General Rules of Netiquette
Please follow these General Rules of Netiquette*:
- Make the Connection. Electronic communication (email, discussion forums, etc.) is how you share ideas with other participants in this course. Online environments can separate the person from the ideas received in this course. Remember, like you, someone is on the other side of an email or discussion posting. Communicate with fellow participants as you would in a face-to-face course.
- Be Professional. Your coursework is more than learning facts; you are preparing for a career. You are learning to interact with your fellow course participants as you would in your future professional life. Your conduct in this course should reflect this. Your communication should follow standard rules for grammar and spelling and be clear, concise, and intelligent.
- Have Opinions. Everyone is entitled to have an opinion. In discussion forums, everyone is encouraged to share them.
- Respect Disagreement. People have the right to disagree with you. However, disagreement should never be personal. Online discussions are a means to share ideas and practice the skill of persuasion. Persuasive speech cannot be achieved with hurtful, hateful, or inappropriate language. Review your posts before you publish and reread them for unintended meanings.
- Ask Questions. Cultural influences can influence communication in terms of phrasing and word choice. The lack of visual and auditory clues may affect meaning as well. Before jumping to conclusions, ask for clarification.
- Be Forgiving. For the majority of participants, online communication is straightforward. Sometimes unintended meanings are conveyed.
*Referenced from Rutgers University Center for Online and Hybrid Learning and Instructional Technologies - https://onlinelearning.rutgers.edu/faq/netiquette