Net-Etiquette (Netiquette)

Net-Etiquette (Netiquette)

This is a guide to generally accepted customs and behaviour in online communities, sometimes called netiquette. It includes some basic concepts and knowledge designed to get the most out of online communication.

Like normal etiquette, some of this is simply common sense, some of it prevents you causing accidental offence to others who may have different views from you and some of it comprises rather arbritrary conventions that have developed over time.

Understanding these guidelines will make it easier for you to make the most of this course and, whilst some of this is written with publicly accessible internet communities in mind, many of the topics will help you to communicate effectively via the internet with other participants in your course.

• Tone: when you are communicating online, remember that tone is not as discernible as it would be in face to face communications. There are certain acceptable emoticons that you can include in your communications to indicate certain emotions, but again, you should not over-use these. Generally, just take care that you convey the tone you intend when engaging in written communications with your classmates and tutor. Try to use ordinary sentence case in your messages as USING ONLY UPPER CASE CAN BE INTERPRETED AS SHOUTING.

• Flaming: if you read an email, forum posting, dialogue posting or the like and feel a strong reaction to it, try to step back and give yourself time before responding. You should never respond to a posting that has instilled a strong negative reaction in you until you have given yourself the opportunity to step back and gain perspective. Flaming is a term used to describe exchanges that can become abusive: the internet equivalent of a shouting match. Due to the lack of subtle cues in written communication, and the unaccountability of the medium, online communications are particularly susceptible to flaming.