Netiquette

What is netiquette?

Netiquette is defined as “the guidelines that govern civil, courteous behavior in online communications” (Roblyer and Hughes, page 209).

Netiquette Rules:

• Be courteous when using technologies to communicate:
  • Silence device sounds when requested.
  • Talk on phones in public only when permitted.
  • When communicating with devices in public, be respectful of others by talking and texting quietly.
• Include a subject line:
  • Include a descriptive phrase in the subject line of the message header that tells the topic of the message.
• Salutation and closing:
  • Begin messages with a salutation including formal name: Dr. Karu, Ms. Welch.
  • End the message with your name and possibly a signature (a footer with your identifying information).
• Tone:
  • Avoid sarcasm because social context clues are missing and the meaning could be misinterpreted.
  • Avoid accusatory, coarse, rough, or rude tone or language.
• Content:
  • Keep messages as concise as possible - about one screen as a rule of thumb. Complicated questions that require lengthy responses should be asked in person or on the phone if possible.
  • Observe formal grammar and spelling rules.
  • Avoid using emoticons (emotion icons) or social media abbreviations (e.g.. LOL) to convey meaning in emails.
  • Avoid typing words or sentences in all caps, which denotes “flaming” or online “screening.”
• Respect others’ privacy:
  • Do not quote or forward personal email without the original author’s permission.
• Acknowledge and return messages promptly:
  • Allow up to two working days for a response from working adults.
• Use carbon copy (CC) with caution:
  • Do not copy everyone you know on each message.
• Avoid spam (a.k.a. Junk mail):
  • Do not contribute worthless information on the internet by sending or responding to mass posting of chain letters, rumors, etc.