SMART TIPS

GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF NETIQUETTE

NETIQUETTE NETIQUETTE NETIQUETTE

A high level using netiquette

 A high level using netiquette, applying online ethics, or being a good netizen means:

• Recognizing that the internet is not some new world in which anything goes, but rather a new dimension or extension of our existing society.
• Applying the same standards and values online as we are accustomed to applying in the rest of our lives. In simple terms this means that the values society has in place against such things as hate speech and bigotry, copyright violations and other forms of theft, child exploitation and child pornography, remain intact. As do the values around courtesy, kindness, openness, and treating others with the same respect we wish to receive.
• Accepting that the laws which are currently in place to protect the rights and dignity of citizens apply online, and that where needed, laws are updated to reflect these rights in the extended environment. Theft online is still theft, stalking, bullying, harassing, tormenting online is still abusive, and so on.
• Acknowledging that cultural differences remain, even when national boundaries no longer apply. This requires finding a way to accept that the social values and norms of some netizens will not be the social values and norms of all netizens.
• For companies, being a good netizen, applying online ethics, or using netiquette also includes
  1. Respecting the rights to privacy assumed and possessed by citizens in their offline interactions.
  2. Maintaining transparency in their policies and actions so that consumers can easily and quickly understand how that company is using their information, protecting them from harm, and giving users a clear means of ownership and self-determination as to what is, and isn’t shared about them.

Most internet users automatically apply the same responsible respectful behavior online as they do in every other environment and by nature apply netiquette an online ethics, and are good netizens. The minority that fail to apply societal values in some or any environment - including the internet - are quickly identified as exceptions to be dealt with on a social, or criminal level.

 

Netiquette and Online Ethics

                ETIQUETTE  is a combination of the words network and etiquette, and is defined as a set of rules for acceptable online behavior. Similarly, online ethics focuses on the acceptable use of online resources in an online social environment.

     Both phrases are frequently interchanged and are often combined with the concept of a ’netizen’ which itself is a contraction of the words internet and citizen and refers to both a person who uses the internet to participate in society, and an individual who has accepted the responsibility of using the internet in productive and socially responsible ways.

  Underlying this overall concept of socially responsible internet use are a few core pillars, though the details underneath each pillar are still subject to debate.

Rules of netiquette

Using social media properly is not always easy, however. Knowing what to post, when and where, and choosing the right words, pictures or videos, is a valuable online skill — and it all needs to be guided by a good sense of “netiquette,” manners for the digital age.

Not everyone knows the rules of netiquette, so, if you do, you will be a star! Whatever social media tool you are using, here are some basic rules:

• Use proper grammar, spelling and casing (UPPERCASE IMPLIES YELLING!).
• Learn about copyright, and use images, videos, quotes and links properly.
• Do not use social media to vent your anger or controversial opinions.
• Do not badmouth others.
• Avoid engaging in social media “fights” or arguments.
• Respect people’s time, privacy and confidentiality (including yours); don’t share names, contact information, photos or any private details from anyone’s life.
• Use language and images that you wouldn’t feel embarrassed to see on the front page of a newspaper; everything you post has the potential to be shared and made public.
• Never post anything in the heat of the moment. Stop and consider the repercussions before you click “post.”

9 netiquette guidelines every online student needs to know

 9 netiquette guidelines every online student needs to know

1. NO YELLING, PLEASE

There’s a time and a place for everything—BUT IN MOST SITUATIONS TYPING IN ALL CAPS IS INAPPROPRIATE. Most readers tend to perceive it as shouting and will have a hard time taking what you say seriously, no matter how intelligent your response may be. If you have vision issues—there are ways to adjust how text displays so you can still see without coming across as “yelling.”

2. Sarcasm can (and will) backfire

“You really need to be overly polite and ensure there is no sarcastic tone in your message,” Zink says. You never know who is reading your comment on the other end, so she says you should never assume the reader will pick                                                                                       up on your sarcasm.

