Netiquette Policies

Appalachian’s General Education Program prepares students to employ various modes of communication that can help communities reach consensus or respectful disagreement: successful communicators interact effectively with people of both similar and different experiences and values and in this class you will practice oral and written communication during class by interacting with your peers and me. Regardless of gender, political party, race, religion, sexuality, or more this class is to be a welcoming environment, and so I want you to be sensitive and respectful to each other in upcoming discussions. Part of the welcoming environment is to keep an open mind as you engage in our class activities and explore current mathematical/scientific consensus. Performing activities that detract from this welcoming environment will result in a lowered grade. If you expect to miss more than 10% of class activities due to university sponsored or other activities then I advise you to drop the course. Any student who wants to obtain an “excused absence” must meet certain responsibilities, including providing official documentation and making up the work in advance.

The Department of Mathematical Sciences at Appalachian State University also recognizes Effective Communication as one of Program Learning Outcomes which represent the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed by students who graduate from our institution. Communicating effectively in an online environment requires students to uphold rules of netiquette. The following guidelines (adapted from from Dr. Arrington) should be followed in all aspects of this this course:

Maintain a professional tone

When communicating online, the facial expressions, tone of voice, and gestures which accompany face to face interactions are often lost, leaving the tone of a message up to interpretation. Sarcasm, slang, and jokes can be misinterpreted in an online environment. Remember your audience and create messages which are direct and contain relevant details; a relevant subject, preferred name, and concise message.

Follow the rules of grammar and usage

While social media has allowed informal writing to become more common, professional communication still follows formal grammar and usage rules. Forum posts and the like should be spell-checked and proper capitalization and punctuation should be used. Avoid writing in all-caps as it is considered shouting and rude to online users.

Show respect and courtesy in your online interactions

Displaying politeness and common courtesy is always appropriate. Conflicting opinions are inevitable, but disagree with ideas, not people, to provide a supportive learning environment for all. Reinforce a viewpoint with facts and examples rather than criticisms and personal attacks.

Make your contributions matter

Discussion posts which state agreement in one or two words ("I agree" or "Good post") create more reading for everyone without contributing much to an overall discussion. Offer details and examples which support your viewpoint when creating posts. Likewise, make sure your posts are relevant to the topic.