[NLA] INFO: NLA Policies, Guidelines and Netiquette

[David J. Rosen]

NLA Colleagues,

For new subscribers, and for others, here are the NLA electronic
list statement of purpose, "netiquette" and guidelines for what
kinds of messages can and cannot be posted.  Please read this.


David J. Rosen
NLA List Moderator
<DJRosen at theworld.com>
====================================================================

The main purposes of the NLA electronic list are to provide
subscribers with information about national issues which affect
adult literacy/basic/secondary education and English for Speakers
of Other Languages legislation, policy, and funding.  It should
help NLA e-list members inform policy makers about courses of action
that will benefit adult learners enrolled in literacy, biliteracy,
ESOL, ABE, GED, EDP/ADP and other kinds of adult literacy and
Learning programs.

Subscribers are encouraged to post information to the NLA e-list,
use the NLA e-list postings to inform policy makers, and use the
e-list to raise and discuss questions and concerns about policy
issues affecting adult literacy and learning.  The NLA e-list is
intended to provide a forum for discussion of public policy issues
in which there is broad participation from all those who care about
adult literacy education: learners, practitioners, researchers,
staff developers, policy makers, and others.

As the NLA e-list has grown, another purpose has evolved. It is
also for people who may not participate in discussion but who wish
to learn about the issues from those who do and, we hope,
to take action.


List "Netiquette"

Electronic lists generally have some basic expectations of users,
so here are ours:

1)  Always sign your messages -- in the body of the message -- as
some subscribers do not get all the header information.  Include
at least your name and, if you want people to reply to you
individually, your e-mail address.  Some subscribers would like
message posters to put their name near the top of the message.
If you wish, you can add your organizational affiliation, your
phone, fax, and U.S. Postal address.

2)  When you reply to a posted message, it helps readers if you
quote the part of the message (usually not the whole message)
that you are replying to.  They will then understand the context.
Many mail utilities allow the user, when responding to a message,
to "quote" it.  Then you can delete the parts of the message which
are not pertinent to your reply.

3)  Before you send a reply, consider if it should go to everyone
on the list or just to the person who sent the message.  If you
think it will be of general interest, send it to the list; if not,
be careful to reply only to the message originator.

4)  Advertisements, practitioner job announcements and other posts
which are not related to adult literacy and learning >public policy< 
issues should not be posted here, but could be posted to other 
electronic lists.  A free on-line list of adult literacy electronic 
lists, and how to subscribe to each of them, will be found at
http://www.alri.org/literacylist.html

5)  Messages will not be posted to the NLA e-list which, in the
judgment of the moderator, include "shouting" or "flaming."
Text written in capital letters or which uses multiple
exclamation points is referred to in e-list parlance as
"shouting." Emphasis could instead be shown by using >these<.
"Flaming" is personal attack, sarcasm, innuendo or other kinds of
derogatory or disrespectful language. Messages which are intended
to attack or criticize the practices of a specific service
provider (program) or other organization also will not be posted.
Subscribers, in evaluations of the NLA e-list, have indicated that
they do not want such messages to be posted here.

6) Some subscribers have asked that for messages which are long or
philosophical the poster should indicate this in the message header
(possibly with the words "long" or philosophical") or at the top
of the message.

7) Some subscribers have suggested that "brevity is the key to
being heard," that writing clearly, simply and directly will lead
to better communication. One suggestion for long messages is to
include a brief synopsis at the beginning.

8) As NLA e-list messages are archived at
http://lists.literacytent.org/pipermail/nla/  and at 
http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/discussions/nifl-nla/nla.html , it helps
those who are searching for a message if the header addresses the
subject. For example, "Welfare Reform," "learner leadership," and
"Workforce Investment Act" are helpful but "My reply to your
thoughts" is not.

9) In messages which refer to research or theory it helps those
who wish to learn more if references are cited.

10) Avoid messages to the list which only say "Thanks," or
"I agree."  E-mail those to the individual.

11) Please do not include attachments to postings. Some
subscribers cannot or, because they are concerned about viruses,
will not open attachments.


Guidelines for What kinds of Messages Should be Posted on the
NLA E-list

The moderator tries to keep the focus of the e-list on adult
literacy public policy. Messages related to adult literacy/basic
education/ESOL public policy are welcome, and:

1.  research, job announcements, calls for conference papers,
and conference announcement postings are welcome >if< their
content is clearly related to adult literacy/basic
skills/ESOL public policy;

2.  announcements of literacy-related publications of all kinds
are welcome;

3.  inquiries about adult education methods or practices are
welcome; however, unless they are related to public policy, the
poster should ask that replies be sent to her/him, not to the
NLA e-list;

4.  questionnaires can be posted provided: a) it is made clear
that replies are to be sent to the poster, not to the NLA e-list;
and  b) if they are public-policy related, the poster agrees to
post a summary of the results to the NLA e-list; and

5.  short, grant RFP notices of all kinds can be posted,
preferably  if they list a Web site where one can see the
whole RFP online.

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