Online etiquette. Real life behavior
More and more classes are being held online nowadays, so it is important for participants to have an understanding of the rules of online etiquette. These rules help to keep discussions focused, on track, and respectful. Without online etiquette rules, conversations and debates can quickly disintegrate into misunderstanding, and rude language and behavior, which destroys the chance of smooth communication and maintaining healthy relationships.
1. Be Careful With Your Tone
While an online conversation with friends doesn’t necessarily require much thought, the same doesn’t go for when you are having a conversation with professors. You should be careful with capitalization, as writing in ALL-CAPS can oftentimes be interpreted as YELLING! and will be viewed as impolite. Similarly, a joke can oftentimes be perceived as a rude remark. This is why you have to make sure that your point doesn’t get lost in translation.
Apart from texting, it is also advisable to be aware of your tone in online classes that use audio or video forms. However, this is where the rules of general etiquette apply more. For instance, not talking over someone, listening carefully, actively participating in class, etc.
2. Be Accurate and Factual
The internet is a vast place with information coming from all sorts of sources. This is why you should be careful when providing information. It’s important to fact-check everything you read and possibly include sources when giving advice or information.
When getting your degree online, you should be careful to include credible sources in all your papers and when you help your classmates by providing information on a subject. Likewise, you should be cautious about what you choose to believe on the internet and what you share with others. For instance, if you’re unsure how to go about it, stick to official sites that are known for credibility.
3. Search First, Then Ask
If you get stuck with a question on a certain assignment, it’s better to search for it before you ask your classmates or the professor. It’s possible that you might find your answer fast, and there will be no need to include third parties.
The same goes for questions regarding class structure. You may find your answers in the syllabus or the university website. Of course, if you fail to find your answer after some time spent searching, you should turn to your professors or peers for help.
4. Don’t Use Sarcasm Freely
While in person, we communicate with the help of facial expressions and gestures. Conveying the same message online can prove more challenging. This is especially true when it comes to sarcastic humor, as it usually isn’t possible to transmit the tone of voice when using text.
A light-hearted joke can be viewed differently in the text. You will need to be careful about making the intent behind your words as clear as possible, which is why sarcasm is off-limits most times.
But many people love jokes (including many of our professors), so just make sure that it is clear that you are being funny, and not rude. Emoticons and smilys can be helpful when conveying sarcasm or humor.
5. Be as Polite as You Are In Person
Being polite on the internet should be as common as in real life. Unfortunately, that is not the case in many situations. A significant number of people tend to use the internet as a cover and their display as a shield, which leads to them writing what they would never say in public.
A key part of netiquette is only typing what you would be comfortable with saying to someone’s face. Hence being respectful and polite to others should be part of your communications online.
And remember, If you wouldn’t say it to someone’s face, don’t say it online either.
6. Use Proper Grammar and Punctuation
Many people tend to forget the rules that apply to writing when communicating online. However, resorting to proper grammar and punctuation can make the message seem more professional and thought out. Not only does it make your text more readable, but it can also prepare you for professional writing that you might do in the future.
Think about what you would like to read yourself. It should be easy to read and comprehensible. That way, you will save precious time for someone reading your email, message, comment, or post.
So, remember to keep your written communication formal and professional, and save shortcuts and textspeak for ur friends.
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