Chat Netiquette
Familiarize yourself with any Chat Rules that the professor
has posted.
When you enter the chat room you may want to say Hi. When
leaving you may want to say that you have to leave the chat
room.
Before jumping into the conversation, take a few moments to read
what others have said. Then you will be able to enter the
conversation intelligently.
Use ALL CAPS sparingly. It is equivalent of shouting. You may
want to put a word or phrase you want to emphasize within
asterisks.
Being in a chat room as a quiet participant is appropriate.
Silent participants are called lurkers. Some learn better by
listening. Igniting a discussion with insulting remarks or angry
words is not appropriate and should not be tolerated. Those who
ignite the conversation are called flamers.
If you disagree with what another has said, post your thoughts
in a respectful way. Do not insult another member of the chat room
or make disparaging or rude remarks in a chat room.
Message Board Netiquette
Familiarize yourself with any message board rules that the
professor has posted.
When posting a message also called a thread, use the subject
line to accurately describe your discussion topic.
Keep the discussion postings within the scope of the course
material.
Respect others opinions. We often learn when we hear an opinion
that differs from our own.
Respond to posting with which you disagree in an objective,
respectful manner. Do not make personal or insulting remarks.
College level communication is reflected in correct spelling and
grammar.
If you intend to post a long comment in a discussion, you may
want to prepare it in a word processing program, review it for
spelling and grammar and then copy and paste it into the chat
conversation. You can use Ctrl + C to copy and Ctrl + V to paste
the message.
Break long messages into paragraphs for easier reading.
Do not use emoticons (keyboard combinations that look like
faces) or acronyms unless everyone knows what they mean.
Before you respond to a threaded message, read all the messages
that pertain to the topic.
Remember all postings stay on the Message Board until the
professor removes them; so take seriously what you
post.
Some Useful Links
Chat and Discussion Netiquette from WebCT - http://www.webct.ttu.edu/netiquette.asp
Email/Discussion Group Netiquette Tips - http://www.earlydues.hispeed.com/ieel/netiquette.htm