Netiquette

Netiquette (Online Etiquette)

Be careful with the “reply all” button. For an online course with a large number of students, it might be annoying to receive many emails that have nothing to do with you.

Talk in a professional manner with appropriate language. Avoid using strong or offensive language. As opposed to face to face conversation, people cannot see your body language and hear your tone in an online environment. This may cause misunderstanding and even conflicts. Be polite. Be professional.

Check your emails and course updates regularly. If there is no regular online meeting, your Quercus course and emails are the only effective way to communicate with your instructor and classmates.

Respect others. People may come from different cultural, religious, and social backgrounds. They have their unique perspectives and ways of doing things. Respect their choices.

Be Forgiving. If you find anything offensive, report it to your instructor. Please remember that the speaker might be new to online interaction and the offense may be unintentional.

Respect others’ privacy. Always respect other people’s privacy. Do not forward others’ emails to a third party without their permission.

Discussion Guidance:

Be clear and concise. Always read your message before you send it out. Always check it for grammar or typing mistakes.

Stick to the point. Instructors and your classmates are very busy. Do not waste their time saying a lot of things that are not relevant or to the point.

Avoid using acronyms and abbreviations. Instructors and students may not be familiar with some terms if they are new to the field.

Avoid typing in all CAPS. It is hard to read words that are all capitalized. This is also sometimes used to indicate SHOUTING in online conversations, so use with caution.

Be patient. Do not expect instructors/classmates to reply to your emails/posts right away. They may be busy and cannot get online. Give them some time to reply your emails. Emails/questions are usually replied to within 24 hours.

Discussions will be monitored. Malicious offenses will be reported and disciplined according to the college rules. Offenders will receive a warning at their first offense. Offenders will be banned from posting if they deliberately continue inappropriate conduct.

For additional information on online etiquette, visit Netiquette (Links to an external site.).