IR Theory

Net etiquette or netiquette is a simple set of rules people create when they communicate with each other via the Internet. It is almost the same as the rules of good manners when communicating with people in reality. The differences lie in the fact that a person sitting at a computer monitor is often relaxed, confident in the impunity of their actions, and often makes incorrect decisions. Most of the conflicts on the Internet arise from the inability and unwillingness of participants to respect each other. The question of competent behavior in the vastness of the World Wide Web is quite relevant among pupils, students, and older users.

Professional experts from admission essay service have witnessed a lot to understand that ignoring netiquette rules may cause a student:

1. a bad mark;
2. a tense relationship with a professor;
3. even a chance to fail an exam (because of p.2).

Knowledge of netiquette is necessary to maintain a positive-neutral relationship and create a favorable image of a person in society. Below, we present a list of rules created based on academic relationships between students and professors.

Rule #1: You are communicating with a real person

When you are talking with someone on the Internet, it is very easy to make mistakes in the interpretation of the words of your interlocutor. Sometimes, it is very easy to forget that the person on the other side of the screen has feelings and habits as well.

One more reason to be polite on the Internet comes from the personal experience of one student. One Masters student, let it be Dave, didn’t speak well of the guest lecturer while chatting with a friend. He forgot that every word on the Internet might be recorded. A few days later, a lecturer found out about it, and Dave had a tense relationship with him all semester.

The moral is: there is a chance that everything a person says on the Internet will come back and harm at the wrong moment.

Rule #2: Be literate

Don’t rely on an auto-corrector or neglect punctuation marks. Typos, mistakes, absence of commas and periods make it difficult to read the text and can greatly distort the meaning of the message. It is impolite to make the other person puzzle over what you wanted to say. 

Always:

• Watch your spelling and punctuation. 
• Reread the message before sending it. If you have no time to check if you wrote everything correctly, it is better to use proofreading tools.

Your messages also form an image of you for your professors. You can make one spelling mistake, and the professor will doubt you for the rest of the course.

Rule #3: Do not split messages

Look at the example.

> Good morning.

> Sorry for bothering you.

> I won’t take much of your time.

> Can you make an appointment? 

Don’t write messages in such a style.

Sending a message by word or sentence often leads to confusion. You have not finished the thought yet, but the interlocutor has already begun to answer, you react to their remark, they to yours – chaos arises.

Don’t abuse the “Send” button. It is ugly to force your interlocutor to send your message from a heap of disparate phrases. Plus, constantly pop-up alerts get on your nerves. Especially do not annoy the professors and take away the time that they could spend on preparing materials for a lecture or exam.

Rule #4: Be polite

Be polite even if the communication is not in real-time. You are in contact with people who are simply on the other side of the screen. When dealing with professors, remember that they are also people who are older and more respected.

Do not forget about the obligatory formulas of greetings, goodbyes, addresses, expressions of gratitude, etc. Also, remember that some words can be fatal. We advise you to revise examples of politically incorrect language.

Rule #5: Respect someone else’s time

Communication on the Internet can be synchronous and asynchronous. Most of the time, messaging is instant. But do not be offended if the interlocutor did not respond immediately (even if their status is online).

The night is not the best time for messages. If the question is not related to a threat to life or health, you can postpone it until the morning.

A person who requires an immediate response usually wants to solve everything “here and now” for selfish reasons so as not to return to this issue later. But no one is obliged to give up their affairs for yours and to wake up in the middle of the night.

The converse is also true. You also have the right to respond to messages and comments at a convenient time for you. It is quite normal to answer: “I’m busy – I’m writing a research essay. I’ll answer later.”

Exception: you have agreed with the mentor to communicate 24/7 to improve your grade.

Rule #6: Improve English writing

In most cases, the text on the Internet is your main self-presentation (of course, if it is not about the “Instagram” or “YouTube” channel). Your interlocutor can be attracted or repelled by your ability to write competently, build sentences logically, and present your manner of writing. 

To improve your English writing observe those whose texts appeal to you and take note of what you would like to borrow from their style. Follow the tips on how to improve your essay writing skills because it will improve your writing in general.

Rule #7: Forget about CapsLock

Writing in CAPITAL LETTERS on the Internet means shouting. If you want to emphasize your point or draw the attention of the interlocutor to something, use other text formatting tools, as well as expressive means.

Believe the professionals: your professor will not appreciate you shouting at them to get their attention.

Rule #8: Do not spare words

If you communicate with close friends, then grammar, spelling, and vocabulary become less important – much more important to convey information quickly. The problem is that many consider such disregard for punctuation, capital letters, and even banal rules of courtesy to be the norm. 

Do not spare words. Do not irritate your interlocutor with “cut” messages like “when?” (when you are asking your professor when you will have an appointment). Use tips you learn when trying to improve your academic writing. It will improve your “Internet” image as well.