Overview

Netiquette refers to the guidelines for what is socially acceptable in a virtual environment. As many online courses require students to interact with one another, often over controversial issues, awareness of how we "sound" in a text-based discussion is essential.

Below are guidelines that provide guidance in the areas of: communicating effectively, sustaining trust in an online community, being sensitive to diverse cultures, respecting others opinions and giving credit where credit is due.

1. Tone and Professionalism

• Remember the human: Treat classmates and instructors with the same respect you would offer in a face-to-face classroom.

• Avoid all-caps: Do not use all-capital letters, which is universally interpreted as shouting and considered aggressive.

• Use humor cautiously: Avoid sarcasm and irony, as tone does not translate well in text and can easily cause misunderstandings.

• Control flame wars: Do not post emotionally charged, insulting, or inflammatory responses (flaming).

2. Academic Rigor and Mechanics

• Proofread before posting: Use proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling to ensure your writing is clear and professional.

• Avoid text shortcuts: Do not use slang, emojis, or text-messaging abbreviations (e.g., "u r" or "omg").

• Cite your sources: Properly attribute any quotes, data, or intellectual property from external materials to maintain academic integrity. 

3. Discussion Engagement

• Read before replying: Review the discussion board and read existing threads completely before posting to avoid repeating points.

• Stay on topic: Ensure your contributions directly align with the discussion prompt or course material.

• Be concise: Present your points clearly without creating massive walls of text that waste readers' time.

4. Privacy and Diversity

• Respect diverse views: Remain open-minded and sensitive to the different cultural, political, and religious backgrounds of your peers.

• Protect personal data: Do not post private information, such as home addresses or phone numbers, in public class forums.

• Keep class data secure: Respect the privacy of others by never sharing classmates' posts or emails outside of the course without permission.