Online Etiquette (Netiquette)
Online communication is vital to your success as an online student. Most of your communication will be through email and via The Forum, a discussion board participation medium through which online students interact with their instructor and classmates. Online communication is vastly different than face-to-face communication. Face-to-face conversations include facial expressions and body language, which help convey the tone and meaning of the conversation. Because online communication lacks those qualities, we’ve established the following netiquette standards to ensure clear online communication:
- Use complete sentences as well and use your spell/grammar check before posting or emailing.
- Emails should contain a subject line containing the course name, a greeting, and information identifying the sender.
- Be polite and respectful of one another. Disrespect will not be tolerated.
- Avoid personal attacks. Never make derogatory comments toward another person, it’s not appropriate in person or from behind a computer.
- Recognize and value the experiences, abilities, and knowledge each person brings to class. Be helpful and willing to share your expertise and experiences. Encourage others to develop and share their ideas.
- Think through and re-read your written comments before you post them. Be careful with the use of humor or sarcasm. Emotion is difficult to read through text.
- Inappropriate pictures, words, music, or any other medium will not be tolerated.
All LATC students are expected to adhere to these standards. Flagrant violations could result in lost points or dismissal from the class. Please contact your instructor if you have any questions on the netiquette standards.
