Netiquette

As part of this online course, you will be using e-mail and discussion forums to interact with a diverse group of faculty and students. All online communications should follow the rules of Netiquette that govern the Internet. Here are a few ground rules to get you started.

Subject Lines

Whenever you post a message in a forum or send course mail, use a short yet descriptive subject line.

Limit your comments or questions

Limit your comments to one subject per e-mail or discussion post.

Stay on topic

When in a discussion forum, stay on topic. Start a new discussion when appropriate.

Proofread

E-mail and discussion posts are written communication (not spoken) and should contain correct grammar, punctuation and spelling.  

Never use all CAPS

USING ALL CAPS IS EQUIVALENT TO SHOUTING (and it's hard to read).

Language

Use professional language. Avoid slang and text acronyms and never use vulgar or inappropriate language.

Basic Courtesy

Be courteous and respectful in all of your course communications.

Consider your tone

A poorly worded note can easily be misunderstood or misconstrued. Remember, recipients can't see your body language or the expression on your face. Nor can they hear the intonation in your voice. If you have a suspicion that something you wrote might be taken the wrong way, it probably will. 

Remember your audience

Your classmates come from all over the country and the world. Remember that language, humor and idioms are not universal. Be especially careful with sarcasm.