Section 3 - Common Tools
Communication Tools
There are several tools used to communicate online. They each
have a specific purpose, although they can be used in combination.
For example, the most common form of cyber communication is electronic
mail or email. However, we may be members of mailing lists
(commonly called listservs) that allow us to commuicate with many users
at once. Another tool is newsgroups, the most well-known of which
is Usenet. Newsgroups use the World Wide Web for discussion forums.
These three tools can be helpful in communicating with friends and colleagues
and in retrieving information from anywhere in the world.
Mailing Lists/Listservs
Mailing lists use email to allow members to communicate with one another.
Signing on to a mailing list is like joining a discussion with potentially
thousands of other users. The term "listserv" refers to the software
that runs them. Other mailing list software includes LISTPROC and
Majordomo. If you have taken an online class, you were probably a
member of a list for that class. Mailing lists are often used by
instructors in online and on-campus college classes to facilitate out-of-class
discussions. Members can state their opinions or share the results
of their research for the benefit of all. Members of professional
organizations stay in touch and use listservs for briefings and brainstorming
sessions.
Usenet
Usenet has been described as the world's largest bulletin board.
It is a place on the World Wide Web to discuss a wide variety of topics.
Usenet includes members of interest groups or discussion lists who participate
in what are known as "distributed discussions." The way they work
is that sets of newsgroups are divided into subject areas. Messages
or informational articles are posted on this bulletin board according to
subject area. Once a user posts a message on Usenet, anyone on the
Internet can read and respond. This means that members can have discussions
with people millions of miles away.
When using Usenet, it's best to monitor postings and discussions until
you have determined which topics are most popular and which are absolutely
off-limits. Participation in a newsgroup requires that users have
an Internet connection and a "newsreader program." Most newsreaders
are available for a monthly fee. However, there are a few that can
be downloaded for free from the Internet. Two of these are Free
Agent for the PC and NewsWatcher for the Macintosh. Click
on the link for Newsreader
to read more about newsreader programs.
Email
The shortened term for electronic mail is either "e-mail" (with a hyphen)
or "email." It is important to remember when corresponding with European
users that the term "email" means "enamel" in German and French.
However, either spelling is correct in the United States. It
is used in this class without the hyphen.
The advent of email just a few years ago has revolutionized the world
of correspondence. People who don't have the time to sit down, write
a letter, put it in an envelope, buy a stamp, and send it through "snail mail" are using email to connect with family, friends, and business associates
on a daily basis.
But email is not private. When writing an email, it is best to
assume that everyone in the world will read it. Do not send anything via
email that you do not want posted on the front page of a newspaper or read
on the evening news or posted to your company's bulletin board.
Mail administrators (the people who manage email systems) have access
to all emails posted on the system. Some companies monitor email
to make sure employees aren't wasting company time or divulging company
secrets. Be professional and careful about what you say.
If you want to send personal email messages, it is best not to use your
company email account. If you are using a school system, you should not
use it for commercial or proprietary work.
Components of an Email Message
It is difficult to talk about writing good online communication without
first discussing the components of an email message. While the content
of a message is where most of the miscommunication occurs, there are elements
of the email that you should pay close attention to.
Whether you are sending a private email, posting a message to a mailing
list; or participating in a bulletin board, the key components of the message
are basically the same. Take a look at the sample of a simple email
message below.
Simple Email Message
Let's talk about the components of an email message.
To: Receiver's name and email address
- You need the name and email address of the person who is to receive
the message. It is very important to make sure that the email address is
typed correctly. Some email programs do not display the names of
all of the individuals who are receiving a message, especially if the sender
is using a distribution list. If the message begins with a salutation indicating
who is receiving the message, it helps the recipient.
- If you are sending an international email message to someone with whom
you have not had many personal dealings and are still on a formal basis,
it is best to be formal and address the individual with the standard business
greeting. For example, you might address a business constituent in France
as Monsieur Chevalier. The International
Addresses and Salutations site will provide you with some samples of
international salutations. (http://www.bspage.com/address.html).
From: Sender's name and address
- When you send a messagel, your email address automatically appears in the From line. However, if you want to indicate to the sender that the message comes from you and someone else, you would put both email addresses in the From line.
Subject: Subject of the email message
- Your subject should be concise, informative and short. A recipient's inbox will show who sent the message, the date and time it was sent, and the subject line. Some screens limit the number of characters. The subject line should tell the recipient what the message is about and if action is being requested. For example: "Send signed contract" or "FYI - price increase." Never leave the subject line blank. Recipients are very likely to delete a message without a subject line.
