Ground Rules for Online Discussions
Participate:
This is a shared learning environment. No lurking in the cyberspace background.
It is not enough to login and read the discussion thread of others. For the
maximum benefit to all, everyone must contribute.
Report
Glitches:
Discussion
forums are electronic. They break. If for any reason you experience difficulty
participating, please call, email, or otherwise inform me of the issue. Chances
are others are having the same problem.
Help
Others:
You may have more experience with online discussion
forums than the person next to you. Give them a hand. Show them it’s not so
hard. They’re really going to appreciate it!
Be
Patient:
Read everything in the discussion thread before
replying. This will help you avoid repeating something someone else has already
contributed. Acknowledge the points made with which you agree and suggest
alternatives for those with which you don’t.
Be
Brief:
You want to be clear—and to articulate your
point—without being preachy or pompous. Be direct. Stay on point. Don’t lose
yourself, or your readers, in overly wordy sentences or paragraphs.
Use Proper Writing
Style:
This is a
must. Write as if you were writing a term paper. Correct spelling, grammatical
construction and sentence structure are expected in every other writing activity
associated with scholarship and academic engagement. Online discussions are no
different.
Cite Your
Sources:
Another big must! If your contribution to the
conversation includes the intellectual property (authored material) of others,
e.g., books, newspaper, magazine, or journal articles—online or in print—they
must be given proper attribution.
Emoticons and
Texting:
Social
networking and text messaging has spawned a body of linguistic shortcuts that
are not part of the academic dialogue. Please refrain from :-)
Respect
Diversity:
It’s an ethnically rich and diverse,
multi-cultural world in which we live. Use no language that is—or that could be
construed to be—offensive toward others. Racists, sexist, and heterosexist
comments and jokes are unacceptable, as are derogatory and/or sarcastic comments
and jokes directed at religious beliefs, disabilities, and age.
No
YELLING!
Step carefully. Beware the electronic footprint you leave
behind. Using bold upper-case letters is bad form, like stomping around and
yelling at somebody (NOT TO MENTION BEING HARD ON THE EYE).
No
Flaming!
Criticism must be
constructive, well-meaning, and well-articulated. Please, no tantrums. Rants
directed at any other contributor are simply unacceptable and will not be
tolerated. The same goes for profanity. The academic environment expects
higher-order language.
Lastly, Remember: You Can't
Un-Ring the Bell.
Language is your only tool in an online
environment. Be mindful. How others perceive you will be largely—as always—up to
you. Once you've hit the send button, you've rung the bell.
Review your written posts and responses to ensure that you’ve conveyed
exactly what you intended. This is an excellent opportunity to practice your
proofreading, revision, and rewriting skills—valuable assets in the professional
world for which you are now preparing.
