id=_985241_1