A Netiquette Guide for Online Courses

It is important for you as a student to recognize that the online classroom is in fact a classroom, and certain
behaviors are expected when you communicate with both your peers and your instructors. These
guidelines for online behavior and interaction are known as “netiquette”.

The purpose of the following information is to help you be a more responsible and effective student when
communicating via email, chat rooms, or on discussion boards as a part of your online learning activities at
Systems Plus College Foundation.

Why Netiquette is important to you as an Online Student

Proper conduct in an online class is just as important as in a face-to-face classroom with similar potential
repercussions for failing to maintain decorum.  Remember that in an online class it is common for a very
substantial portion of your grade to be a function of how well you perform in online discussion areas and
other “classroom participation” activities.  Your ability to clearly and properly communicate in an online
class can be every bit as important to your success as how you perform on multiple choice tests and written
assignments.

Misconduct in Digital Learning

Some forms of online misconduct are merely bothersome to others with the impact being limited to your
instructor or fellow students finding you annoying and their being less likely to take your thoughts seriously. 
Other forms of online misconduct can potentially cross a line into the area of academic dishonesty and be
treated no differently than cheating on an exam or plagiarizing a paper.  It is therefore important that you
take these guidelines seriously as they can have very real impact on your success as an online student. 
You want to avoid being guilty of misbehavior in both forms regardless of the level of impact.

Below are specific instructions on how to be the most positive and effective digital communicator that you
can be in all areas of communication, but most especially in your online classes.

General Guidelines and Policies

When communicating online, you should consider the acronym SPCF:

Be Scholarly

• Take your posts seriously and review and edit your posts before sending. (Would you put sloppy
writing with poor grammar in a formal research paper?)
• Read carefully the instructions from your instructor before posting your answer.
• Be brief as possible while still making a thorough comment.
• Always give proper credit when referencing or quoting another source. (Note: Do not copy and
paste another student’s post and claim it as original as that is essentially plagiarism.)
 • Be sure to read all messages in a thread before replying.
• Do not repeat someone else’s post without adding something of your own to it
• Avoid short, generic replies such as, “I agree.” You should include why you agree or add to the
previous point. The point of a discussion in an online course is to help you and your other students
learn through in-depth consideration of important topics.
• Avoid misinforming others when you may not know the answer. If you are guessing about
something, clearly state that you do not have all of the information.

Be Professional

• Unless specifically invited, don’t refer to them by first name.

• Avoid slang terms such as “wassup? And texting abbreviations such as u instead of you.
• Represent yourself well at all times.
• Write in a legible, black font, and limit the use of emoticons. Not everyone knows how to interpret
them.
• Avoid using profanity or participating in hostile interactions (flaming).
• Respect privacy.
• Respect diversity and opinions that differ from you own. Always be respectful of others’ opinions
even when they differ from your own. When you disagree with someone, you should express your
differing opinion in a respectful, non-critical way. (Note:  Do not make personal or insulting
remarks.)
• Communicate tactfully, and base disagreements on scholarly ideas or research evidence.
• Be open-minded as that is one of the major points of participating in an open classroom discussion.
• Remember, if it is on the internet. It is everywhere.
• Avoid sharing another’s person’s professional or personal information

Be Courteous

• Treat your instructors with respect, even in email or any other online communication.
• Always use your professors’ proper title: Dr. or Prof., or if you’re in doubt use Mr. or Ms. (Take
note: Make sure if you use a gender –specific title that you are clear on their gender. Some names
can be gender ambiguous. When in doubt, go find a picture of them online).
• Be cautious when using humor or sarcasm as tone is sometimes lost in an email or discussion post
and your message might be taken literally or offensively.
• Be courteous as you would in a face to face situation.
• Avoid using sarcasm, being rude, or writing in all capital letters (AS IT CAN BE INTERPRETED AS
YELLING or SHOUTING).
• Written words can be easily misinterpreted, as they lack of facial expression, body language, and
tone of voice.

Be Forgiving
 • Be forgiving of other people’s mistakes.

Not everyone has the same amount experience in the digital world. And not everyone knows the rules of
netiquette. At some point, you will see a stupid question, read an unnecessarily long response, or
encounter misspelled words. When this happens, practice kindness and forgiveness as you would hope
someone would do if you had committed the same offense. If it is a minor offense you might want to let it
slide. If you feel compelled to respond to a mistake, do so in a private email or chat rather than a public
forum.

• If you ARE offended by something another student says online, keep in mind that you may have
understood their intentions. Give them the benefit of the doubt.

SECURITY PURPOSE

Remember that your password is the only thing protecting you from pranks or more serious harm.

 Always follow SPCF campus guidelines with respect to password security. Keep it private and
never share it with anyone.
 Change your password immediately if you think someone else might know it. 
 Always log out when you are finished using any secured system - especially if you are using a
shared computer in a public place.

Overall, you should use common sense when communicating electronically.  In the same way that you
would present yourself in person to make a positive and constructive impression you should always do the
same when taking an online course.

Remember that the majority of what we communicate to others is in non-verbal ways (body language, voice
inflection, etc.) and all you have in online courses is in a text form. Make sure your digital impression is a
clear and positive one.

At SPCF, your success as a student, whether online or in the physical classrooms, is our priority.

Thank you and God bless us all!