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Questions about College of Agriculture & Life Sciences Distance Education courses and programs can be directed to (800)747-4478 or by E-mail. For a list of all courses and programs available from Iowa State University, call 515-294-1889 or visit www.distance.iastate.edu.

 

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Online Etiquette (Netiquette)

With many distance education courses you will be required to communicate via email, chat, or discussion boards. Therefore, it is important students understand some basic etiquette associated with virtual communications. Here are some simple guidelines and/or suggestions for telecommunicating.

Getting Started

• Do not put off reading and replying to messages, communication can fall flat if you do not respond to posts/emails in a timely fashion.
• Always bring up problems or questions immediately. You may not be the only one who is confused.
• Online communication is all about participation, make sure you are continually posting messages.

General Netiquette

• Be brief
• Always include a descriptive title
• Use blank spaces between paragraphs
• Use proper capitalization rules. DO NOT WRITE IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, it seems like you are yelling
• Use short paragraphs
• Avoid using special keys (like the tab key)
• Begin your text with the name of the person you are writing, it is more personal
• Never forget the person who you are sending the mail to is another person and they deserve respect
• Strive to be concise, clear, and polite
• Be flexible in your interpretation of the online communication you receive
• End the text of your message with your name, again this is more personal
• Always double check what you have written
  • Did you say what you intended to say?
  • Was the spelling and grammar correct?
  • Was it informative yet concise?