| 1. |
When responding to another person’s
comment, start your reply by using the name of the person, such
as “John, I think . . .” |
| 2. |
Make your comments brief. Six to eight lines
would be the maximum. |
| 3. |
Limit your entries to one thought or point
per comment. If you have more than one point you want to make,
post another entry. |
| 4. |
Think of your comments as being printed in
a newspaper. Don't say anything online you wouldn't
want to see printed in a newspaper. |
| 5. |
Use your real name. Avoid aliases. In a serious
conversation everyone wants to know who the participants are. |
| 6. |
Use polite and understated language. |
| 7. |
Be respectful of others’ ideas, but also
feel free to share different perspectives or opinions. When
disagreeing with another person’s position, do so positively
and politely. That way you’ll stay friends with those
with whom you disagree and you’ll be more likely to get
your point across. Remember that these discussions are "public"
and meant for constructive exchanges. Treat the other participants
as you would want them to treat you. |
| 8. |
Avoid negativity. The purpose of an online
conversation should be constructive. If another person posts
a comment or question that is disrespectful or antagonistic,
simply do not reply. Let the matter drop. |
| 9. |
Don’t disrupt an ongoing conversation.
If there’s a conversation on a particular topic, feel
free to join in. But don’t just jump in to change the
subject. |
| 10. |
When contributing to threaded discussions,
focus on one subject per message and always include a pertinent
subject title for the message, so everyone can easily identify
the subject of the message. |
| 11. |
If you want an answer from a specific person,
address your comments to that person. If, on the other hand,
you wish to address the whole class, simply say something to
the effect of “Hello everyone.” |
| 12. |
When quoting from an outside resource, edit
out whatever isn't directly applicable to your reply. Take the
time to edit any quotations down to the minimum necessary to
provide context for your comment. |
| 13. |
Cite all quotes, references and sources and
respect copyright and license agreements. |
| 14. |
You may use *Asterisks* surrounding a word
to make a stronger point. |
| 15. |
Use the underscore symbol before and after
the title of a book, i.e. _The Wizard of Oz_ |
| 16. |
Be careful when using sarcasm and humor. Without
face-to-face communications your joke may be viewed as criticism.
When being humorous, use the emoticon smile :-) or happy
face ?- to express humor. |
| 17. |
Avoid writing comments all in capital letters,
which are seen as screaming or shouting online. |
| 18. |
Obvious acronyms can be used to abbreviate
when possible. For example, FYI = for your information. However,
messages filled with acronyms can be confusing and
annoying because many readers (including the instructor) may
not be familiar with them. |
For more information about “netiquette” (Internet etiquette),
refer to the following web sites:
