Netiquette

Prepared by, Anne KishLast updated: June 1, 2015For LIBM 466: Libraries and TechnologyTopic 2

I. Netiquette Rules

II.Netiquette Terms

III.Common Shorthand

Netiquette Rules

Some rules to keep in mind for your Internet communications…

Grammar and Spelling

Be yourself – with your friends.

At work, be your professional self.

The amount of effort you put into grammar and spelling depends on who makes up your audience, and on how you want to present yourself to that audience.

Keep the PeaceForgive and Forget

Most work places include someone who fires off frequent critical emails to the whole work place. Don’t respond in email to those emails and definitely don’t be that person – nobody likes that person. If you do need to respond, talking on the phone or in person will work best. Avoid the “reply to all” button.

STOP YELLING AT ME!!!

Using all caps indicates yelling.

Attachments

Be careful about attaching large files when sending emails. You may fill up the recipients’ inboxes or you may send something that they can’t open with the programs on their computers or with limited bandwidth. Sending attachments is not a bad thing, but do think about whether or not the attachments are appropriate for the recipients.

Netiquette Terms

Some terms to know…

Netiquette

Contraction of Internet etiquette, the etiquette guidelines for posting messages to online services, and particularly Internet newsgroups. Netiquette covers not only rules to maintain civility in discussions (i.e., avoiding flames), but also special guidelines unique to the electronic nature of forum messages. For example, netiquette advises users to use simple formats because complex formatting may not appear correctly for all readers. In most cases, netiquette is enforced by fellow users who will vociferously object if you break a rule of netiquette.

http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/N/netiquette.html

Flame

(n.) A searing e-mail or newsgroup message in which the writer attacks another participant in overly harsh, and often personal, terms.

(v.) To post a flame.

http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/F/flame.html

Cross-post

To send a single electronic message or article to several different newsgroups at the same time.

http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/american/cross-post

Lurk

To read messages in a newsgroup or a chat room or on a social networking site or a blog without ever posting or replying yourself.

http://www.netlingo.com/word/lurk.php#

Common Shorthand

What are they saying to me??? These are good to know, but are not usually suitable for professional communications…

BRB = Be right back

LOL = Laughing out loud

TBC = To be continued

IDK = I don’t know

BTW = By the way

Does some combination of letters, numbers, or symbols

have you stumped?

Check out http://www.netlingo.com/acronyms.php

References

Cross-post. (2015). In Macmillan Dictionary. Retrieved from http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/american/cross-post

I Love Netiquette sticker. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.zazzle.com/i_love_netiquette_sticker-217363460374438267

Netlingo. (2015). The list of net acronyms and text message shorthand. Retrieved from http://www.netlingo.com/acronyms.php

Webopedia. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.webopedia.com/