Faculty

1. Be friendly, positive and self-reflective. When people cannot see you, and do not know you, feelings can be hurt if you are not careful how you express yourself. Think before you write. Do not respond when you feel angry. Wait. Write it down somewhere and come back to it. When you do, you may find that you no longer feel the same way, after you have had time to reflect. If you still feel the need to be heard, then take time to reread and rewrite it in terms that are easily embraced. When you feel a critique is necessary, express yourself in a positive tone.
2. Use proper language and titles. Do not use “text” slang or even profane words in an online education environments they will likely sound offensive to the reader. Leave the characters like smiley faces, and instant message abbreviations out. They may be interpreted as childish or too casual for the online education environment. Do not refer to your professor as "Doc" or by his or her first name, unless it is acceptable with him or her to do so. Do not use caps lock when writing, as it insinuates yelling. Always say please and thank you.
3. Use effective communication. This takes practice and thoughtful writing. Try to speak and write clearly at all times. Reread before you respond. Define and restate your words when necessary. Correct a misunderstanding right away. Be mindful of chosen words and joking.
4. Ask for clarification. If you are unsure of what was said, or the instructor's directions, or are trying to interpret a person's expressions, then ask again. Do not sit in silence feeling confused or offended. A simple way to do this is to say (or write), "I did not understand...", always keeping the sense of the misunderstanding on yourself.

San Antonio College Distance Learning Handbook Page 8

https://www.alamo.edu/contentassets/bd2e78936900417c9e3ea23fd12a7615/distance-learning-handbook.pdf