1. How to Get a Gmail Account

2. In this course, each student will have a Google blog. A blog is a personal web site where you can post your own work.

3. Click on the URL below to see the blog that the course instructor will use as an example: http://grammar5teacher.blogspot.com

5. Read others' responses to your writing.

6. Post pictures.

7. Link to other web sites.

8. Your first step is to set up a Google email account. Google email is called gmail.

9. Your Google blog is going to be public. It will be on the Internet, where anybody can see it, not just your instructor and classmates. For this reason, you may not want to use your real name. You can sign up for Google using a pseudonym, or pretend name.

10. Let's get started: You will find it easier to do this job if you have these instructions and Google both open at the same time.

11. Minimize this file by clicking on the [-] in the upper right corner:

12. Now these directions are “put away” at the bottom of your desktop, and you can open your browser a second time.

13. You will be able to go back and forth between your directions and Google.

14. Go to http://google.com

15. Click on Gmail

16. Click on Create an account

18. You are going to choose a login name and password: be sure to write these down so you don't forget them.

19. Type in a first name and last name (not your real ones if you don't want them to be public). Type in your Desired Login Name. This will be your email address. Click Check availability to see if this login name is available. Maybe somebody else already has it.

20. 7. The login name you choose must have between 6 and 30 characters (a character = a letter or number).

21. Meili has to try again. She tries adding a number to the name and clicks Check Availability again. This time she gets a message that the name is not available; somebody else already has this login name, so she still has to try again.

22. 8. She tries Meilifong, which is OK.

23. Choose a secret password. You have to type it two times. The screen shows only ********. Be sure you remember your password!

24. Where it says Set Google as my default homepage, click on the box to erase the check if you do not want Google for your homepage.

25. Next, you have to set a security question. If you lose or forget your login information, Google will ask you this question to find out if you are who you say you are.

26. Meili doesn't like any of the questions they suggest. She doesn't have a frequent flier number or a library card number. She can't remember her first phone number or her first teacher's name. She decides to write her own question.

27. She types her own security question and answer.

28. Recovery email: if you have another email address you can type it in here for Google to use if there is a problem with your account. You don't have to do this, though.

29. Put in your birthdate. Type a date like the example they give you. You do not have to tell the truth, but you must be at least 18 to open a Google account.

30. Copy the funny-looking word. This shows that you are a real person, and not a spam program.

31. Very important!! Write down all the information you need to access your account, for example: First Name: Meili Last Name: Fong Login: [email_address] Password: Grammar5 Security Question: What is the name of your college? Answer: Laney Birthday: 6/29/1990

32. You are now responsible for this information! The course instructor does not know what it is. You must write it down and keep it. If you lose your login information, the course instructor has to take a lot of extra time to help you with your problem, and you may have to just start all over again.

33. Accept the terms of service by clicking I accept. Create my account.

34. Oops, there is a problem. Meili didn't type her password exactly the same way two times. She has to do it again.

35. Here's another problem. Meili didn't copy the funny-looking word right.

36. After she has fixed those two things, she tries again.

37. Congratulations! When you see this screen, you are finished! But be sure to keep your login information!

38. Very important!! Write down all the information you need to access your account, for example: First Name: Meili Last Name: Fong Login: [email_address] Password: Grammar5 Security Question: What is the name of your college? Answer: Laney Birthday: 6/29/1990