- It is important that your subject is not misleading. Also, many email programs will allow you to flag your message as "urgent" by inserting a red flag or some other symbol next to the message. Use this feature sparingly. If you are viewed as someone who thinks everything is urgent, your recipient may begin to disregard the red flags.
Copies: Copies sent
- Send copies of a message only to those who need a copy. People receive so much email and find it a waste of time to read copies of messages that do not directly affect them.
- If you are sending a copy of a message to a third party, you need to decide if your message is a cc (meaning all recipients will see who is receiving a courtesy copy of the message) or a bcc (meaning a blind courtesy copy of the message is going to a third party whose identity is known only to the sender).
- Be careful when using the bcc feature. Blind copies can imply that you are going behind someone's back. When in doubt, forward a copy of an email message.(Most email programs allow you to keep copies of the messages you sent.) When you forward a message, insert an explanation for the copy at the top.
Attachments: Attached file(s)
- Your email message should indicate if an attachment is being sent with your message and what it is. The explanation should be clear. Also, if you are not using a standard software program that is easily identifiable by the filename of your attachment, then you should let the recipient know with which program you used to create the attachment. For example, .doc, .xls, .ppt are common extensions (.doc = Microsoft Word; .xls = Microsft Excel; .ppt = Microsoft PowerPoint).
- Do not send an attachment when you can easily include the information in a message. Downloading and opening attachments requires additional steps by the recipient. Also, note the size of the attachment. Some email programs cannot accommodate long documents. Many systems limit the size of an individual's account. Attachments can fill up a person's email box making it impossible for them to receive any more email. This is considered "bandwidth theft" and should be avoided. When in doubt, communicate with the recipient ahead of time about the email software they have.
- When you are creating a document in a word processing program and the document does not require a lot of formatting, sometimes it is better to save the file in a text (.txt) format or a rich text format (.rtf). An "rtf" file will keep some of the basic formatting features intact (i.e. bold, underline, center, etc.).
- Before sending your attachment, be sure to scan it for viruses. Your computer should have a virus checker, and you should update it regularly. New viruses are created all the time. Some of these viruses can destroy all of the data on your computer.
Salutation/Greeting
When you see someone you know, don't you usually have some way of saying hello? Maybe you smile, or nod, or wave. Thus, when composing email messages, you should also say hello before you begin talking.
In a casual situation, it is recommended that you skip the formalities and begin with the person's first name. "Hi Lynne," or "Lynne," would be acceptable.
If you normally address a person as Mr/Miss/Mrs./Miss, then you should include the title in your salutation. If you are sending your message to several private email addresses or to a group, then your salutation at the beginning of the message should indicate that. For example: Hello Alex, Pat, and Cory. If you are sending to a list or group, you might want to use a greeting like the following: Hello members of the marketing committee.
Closing and Signature Line
- It is also important to end your email with a closing word(s).
- A simple "Thanks" or "Best regards" will usually suffice. If your email is a formal business message, then it is sometimes safer to use a more formal close like "Sincerely" or "Yours truly." This is especially true when you are sending international email messages. Business people in Japan or Europe might be more comfortable with a formal closing. It is always best to be conservative.
- Avoid abbreviated expressions (THX = thanks, or TTFN = ta ta for now, or CUL = see you later) unless you know the recipient well.
- Your signature line takes the place of your business card, and many email software programs allow you to have different signature lines for different circumstances. The rule of thumb is that the signature line should not be longer than four or five lines. Your signature line should include contact information, fax number, website address, and any other information you would include on a business card. It is also a good idea to include your job title and the name of your company. It may not be necessary to include all this information if you are sending email messages to others in your own company. On the other hand, if you are asking a co-worker to telephone you, it is common courtesy to provide the phone number to save them the trouble of looking it up.
Body
Of course, the body of the email message is equally important. We
will discuss that in more detail in the next section of this module, Rules
and Guidelines.
Take a look now at the State of Victoria, Australia Department of Education,
Employment, and Training site and click on the link for their Style
Guide for Email . It's on the right frame. When you return,
complete the Quiz for this section by clicking on the Email Quiz link below.
Do the Assignment for this section as directed by your instructor.
Web Resources
A Beginner's Guide to Effective Email
The Tos and Froms of E-Mail
All About E-mail
Do You Know Your Company's E-Mail Policy?
Business Netiquette International
The Net: User Guideline and Netiquette - by Arlene Rinaldi
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