Speech 10 Netiquette

1. Remember the human

Do unto others as you’d have others do unto you. Be empathetic. Imagine how you’d feel if you were in the other person’s shoes. Stand up for yourself, but do not try to hurt people’s feelings.
Would you say it to the person’s face? If not, then don’t say it.
Online communications (text) are easier to misinterpret. Remember this and be careful about the way you phrase your communications.. Adhere to the same standards of behavior online that you follow in real life.

Online people seem to be more willing to take risks because there is the impression that there is less chance of getting caught. This isn’t true.

Take time to understand the context of a discussion before you post your thoughts. You wouldn’t walk up to a crowd of people and just start talking would you? You’d stop and listen to what’s being said and then share your ideas. Do the same in an online discussion.

Take time to learn the policies and rules that have been established to maintain the flow of inline space.
You are not the center of cyberspace. Each of us is passionate about our beliefs, ideas, and opinions. Not everyone will agree with what you have to say…and that’s ok. Expect that.
We all have questions that we want answered. But don’t expect answers to be sent immediately. This doesn’t mean your questions aren’t important, it merely means there are a lot of questions to be answered.

Know what you are talking about and make sense. Don’t just post something to post something.
Use proper grammar and spelling at all times. Create post in a word processing document with the use of editing tools before posting responses and comments.
Don’t be confrontational.
Do not swear even if you’re relying upon the good ol’ %*&^*!$

If a topic is covered that you know very well, let yourself shine! Step up to the plate and share your experiences! This is what makes online learning so wonderful!
This includes answers to questions about the course. If a student is struggling to understand a concept that is being covered in a learning unit and you find that you understand it well, step up and offer a hand. Remember helping others understand concepts that you know well, helps you to reinforce that knowledge.

If someone breaks a netiquette rule, forgive and forget. We are all human, even in cyberspace.