Sarcasm has been the source of plenty of misguided arguments online, as it can be incredibly difficult to understand the commenter’s intent. What may seem like an obvious joke to you could come across as off-putting or rude to those who don’t know you personally.  As a rule of thumb, it’s best to avoid sarcasm all together in an online classroom.  

3. Attempt to find your own answer

“Make an effort to exhaust your search options before asking a question,” Zink suggests. She says it can be frustrating for instructors when students ask questions that are clearly answered within the assignment instructions or course materials.

For questions related to class structure such as due dates or policies, refer to your syllabus and course FAQ.  Attempt to find the answers to any other questions on your own using a search engine like Google or Bing. Relatively simple questions can usually be answered within seconds—which saves everyone time. If your questions remain unanswered after a bit of effort, feel free to bring them up with your instructor.

4. Stop ... grammar-time!

Always make an effort to use proper punctuation, spelling and grammar. Trying to decipher a string of misspelled words with erratic punctuation frustrates the reader and distracts from the point of your message. Take the time to spell check any message you send and save everyone the headache.

On the other hand, it’s important to be reasonable about others’ grammar mistakes. Nobody likes the grammar police and scolding a classmate because he or she used “your” instead of “you’re” isn’t practicing proper netiquette.  If a classmate makes a simple mistake in a message that is otherwise coherent, give them a break. 

5. Don’t get cute with text colors

While it may be tempting to write all messages in neon green, whoever is reading it may not appreciate it as much as you. Stick to the basic black text color—if you need to emphasize something in your sentence usebold or italicized words. This will help ensure everyone can easily read your message without acquiring a headache.

6. Brevity rules

Keep email messages short and to the point.  You don’t need to share your life story to ask for help with a problem—just focus on the essential information. This will ensure your question doesn’t get lost in the noise and saves time for everyone involved.

“The more direct you can be in your question, the quicker the response you will get,” Zink says. She suggests including a numbered or bulleted list if you have multiple comments or questions in order to make it clear and concise for the reader.

7. Read first

Take some time to read through each of the previous discussion post responses before writing your own response.  If the original post was asking a specific question, there’s a good chance someone has already answered it. Submitting an answer that is eerily similar to a classmate’s indicates to the instructor that you haven’t paid attention to the conversation thus far.

Remember, discussions can move fairly quickly so it’s important to absorb all of the information before crafting your reply. Building upon a classmate’s thought or attempting to add something new to the conversation will show your instructor you’ve been paying attention.

8. Don’t over share

Personal information is valuable to identity thieves, so try not to share more than is necessary. We’re not suggesting your classmates are criminals, but it’s good practice in general to be guarded when it comes to personal information.  Zink says a good rule of thumb to follow is if you’re comfortable standing up in front of a classroom and saying your message, then it’s most likely okay to share.

9. Be kind

Communicating online is unique in that there tends to be a level on anonymity between the people who are interacting. This sometimes results in individuals being more impolite than they might be in person. In an online class, you might not have the complete anonymity that comes with using a screen name, but you likely won’t see your classmates face-to-face. Make a point to be respectful in your comments—even if you disagree or dislike someone’s stance on a topic                                  .Will Erstad....

online etiquette

Netiquette: Rules of Behavior on the Internet

  By M.D. Roblyer|A. H. Doering — Pearson Allyn Bacon Prentice Hall

              Updated on Jul 24, 2013

The etiquette guidelines that govern behavior when communicating on the Internet have become known as netiquette. Netiquette covers not only rules of behavior during discussions but also guidelines that reflect the unique electronic nature of the medium. Netiquette usually is enforced by fellow users who are quick to point out infractions of netiquette rules. The summary of email rules in the information below is based on published sources such as Shea's (2004) online book, Netiquette.

