Digital Citizenship for Students and Educators

Netiquette You may be asking yourself, “What is netiquette?” Dictionary.com defines netiquette as “the rules of etiquette that apply when communicating over computer networks, especially the internet”. (“Netiquette”)

Netiquette by Virginia Shea Netiquette is a book written to help people minimize the mistakes they make when venturing into the world of cyberspace. Shea is considered an authority on the etiquette of cyberspace. In the book is a list of core rules that should be followed. An online edition of the book can be found at http://www.albion.com/netiquette/.

A Few Rules of Netiquette #1-Remember that there are real people out there in cyberspace. Just because you don’t see the person on the other side of the screen doesn’t mean they don’t have feelings. Use this rule of thumb-If you wouldn’t say it face to face, don’t say it over the internet either. (Shea, 1994)

#2-We all live our lives by certain standards #2-We all live our lives by certain standards. Use those same standards for behavior online. Don’t be tempted to do something online that you wouldn’t do elsewhere just because you think you won’t get caught. Remember, communication in cyberspace is written. Chances are, you may have to answer for your words in the future. (Shea, 1994)

#3-Take care of your online image. Since all communication online is written, you will be judged by the quality of your writing. Therefore, be careful with spelling and grammar. (Shea, 1994)

#4-Respect the privacy of others. Don’t read other people’s emails or any other communication that is assumed to be private. Ask yourself this question, “Would I want someone else to read my private communication?” (Shea, 1994)

#5-Don’t be super critical of other’s mistakes. Remember, no one is perfect. If you do feel the need to correct the mistake of someone else, do so with tact and respect. (Shea, 1994)

Copyright and Fair Use for Students and Educators Detailed information on fair use guidelines and copyright resources is available at www.halldavidson.net.

Illustrations and Photographs Single images can be used but no more than 5 images by a single artist can be used. If the images are from a collection, you can’t use more than 15 images or 10% of the collection, whichever is less. Always list the sources for copyrighted images that are used with permission. (“Copyright and fair use guidelines for teachers”)

Video If the video is a“lawfully acquired” legal copy, students and educators may use it in their multimedia presentations. No more than 10% or 3 minutes of the video may be used. If the video is copyrighted, proper attribution to the copyright holder must be included. (“Copyright and fair use guidelines for teachers”)

Music Music may be included in a multimedia presentation if the presentation has an educational purpose. A maximum of 30 seconds of music may be used. (“Copyright and fair use guidelines for teachers”)

Internet Any image, sound clip, or video that is downloaded must be legitimately acquired from the web site. If downloading is not an option, a link to the resource can be included in the multimedia presentation. (“Copyright and fair use guidelines for teachers”)

Plagiarism The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines plagiarism as: Stealing or passing off the ideas or words of others as your own. Using another’s work without crediting them as the source. Committing literary theft. Presenting something as new that was actually obtained from an existing source. (“Plagiarism”)

How do I avoid plagiarism? Simply cite the source. Put quotation marks around something that is a direct quote from a source. Provide the audience with information to find the source. (“What is plagiarism?” 2011)

What information should be included in a citation? The author’s name. The title of the source. The company name and location of the publisher. The date of publishing. The page numbers you are using if the material is printed. (“What is plagiarism?” 2011)

When should citations be used? You are using a direct quotation. You are paraphrasing another’s ideas. You are using the ideas of another. You are making reference to someone else’s work. (“What is plagiarism?” 2011)

Safety on the Web According to IKeepSafe.org, there are three main risks involved with internet usage: “Inappropriate Contact” “Inappropriate Content” “Inappropriate Conduct” (“I keep safe,” 2006)

“Inappropriate Contact” Remember that people are not always who they say they are. Never think of the internet as a place to meet new people. Think of it as a way to “enhance existing relationships.” (“I keep safe,” 2006)

“Inappropriate Content” Understand that what you put on the internet stays there. This information can follow you as you apply for college or even on job interviews. Never give out personal information like addresses, phone numbers, or times when you are home alone. Unfortunately, there will always be predators out there who are looking for the opportunity to take advantage of unsuspecting web users. (“I keep safe,” 2006)

“Inappropriate Conduct” Don’t feel like you can do anything on the web because you feel like you won’t get caught. Remember that the internet is a “public forum”. Be the same type person online that you are offline. (“I keep safe,” 2006)

Safety on Your Computer Always remember: The internet is a public place. People are not always who they say they are. Never give out personal information. If you put it on the web, it will be there for the foreseeable future. Use common sense-if something doesn’t seem right, it probably isn’t.

Works Cited Copyright and fair use guidelines for teachers. (n.d.). Retrieved April 11, 2011, from http://dwb.unl.edu/dwb/courses/CURR880/copyright_chart.pdf I keep safe. (2006). Retrieved April 10, 2011, from http://ikeepsafe.org/iksc_educators Netiquette. Dictionary.com. Retrieved April 11, 2011, from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/netiquette Plagiarism. Merriam-webster online dictionary. Retrieved April 11, 2011, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/netiquette Shea, V. (1994). Netiquette (Online Edition), Retrieved April 10, 2011, from http://www.albion.com/netiquette/ What is plagiarism? (2011). Retrieved April 11, 2011, from http://www.plagiarism.org/learning_center/what_is_plagiarism.html