Module 2 - Communicating in the infosphere

Site 1 - Writing good emails

Elam, Phillip (1997) 'A Neophyte's guide to effective email'
Retrieved April 25, 2007 from http://www.webnovice.com/email.htm

As email continues to be the most common form of communication used on the net, I searched for good articles/guidelines on this topic. This article on the webnovice site, is great. It is very clearly written and would be an excellent start for someone not too conversant with great email writing. Elam takes an easy to follow route through the tasks of composing and sending a good email. Learning how to read what is really being said is one of Elam's main points:
"With e-mail, you cannot assume anything about your correspondent's location, time, frame of mind, mood, health, marital status, affluence, age, or gender. This means, among other things, that you need to be very, very careful in phrasing your communications in order to prevent misunderstandings."
Relates to Concepts 5 & 6: I think this "layperson's" explanation of the difference between metadata and implied data is critical. Not everyone is a great email communicator. It tends to be rushed communication. If we can spend just a few more minutes on readability and flow - the message has a better chance of being heard and understood.

Site 2 - Lists, discussion groups and the rest

Stewart, Bill (Jan 7 2000) 'Living Internet' Retrieved from the World Wide Web on April 26 from http://www.livinginternet.com/l/l.htm

This beautifully simple website by Stewart has almost everything in it for the 'about to be advanced net user'. With plenty of intra-site linking and references to other people's work, I think this site is a goldmine for anyone wanting to really understand the differences between various forms of communication on the internet. Written in an unbiased and informative way, it details the pros and cons of all sorts of internet tools. With a focus on 'using the tool that suits your purpose', the site is a great way to begin understanding what these various tools do and how they work.
Relates to Concept 4: Reflective Communicative Practice by extending our knowledge of various forms of internet communication, which audiences they are good for and what circumstances they may suit. Most importantly, by providing an easy to read description of how these tools work, the advanced net user can keep in mind the possible technological barriers some tools may pose to their audiences.