• Identify yourself:
  • Begin messages with a salutation and end them with your name.
  • Use a signature (a footer with your identifying information) at the end of a message
• Include a subject line. Give a descriptive phrase in the subject line of the message header that tells the topic of the message (not just "Hi, there!").
• Avoid sarcasm. People who don't know you may misinterpret its meaning.
• Respect others' privacy. Do not quote or forward personal email without the original author's permission.
• Acknowledge and return messages promptly.
• Copy with caution. Don't copy everyone you know on each message.
• No spam (a.k.a. junk mail). Don't contribute to worthless information on the Internet by sending or responding to mass postings of chain letters, rumors, etc.
• Be concise. Keep messages concise—about one screen, as a rule of thumb.
• Use appropriate language:
  • Avoid coarse, rough, or rude language.
  • Observe good grammar and spelling.
• Use appropriate emoticons (emotion icons) to help convey meaning. Use "smiley's" or punctuation such as :-) to convey emotions. See website list of emoticons at http://netlingo.com/smiley.cfm and http://www.robelle.com/smugbook/smiley.html.
• Use appropriate intensifiers to help convey meaning.
  • Avoid "flaming" (online "screaming") or sentences typed in all caps.
  • Use asterisks surrounding words to indicate italics used for emphasis (*at last*).
  • Use words in brackets, such as (grin), to show a state of mind.
  • Use common acronyms (e.g., LOL for "laugh out loud").

what netiquette is?

Netiquette, a colloquial portmanteau of network etiquette or 'etiquette, is a set of social conventions that facilitate interaction over networks, ranging from and to and

Like the network itself, these developing norms remain in a state of flux and vary from community to community. The points most strongly emphasized about Usenet netiquette often include using simple electronic signatures, and avoiding multiposting, cross-posting, off-topic posting, hijacking a discussion thread, and other techniques used to minimize the effort required to read a post or a thread. Similarly, some Usenet guidelines call for use of unabbreviated English while users of instant messaging protocols like SMSoccasionally encourage just the opposite, bolstering use of SMS language. However, many online communities frown upon this practice.

Online etiquette

Digital citizenship is a term that describes how a person should act while using digital technology online and has also been defined as "the ability to participate in society online". The term is often mentioned in relation to Internet safety and netiquette.

The term has been used as early as 1998 and has gone through several changes in description as newer technological advances have changed the method and frequency of how people interact with one another online. Classes on digital citizenship have been taught in some public education systems and some argue that the term can be "measured in terms of economic and political activities online".

Cell phone etiquette

The issue of mobile communication and etiquette has also become an issue of academic interest. The rapid adoption of the device has resulted in the intrusion of telephony into situations where it was previously not used. This has exposed the implicit rules of courtesy and opened them to reevaluation.

Cell phone etiquette in the public sphere

Talking or texting on a cell phone in public may seem a distraction for many individuals. When in public there are two times when one uses a phone. The first is when someone is alone and the other is when he/she is in a group. The main issue for most people is when they are in a group, and the cell phone becomes a distraction or a barrier for successful socialization among family and friends. In the past few years, society has become less tolerant of cell phone use in public areas for example, public transportation, restaurants and much more. This is exemplified by the widespread recognition of campaigns such as Stop Phubbing, which prompted global discussion as to how mobile phones should be used in the presence of others. "Some have suggested that mobile phones ‘affect every aspect of our personal and professional lives either directly or indirectly’" (Humphrey). Every culture's tolerance of cell phone usage varies, for instance in Western society cell phones are permissible during free time at schools, whereas in the eastern countries, cell phones are strictly prohibited on school property.

Cell phone etiquette in the education system

Most schools in the United States and Europe and Canada have prohibited mobile phones in the classroom, citing class disruptions and the potential for cheating via text messaging

. In the UK, possession of a mobile phone in an examination can result in immediate disqualification from that subject or from all that student's subjects. This still applies even if the mobile phone was not turned on at the time. In New York City, students are banned from taking cell phones to school. This has been a debate for several years, but finally passed legislature in 2008.

"Most schools allow students to have cell phones for safety purposes"—a reaction to the Littleton, Colorado, high school shooting incident of 1999 (Lipscomb 2007: 50). Apart from emergency situations, most schools don’t officially allow students to use cell phones during class time.