Do’s and Don’ts of Digital Interaction

NETIQUETTE…

• Know your audience• Adapt to your

environment• If you are unsure what

your environment calls for, default to

professionalism, courtesy, and academic language.

• Jump into arguments just for the sake of being

heard.• Treat an academic forum

like a personal chat board• Post personal information

about yourself or anyone else online

DO DON’T

RULE #1

• Identify yourself with your username when in a closed digital community

• Example usernames: Laurien, Lavery, Laurien 001

• Provide your full name, especially in an open setting

• Use unprofessional or inappropriate screen names

• Ex: Lovelylips, Cutiebootie, Chazisrad, JackDaniels2015

DO Don’t

IDENTITY

• Respect normal rules and standards of interpersonal interactions

• Add to the conversation when appropriate by asking questions, clarifying understanding, or adding comments to other people’s posts

• Disagree respectfully. The internet can be a safe and cordial place to have disagreements because the written word is often more carefully considered than the spoken one

• Allow the internet to become your venting ground or your place to say the things you won’t say in person.

• Reply to posts with off-topic, change-the-subject comments.

• Disagree disrespectfully. Written text has no tone of voice, which can lead to misunderstandings that fan the flames of temper.

Do Don’t

INTERACTIONS

• Provide enough information to be understood

• Provide research to support your opinions when appropriate

• Allow yourself to take a casual tone when it is appropriate, as in an online chat or sometimes in responses on a message board

• Stay relevant!

• Ramble, or provide more information than necessary.

• Make outlandish assertions you can’s support with evidence

• Use slang, inappropriate language, letters to represent words (ex: u going 2 the store?)

• Post irrelevant links or comments.

Do Don’t

WRITTEN CONTENT