When you teach your online course, we recommend that you provide your policies for online communication and behavior, i.e. netiquette. Review and adapt the following policy for your class as needed:

Netiquette Policy

Online discussions can be heated, and they don’t include a face-to-face component to clarify misunderstandings. When posting online, remember the following recommendations:

Stay on topic and within the scope of the course material. Be as brief as possible while still making a substantive contribution
Take the discussion seriously – think before speaking or typing. And be attentive to existing arguments; in discussion forums, read all messages in a thread before replying
Always give proper credit when referencing or quoting another source
Don’t repeat someone else without adding something of your own
Always be respectful of others’ opinions even when they differ from your own. When you disagree with someone, express your differing opinion respectfully and non-critically. Be open-minded.

(Derived from the University of Florida Netiquette Guide for Online Courses.)