a set of rules and guidelines for proper interaction across the Web.
This list is widely used today, especially in public relations and
One example of computer etiquette is to never use all capital letters.
Communicating with someone using all capital letters is akin to
yelling at that person, which is considered rude and an inappropriate
way to communicate with someone online. It's also important to use
proper spelling and punctuation with all online communication,
otherwise the writer will appear uneducated and careless, in
addition to not getting his or her intended message across.
Do Unto Others
The basic rule of computer etiquette, or "netiquette," mirrors the
golden rule that echoes through much of society. This rule has been
expressed in many different ways, from the slightly obscure --
"remember the human" -- to the biblical -- "do unto others as you
would have them do unto you," and boils down to an extremely
simple concept: be nice. There are no hermits in the digital age.
Anything and everything you do online affects someone else,
whether directly or indirectly -- it is up to you what that effect is.
Watch Your Tone
Speak with somebody face to face or on the phone, and your tone of
voice helps the listener figure out what you mean. Online, it's not
quite that easy: because of the lack of non-verbal cues, something
you intend as sarcasm or as a joke could easily be misinterpreted,
causing unintended offense. Emoticons, or smilies, can help clarify
the meaning of what you're typing, but would be inappropriate in
formal contexts such as business communication. Abbreviations and
slang are also inappropriate in a formal context; typing sentences in
all caps is interpreted as shouting, and is considered rude regardless
of the context.
Privacy
Avoid looking through other people's files and emails, regardless of
how tempting the opportunity might seem. For example, if you are
using a public computer and notice somebody's forgotten to sign out
of their account on a website, sign the account out yourself without
checking out its contents. Similarly, no matter how curious you
might be about what the person next to you is doing on
his computer, resist the urge to look over his shoulder -- it's just as
rude as doing it with a book. When sending an email message to a
list of recipients, it is polite to use your email client's BCC feature or
set up a mailing list to avoid sharing everyone's email addresses, a
violation of privacy.
Watch Before You Act
Much like real life communities, online groups have their own
customs and expectations that many not be obvious. Although the
social rules governing a community may seem simple at first glance,
by jumping in with both feet you run the risk of encountering a
hidden pitfall and making a fool out of yourself. Before speaking up
in a community, you should always observe it quietly for a while --
an act known as "lurking" in Internet slang.
Functions of Communication
Basically, there are five functions of communication. These are
control, social interaction, motivation, emotional expression, and
information dissemination.
1.Control – Communication functions to control behavior.
2.Social Interaction – Communication allows individuals to interact
with others.
3.Motivation – Communication motivates or encourages people to
live better.
4.Emotional expression – Communication facilitates people’s
expression of their feelings and emotions.
5.Information dissemination – Communication functions to convey
information
Features of an Effective Communication
In their pioneer book Effective Public Relations, Professors Broom,
Cutlip, and Center (2012) list the 7 Cs of Effective Communication.
advertising. 1.Completeness-Complete communication is essential
to the quality of the communication process in general. Hence,
communication should include everything that the receiver
needs to hear for him/her to respond, react, or evaluate properly.
2.Conciseness-Conciseness does not mean keeping the message
short, but making it direct or straight to the point. Insignificant or
redundant information should be eliminated from the
communication that will be sent to the recipient.
3.Consideration
To be effective, the speaker should always consider relevant
information about his/her
receiver such as mood, background, race, preference, education,
status, and needs, among
others. By doing so, he/she can easily build rapport with the
audience.
4.Concreteness
Effective communication happens when the message is concrete
and supported by facts,
figures, and real-life examples and situations. In this case, the
receiver is more connected to
the message conveyed.
5.Courtesy
The speaker shows courtesy in communication by respecting the
culture, values, and beliefs
of his/her receivers. Being courteous at all times creates a positive
impact on the audience.
6.Clearness
Clearness in communica
tion implies the use of simple and specific words to express ideas. It
is also achieved when the speaker focuses only on a single objective
in his/her speech so as
not to confuse the audience.
7.Correctness
Correctness in grammar eliminates negative impact on the
audience and increases the
credibility and effectiveness of the message.
Verbal Communication and Nonverbal Communication
Verbal Communication refers to an interaction in which words are
used to relay a message.
For effective and successful verbal communication, use words to
express ideas which can be easily
understood by the person you are talking to. Consider
appropriateness, brevity, clarity, ethics, and
vividness when engaging in this type of communication.
1. Appropriateness
The language that you use should be appropriate to the
environment or occasion (i.e.,
whether formal or informal).
2. Brevity
Speakers who often use simple yet precise and powerful words are
found to be more credible.
Try to achieve brevity by being more direct with your words. Avoid
fillers and insubstantial
expressions which do not add to the message, such as “uh,” “you
know,” “I guess,” and others.
3. Clarity
The meanings of words, feelings, or ideas may be interpreted
differently by a listener; hence,
it is essential for you to clearly state your message and express your
ideas and feelings.
4. Ethics
Words should be carefully chosen in consideration of the gender,
roles, ethnicity, preferences,
and status of the person or people you are talking to.
5. Vividness
Words that vividly or creatively describe things or feelings usually
add color and spice to
communication. Hence, you are encouraged to find ways to charm
your audience through
the use of vivid words.
Nonverbal communication refers to an interaction where behavior is
used to convey and
represent meanings. All kinds of human responses that are not
expressed in words are classified as
nonverbal communication. Examples of nonverbal communication
are stares, smiles, tone of voice,
movements, manners of walking, standing and sitting, appearance,
style of attire, attitude towards
time and space, personality, gestures, and others.
Mastery of nonverbal communication is important for several
reasons:
1. It enhances and emphasizes the message of your speech, thus
making it more meaningful,
truthful, and relevant.
2. It can communicate feelings, attitudes, and perceptions without
you saying a word.
3. It can sustain the attention of listeners and keep them engaged in
the speech.
4. It gives the audience a preview to the type of speaker you are.
5. It makes you appear more dynamic and animated in your delivery.
6. It serves as a channel to release tension and nervousness.
7. It helps make your speech more dramatic.
8. It can build a connection with listeners.
9. It makes you a credible speaker.
10. It helps you vary your speaking style and avoid a monotonous
delivery.