Netiquette

'Netiquette' stands for network etiquette - the do's and don'ts of online communication. Netiquette covers both common courtesy online and the behaviors that participants in an online discussion expect from one another.

As a student in this subject, you are expected to participate in the online community in a responsible way that is consistent with good academic practice. The following guidelines for online participation can assist you in this interchange of ideas and comments. Online text-based communication can be somewhat different to face-to-face conversation where facial expressions and body stance often add meaning to what is being said.

Remember that behind every name there is a person!

Communicating Courteously

Respect the rights of other students to participate in ways which are free from harassment and intimidation. Flaming (comments intended to abuse or insult) and personal abuse are entirely inappropriate.

Avoid typing in all capitals because it is difficult to read and is considered the electronic version of SHOUTING which is out of place in a classroom.

Always assume good intent and respond accordingly. If you are unsure of or annoyed by a message, wait 24 hours before responding.

Acknowledge other students' opinions, even when you disagree, and always provide clear, thoughtful support for your views. Debate can make for very productive and meaningful discussion.

When posting a message choose your words carefully to communicate what you intend. It is difficult to convey subtle meaning in online communications. Don’t assume that others will interpret your message in the same way that you do. In general humour and sarcasm depend on facial or tone of voice cues to detect, which are absent when reading. Consider rewording your message if you think there is a chance that others will misunderstand your message and be offended by it.

Respect Diversity

If you notice any postings which belittle, harass, defame or vilify others or contain racist, sexist or homophobic or other discriminatory comments, please inform your lecturer. Your lecturer will then be able to take appropriate action, including removing these postings from the forum.

Read First, Write Later. 

Don't add your comments to a discussion before reading the comments of other students unless the assignment specifically asks you to. This will help you avoid repeating something someone else has already contributed.

Make sure that you choose the appropriate discussion forum for your message. Discussion forums in UTSOnline have brief descriptions of the topics that are suitable for discussion within the forum.

Give your postings and replies to postings meaningful 'Subject' titles related to what you are saying so as to assist others to locate and read your messages.

Quote the relevant message or excerpt when responding. This will help other students see which point you are responding to in a complex multi-level discussion thread.

Hint: Read your post out loud before hitting the send button. This will make it clear whether your grammar and sentence structures are correct, your tone is appropriate and your contribution makes sense.

Attachments

If you include an attachment to your message please ensure that it is free of any viruses before posting it.

Copyright

Do not use UTSOnline for distributing or sharing material for which you do not have copyright ownership, or which is irrelevant for learning in this course or subject. For example, adding journal papers or Library E-Reserve materials as attachments to your postings may appear to be helpful but actually breaches copyright laws.

Abide by UTS policies, codes of conduct and guidelines for Good Academic Practice. Cite your sources.

Enjoy yourself!

Online discussions will enrich your understanding of course material and foster co-operative learning with your peers. It is also an excellent forum for developing learning, communication, and social interaction skills that are valuable in all aspects of your life.

Note: UTS retains the right to remove any message/material posted into the discussion forums or elsewhere that contravenes UTS policies, or which is inappropriate to the learning activities in this course/subject.

Netiquette Sources

The Core Rules of Netiquette, excerpted from the book Netiquette, by Virginia Shea. The Core Rules of Netiquette can be accessed at http://www.albion.com/netiquette/corerules.html.

The Net: User Guidelines and Netiquette, by Arlene H. Rinaldi's which can be found at http://courses.cs.vt.edu/~cs3604/lib/Netiquette/Rinaldi/.