Compares discourse management strategies in face-to-face and computer-mediated interactions involving four decision-making tasks. Examines these issues in qualitative and quantitative analyses of data using an utterance-unit coding system to identify discourse functions. Finds that participants compensate for decreased efficiency by adopting…

Examines factors influencing language choice on the newsgroup soc.culture.punjab, a forum discussing the culture of the Punjab region of India and Pakistan. Finds that Punjabi is used only with interlocutors who are Punjabi community members. Accounts for limited usage in terms of intergenerational language shift, cultural ambivalence among…

Presents guidelines for effective Internet communication. Discusses rules for creating e-mail messages; posting messages to online discussion groups and newsgroups; and using initialism and "emoticons." Presents a glossary of common Internet terms. (AEF)

Examines whether it is possible to determine the gender of a message sender from cues in the message. Finds partial support for the hypothesis that women use more graphic accents than men do in their computer-mediated communication. Finds also that women tend to challenge and "flame" more than men. Discusses implications and poses…

More than 40 leading computer and telephony companies have united to lead the charge toward open standards and universal interoperability for Internet telephony products. The voice of IP Forum (VoIP) is working to define technical guidelines for two-party, real-time communications over IP networks, including provisions for compatibility with…

Discusses issues in Australian libraries related to copyright in the digital environment. Examines what constitutes a digital copy; exceptions/limitations; the extent of liability of those who communicate/transmit digital copyright-protected works; how uses of material can be monitored/controlled; and the process of copyright reform in Australia…

Discusses netiquette, or rules of etiquette when using computer networks, for online communications such as electronic mail and public online forums. Print and online sources for netiquette are given, and examples of poor communication are included. (LRW)

Examines the perception of flaming (hostile verbal behavior) in electronic mail by exploring, in the context of five escalating levels of socioemotional intensity, the effects of pictographs (typographic symbols used to express emotion) and quoting. Results suggest pictographs and quoting can vary in perceived intensity and meaning, depending on…

Women's online communication often mirrors that of face-to-face communication, linguistically and relationally. Women-only online communities, however, provide an opportunity to develop a distinct relational and cultural style. Discusses gender differences in face-to-face language use, and in mixed gender online discussion groups. Describes…

Describes the adaptation for distance learning of an MBA organizational behavior course. Explains that the most effective strategy involved conducting group exercises and role plays synchronously in the chat room. A student survey indicated that online students developed skills comparable to face-to-face students. (EV)

Investigates the use of critical thinking in different educational applications and in different types of learning environments. Discusses active reading; the Knowledge Integration Environment that promotes problem solving skills; the potential of Web communication tools to promote critical thinking; and instructionally relevant communication…

Examines the attributive and predicate adjectives produced by 27 students of German (L2) in both chatroom and face-to-face small group discussions. Compares the accuracy and occurrence in each context. data indicated that students produced twice the number of attributive adjectives in the chatroom. Also examined whether students produced more…

Considers that to prepare students to thrive in a group project environment, educators need to teach them effective teamwork and communication skills. Describes two tools that can help accomplish this task, the electronic discussion board and the chat room. Concludes that these tools can be a tremendous aid for faculty to address group project…

Data from WebCT communications of 41 agricultural student teachers to their supervisors and fellow students showed that most were concerned about self-adequacy in subject matter, discipline, and administration. There were no gender differences in concerns. Increased use of WebCT over time suggested they valued the Internet as a collegial…

This tip provides information that will help English-as-a-Second-Language learners understand the rules of formal e-mail communication, also known as netiquette, and enable them to practice using these communication skills effectively for academic purposes. (Author/VWL)