How to Be a
Good Online Learner

What is netiquette and how do I use it?

Netiquette is a word to describe the do's and don'ts of online communicating.  Basic courtesy and common sense are generally the rule of the day when communicating whether it is face-to-face or through the Internet.  However, the Internet does have a few guidelines that are particular to itself.

Virginia Shea's Netiquette website outlines the core rules of Netiquette.

• Rule 1: Remember the human
  • Keep in mind that you are communicating with real people.  Don't say something online that you wouldn't feel comfortable saying to their face.
    
    
• Rule 2: Adhere to the same standards of behavior online that you follow in real life
  • Remember to be ethical in all your interactions.
    
    
• Rule 3: Know where you are in cyberspace
  • Just as rules vary from place to place, Netiquette rules will vary from cyberplace to cyberplace.  Take the time to learn the rules and follow them.
    
    
• Rule 4: Respect other people's time and bandwidth
  • Remember that emails and postings take up not only bandwidth but also time.  Don't waste people's time by sending them unecessary emails, filling your online communication with needless graphics, or by filling it full of uneccesary chatter.  Be respectful of others' time.
    
    
• Rule 5: Make yourself look good online
  • Remember that communication online is almost 100% text based.  This means that your written word is the only representation of you.  Make sure that you make yourself look as good as possible by checking your grammar and spelling.  Also make sure that your thoughts are coherent and to the point.
    
    
• Rule 6: Share expert knowledge
  • If you want to participate in online communities, be willing to share your expertise.  This is one of the things that makes the Internet so great:  So many experts are available to answer questions like never before!
    
    
• Rule 7: Help keep flame wars under control
  • Unfortunately we do not live in Utopia.  It's more than likely that people will get upset with each other in cyberspace.  This is where flaming comes in to play.  Flaming is the practice of expressing exactly what you feel without regard to tact or the feelings of others.  Invariably, someone will take exception to this free expression of opinion and a flame war ensues.  As cybercitizens, it's our duty to not egg on these little displays of temper. 
    
    
• Rule 8: Respect other people's privacy
  • Do not read others' email.  Do not forward private emails without permission of the sender.  Be respectful of others.
    
    
• Rule 9: Don't abuse your power
  • If you happen to be a person who has some power in an electronic environment, don't abuse that power. 
    
    
• Rule 10: Be forgiving of other people's mistakes
  • Remember that everyone is human and may make mistakes.  Just as you would like to be forgiven for an occasional mistake, you should be willing to forgive mistakes in others.

Some other useful Netiquette rules:

• Don't send an attachment when you could put the text in the body of the message.  Not everyone can open your attachment and in these days of viruses, many are afraid to open attachments.
  
  
• DO NOT USE ALL CAPITALS.  On the Internet, this is the equivalent of screaming at someone.
  
  
• Do not spam your classmates.  Spam is not a rather untasty looking luncheon meat.  In this case, it is the practice of sending unsolicited emails usually trying to sell something.  This is not an ethical practice.
  
  
• Use fonts that are easy to read.  While Curlz MT may be an interesting looking font, it is very difficult to read if used for more than a few words of text.  On the same note, colors may be difficult for people to read.  It is best to use colors in your text for emphasis only.

An excellent guide to Netiquette is Virginia Shea's Netiquette website.  I would recommend a visit to her site for an in-depth look at Netiquette.