Holding a discussion online is vastly different from a face to face discussion. It is easy to misinterpret a comment that is read as you are missing facial expressions, body language and vocal inflections. This list employs a series of guidelines we call "Netiquette" to help make your message come across as you had intended. In a word, polite. We ask that you please read over and adhere to these guidelines.

Format

Informal, but thoughtful - don't send a note until you have taken time to review its contents and header. Make sure your note is correctly addressed, that it is free of typos, and that you mean what it says.

Sensitivity

Remember there are human beings with feelings who read your messages.

Subject line

Give your message a meaningful and accurate subject line descriptor. This will eliminate tedious sorting through mail by subscribers not drawn to a topic.

Forwarding Mail

Make sure the list from which you draw postings allows such re-posting.

Using Humor

Please be very cautious about using sarcasm and humor. Without nonverbal cues and voice tone, "subtle" humor can easily be interpreted as searing sarcasm.

Copyright

Copyright is still hotly debated, so don't assume you are keeping your information copyright, even if you sign it with a copyright notice. Don't post trade secrets. Please understand that all files are owned by Pioneer Development Resources, and are publicly accessible through various websites online. PDR will not protect your copyright under any circumstances. If you have extensive or sensitive information to share, please post on a webpage and refer list readers to your page.

Context and Quotes

Include the points to which you are responding in the text of your reply by quoting a little with your mail reader or summarizing. St. Johns University houses our list. It's resources are stretched with over 750 lists. So please delete all but critical portions of mail you are citing. Please only quote as much as is germane to your reply, and do NOT re-post an entire message. Write private notes when you need to agree or apologize to a specific list member - don't post to the entire list. Use professional guidelines in citing references. Also be aware that only 4 emails can be sent to the list by any individual in a 24 hour period. Therefore, you should plan your postings carefully if you are involved in a discussion.

Attachments

Please do not send attachments to the group - not all email programs are able to handle attachments and may crash as a result.

Response Time

Please check and respond to your E-mail regularly if you choose to participate.

Respect Others

Be respectful of differences. This list consists of non-professionals and professionals, givers and receivers of psychotherapy, US and non-US citizens, individuals with English and non-English as a first language; and a multitude of professionals with various professional designations who answer to different ethics codes, state laws, federal laws, and are all experimenting with the multitude of nuances thereby possible in a Global Community.

Debate

Use logic, and feel free to challenge other people's logic. If they are using non sequiturs, let them know. Stick to the facts, cite someone's words and respond to them, not your own assumptions and fantasy of what they are saying or implying. Do so in a professional and non-confrontative manner.

Observe Email Behavior

Use your clinical sense when observing email behavior. While much of email discussion is standard interaction, this new medium does involve new behavioral possibilities. Feel free to comment on such behavior - it is part of our Charter as defined above. Just be respectful.

Forgive Acknowledged Errors

Sometimes what may look like distortions are simply errors in assumption. Be aware that repeated errors in assumption can be damaging to a colleague in email because much like the *telephone effect,* distortions of any nature can eventually be considered fact. Putting anyone in a position of having to write additional posts to defend or correct misinformation you presented as *fact* is disrespectful and can lead to your removal from this list. Check your facts before responding to posts criticizing a colleague's position.

Doubt

If in doubt regarding a colleague's position, please ask for clarification. In the absence of answers to questions, ask again, but if no answer is forthcoming, respect others enough to disengage from the topic publicly. Remember that answering email is a choice, not an obligation.

Flaming

Flaming will not be tolerated on this list and flammers will be subject to removal. Accept full responsibility for your participation. Even if you get "flamed," you will live, and can continue to contribute. If you are upset by someone's posting, sleep on it, talk it over with a few colleagues, and then decide what to do. If you decide to respond, present facts, not attacks. One way to avoid such unpleasantness is to comment on issues, not people. Use basic psychological principles of communication -- and being polite is the first rule of order.

Professionalism

Please realize that thousands of people may eventually see your messages as archived for future decades. They may include individuals you know, clients, or someone you may employ or seek employment from in the future. Information blindly or impulsively posted may come back to haunt you.