Netiquette
Be polite and treat everyone with respect
Do not use any words that may be considered discriminatory. In the online class, like in any community, everyone should feel safe.
Compose comments and assignments using proper English
It's ok to be personal in comments but always remember to check your spelling and use proper grammar.
Communication in the online classroom
It's not always easy to communicate without body language. Often one can tell how another person is doing or feeling based on facial expression, tone of voice, or position of body. In the online classroom it is imperative to say what you mean and mean what you say and if you make a mistake and say something that may have hurt another's feelings . . . apologize.
Be honest! It is very important to say exactly what you mean and tell the truth. Others can not always assume what you mean by what you say. Don't say "I don't mind at all," and hope your classmates can tell by your tone that you actually do mind . . . a lot.
This works both ways . . . if you're not sure what someone else means, ask. Be very careful with use of sarcasm as it can be misunderstood.
Use emoticons to help convey meaning in your message
Using emoticons can help convey meaning in your message that might otherwise be missed or misunderstood without the body language others cannot see in this forum. Those cute little emoticons come in handy here . . . sometimes instead of needing to explain that you were just joking or that you are not mad, why not add a SMILE or one of the other examples below:
:-) basic smile
:-( frown
:-o oh, no!
;-) wink
Try not to overuse these though - they can be helpful to convey emotion or intent, but they do not replace words. Say what you mean . . . speak clearly.
No "cussing"
A good rule of thumb to follow is to use "school appropriate" language -- if you shouldn't say it in class, don't say it here - and remember - everything you say is written here in print. A rule I usually go by is whether or not I'd say it in front of my grandmother or my boss. If you suspect that a comment may upset or anger another, or that you may get in trouble, you're probably right. If you ever aren't sure of a word or phrase, ask me in your private thread. (We'll get to those soon)
Keep your voice down
USING ALL CAPITAL LETTERS is the equivalent of yelling. Ouch! Instead use *asterisks* around the text to be emphasized.
Please visit the links below, read the information and follow the guidelines.
http://www.albion.com/netiquette/index.html
Abbreviations and Emotions
Chat room participants are very quick to find ways to decrease the amount of typing needed, and commonly use abbreviations. Some abbreviations are very common, while others may be newer. If you don't know what someone is saying, it's OK to ask. Below are some of the more commonly used abbreviations in chatting.
There are also many "emoticons" that are used in chatting. These are symbols that are used to express emotion. (Turn your head to the side to be able to see simple emoticons in the table below.)
Basic guidelines for chat room interactions
The Twitterverse doesn’t have many rules, but there is such a thing as Twitter etiquette. Writing tweets of 140 characters or less isn’t the only guideline. Your experience on Twitter will be a positive one if you keep the following tips in mind:
Twitter etiquette isn’t only about what you should do. Unfortunately, bad tweets and poor Twitter practices sometimes show up within microblogging communications. While you can’t really go horribly wrong on Twitter, you’ll make your life easier in the Twitterverse if you follow these guidelines:
Read more: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/twitter-for-dummies-cheat-sheet.html#ixzz0fniKwSuD