Proper Netiquette 101

Netiquette, or Network Etiquette, are rules based on common sense and respect for others. I certainly appreciate rules of netiquette that save time, which I don’t have much to spare. Even on discussion boards, I am more apt to read the short ones. Users of good netiquette keep discussions short and to the point. It’s annoying, also, when users of discussion boards post repeat questions or ones that are easily answered some other way, like online. I feel these questions make the discussion boards lengthier than they need to be for no apparent reason but to waste readers’ time or cause information overload. The use of acronyms and Netlingo, designed to save time, can be extremely annoying when you come across an unfamiliar term, and may even need to take the time to research it’s meaning. Good netiquette also respects the feelings and needs of others, by not posting offensive language or something that may be misunderstood, such as jokes or sarcasm. Too often, people don’t show concern for time constraints and the feelings and cultures of others on the internet.

E-mail netiquette is especially important, since e-mail is the most common form of online communication (Morrison & Wells, 2013). It’s important to never forward a virus alert, as they might contain viruses. And forwarding unnecessary e-mail, such as chainletters clog up the internet and annoy people. Jokes should be forwarded appropriately and sparingly. Subject lines should be descriptive. Is it something I need to read now or can I wait until later? It’s just plain rude to mark an everyday e-mail as urgent. And, if an e-mail sender wants to be taken seriously, he or she needs to check for punctuation and spelling errors. E-mail senders should always respect their recipients time and sensibilities.

Electronic communications are important for collaboration in personal, education, and career goals. Being able to choose the method of communication and use it effectively is as important to collaborative efforts as good organizational skills and the ability to work as part of a team.”Trust is the foundation for strong team relationships that enable team members to gain mutual respect for one another, to appreciate diversity, share information, and to communicate in an open environment”(Roy, 2012) Using netiquette in online communications helps to build the trust imperative for effective collaboration.

Morrison, C. & Wells, D. (2013). Computer Literacy Basics. Boston, MA. Course Technologies.

Roy, S (2012). Virtual Collaboration: The skills needed to collaborate in a virtual environment. Journal of Internet Social Networking & Virtual Communities. Doi: 10.5171/2012629512