Wiki Etiquette for Students - How to act on a wiki.

Be truthful. Write things you know to be correct using facts from research from reliable, credible sources. Not sure about sources of information? Check out the Quality Information Checklist at http://www.quick.org.uk/menu.htm

Ask first, then give credit. Ask an artist's permission to post their photos, pictures or pieces of writing. Never use first and last names of people that could identify them in a photo or video. You must also ask permission when using an idea from a friend, a family member, or even from an acquaintance. After you have his/her permission, then you must ask if you can post his/her name to give him/her credit. If you know anyone who is breaking any part of this rule, it is very important to tell someone who can help immediately.

Be nice. The most important thing to remember is sarcasm hurts. It is most often misunderstood when typed in a message which is then posted on the Internet. You may think you're funny when you write something rude or silly, but it can be extremely hurtful to read. Negative words hurt worse when said by someone you thought was your friend. So, be overly friendly and be positive. Remember ... treat others as you would like to be treated.

Some folks are not terribly good at thinking and writing at the same time, and what they say ends up sounding not so good. If you think they were deliberately nasty or highly critical, don't agonize over it or respond in kind. The best way to change what people do is to reward good behavior and to ignore bad behavior.

Read, re-read, and proof-read before you click ENTER. Don't rush to make that final change. Once you press the save button, you can't bring it back. Look everything over and use your spell check to be sure everything is accurate. When you are certain that the editing is complete, then save to publish.

Information please. The Internet is a great source of information but information is only useful when it is accurate. Before referencing a website, ask and answer a few simple questions:

• Who is the author or sponsor and what are the author's qualifications or credentials?
• What type of information is provided?
• When was the information created? last updated or revised?
• Where is the information coming from- is the domain a .edu, .gov, .org, etc.
• Why is the information posted; to educate, to inform, to present unbiased views, to entertain, to sell or entice?

Be brief, to the point and logical. Use breaks in your text and formatting elements to make the page easy to read and understand.

Follow Directions. Be sure to follow the directions that are given for the assignment -- be creative, but within the parameters set forth on the page.

Do not delete the work of others deliberately. Unless it is part of the editing process.

Keep it on topic - classroom oriented. This isn't the place to discuss afterschool plans.

Use Names in the Opening & Closing of posted "Comments."  To foster community & civility, please use the first name of the person or persons you are directing your remarks, observations, or questions to.  In closing your comment also include your own name.  These actions help to personalize online communication and go a long way towards fostering a sense of community and ensure a civil tone with the written remarks.

Stealing Locks.  Given the collaborative nature of a wiki and the number of working on the project, someone may want to edit a page that is currently being edited.  Remember, if you steal a lock from someone who is actively editing a page, all their changes will be lost. Here are some general guidelines:

• If you attempt to edit a page and the textbox notifies you that the page is being actively edited by another member of the group, take a 5 minute break to allow that person to complete their editing tasks.
• Never steal a lock unless the wiki "tells" you that the page has not been edited for 5 minutes. Don’t steal a lock when someone is actively editing and check twice (for the non-editing message) before stealing.
• For editors out there, this means you need to save your work if you notice that you have spent too much time away from the page.

Comment or Edit? Comments are used for discussion, questions or just: comments on the information. If your comment is facts or information of relevance for the topic of the page, you should EDIT the page and put the information there. Otherwise chance is no one will read it. This is a way to contribute. For example: If you have an idea of how to use/not use the wiki: edit this page.

Open external links in a new window. If you link to a page outside the wiki it's a good idea to open the link in a new window. This way users don't have to leave the wiki when following the link.

How? When you insert a link and choose Link Type: URL there will appear a new tab in the window called Target. Click this tab and choose Target: New window.