Email and Online Communication
Email, messaging and video calls let people communicate instantly, but they need sensible etiquette and safety.
▶ Interact
Play with the controls to see the idea in action.
📘 Learn
Email, messaging and video calls let people communicate instantly, but they need sensible etiquette and safety.
- Use a clear subject
- Be polite
- Beware of suspicious attachments
🧠 Quick quiz
Three questions. Score 2 or more to complete the topic.
What is Email and Online Communication?
Within Computer Science, which covers algorithms, programming, data, networks, hardware and safe, responsible use of technology, this topic explains Email and Online Communication. Computing topics explain how software, hardware and data work, with diagrams and models that show each step in order.
Check that you can explain Email and Online Communication in your own words and give one example from everyday life. If you can do that, you have understood the core idea.
Understanding Email and Online Communication helps you design, test and explain programs, websites and systems, from small projects to exam questions.
Email and Online Communication in detail
Email lets people send messages and files through the internet, using protocols such as SMTP to send and IMAP or POP3 to receive. An address has the form name@domain. Good email practice includes a clear subject line, appropriate greeting and tone, concise content and checking attachments and recipients.
Other online communication includes instant messaging, video conferencing, forums and social media, each suited to different purposes. Use CC and BCC carefully, avoid forwarding chain messages and watch for spam and phishing. Remember netiquette, such as not writing in all capitals, and that digital messages can be copied and shared.
How the interactive helps you understand Email and Online Communication
Watch the network in the interactive. Use any sliders or buttons it offers to change the values and see how the network responds.
Before you change anything, predict the result. Then change one value at a time and check whether your prediction was right. This is a quick way to build a correct mental model of Email and Online Communication.
Real-life uses and examples
- Recognise Email and Online Communication in an app or device you use every day.
- Apply Email and Online Communication when you design a small program, website or spreadsheet.
- Explain Email and Online Communication to someone new to computing by comparing it to a familiar process.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using the term without being able to say what the computer actually does.
- Testing only the normal case and forgetting the edge cases.
- Learning the definition without testing it. Use the quiz and the interactive to check that you can apply the idea.
Frequently asked questions about Email and Online Communication
What is Email and Online Communication?
Email, messaging and video calls let people communicate instantly, but they need sensible etiquette and safety.
What are the most important points about Email and Online Communication?
The main points are: Use a clear subject; Be polite; Beware of suspicious attachments.
Why is Email and Online Communication useful?
Understanding Email and Online Communication helps you design, test and explain programs, websites and systems, from small projects to exam questions.
How can I practise Email and Online Communication?
Open the interactive at the top of this page and change the controls one at a time. Predict the result before each change, then take the three-question quiz. A score of two or more marks the topic as complete on this device.
Which topics are related to Email and Online Communication?
Related topics in Computer Science include Big Data, Version Control and Collaboration, Cookies and Online Tracking.