To: Donald J. Beale

From: Desiree A Dies

Subject: Review of Netiquette Guidelines for University Implementation

The purpose of this memo is to give a recommendation of netiquettes guidelines that LSU can endorse for its students. The two netiquette guidelines that I will be reviewing were both found online. The first one is the website Study Guide and Strategies at http://www.studygs.net/netiquette.htm. The second site I’ve found is from Linfield University at http://www.linfield.edu/policy/netiquette.html.

There is basic netiquette that is included in both of these guidelines. These netiquette rules include:

• Do not send email when angry or emotional.

• Never send anything electronically that you wouldn’t mind seeing made public.

• Be sure that any sarcasm or humor is translated in your words to avoid misunderstandings.

• Do not forward chain letters.

• Obey all copyright laws.

• Keep messages brief.

• Do not forward chain letters.

• Use distribution lists carefully.

The Study’s netiquette guideline includes more information about general informal email usage. It address issues such as using all capital letters, “flaming”, SPAM, and electronic trails. This seems to appeal more to the younger population who has been sending rude and offensive emails at LSU.

The Linfield’s netiquette guidelines also address “flaming” but only in the instance of the student sending them. The Study’s “flaming” guideline only addresses what to do when receiving the abusive message. Linfield mentions to not leave email account open at a computer when you are away which is definitely a suggestion that applies to all college students using public computers.

After careful consideration and comparison between both forms of netiquette, Linfield and Study Guide and Strategies, my choice would have to lie with Linfield. The netiquette policy at Linfield University has already been instituted for their student body. This is a policy that has been tailored for college students, while this is not as stringent of a policy that one would find in the work place for professionals, it is not so lax that students can misinterpret its meaning. Currently, most students use e-mail for personal correspondence more than for business correspondence, because the student is more familiar with sending an e-mail to a friend rather and co-worker or boss, the knowledge of proper netiquette has not been instilled. It is better to start promoting proper practices early on in a students college years rather than sending him or her into the work place without the proper netiquette.