Etiquette for PHYS-L and Similar Electronic Mailing List Postings (largely paraphrased by Dan MacIsaac from Mailing List Manners 101 & 102 by Adam C. Engst at <http://db.tidbits.com/getbits.acgi?tbser=1141> ; used with permission) These are guideline and considerations, not hard and fast rules. When in doubt, ask the moderator or list owner. Write Carefully: lurk on any new list, reading typical postings for style and content for a few days before plunging in with your first posting check your spelling, grammar, punctuation and composition as best possible; while you are not publishing in a peer-reviewed journal, the message is going to 650-odd professionals, not a close friend. If appropriate, ask someone to proofread your post before sending it. English is not the native language for many subscribers (PHYS-L has subscribers from 30+ countries). We encourage subscribers to post if they have any reasonable facility with written English. don’t use all capital letters, and insert a blank line between paragraphs surround URLs (web addresses) with angle brackets or set them apart from regular text Quote Sparingly: avoid excessively large replies created by quoting complete original messages (a real problem for DIGEST-mode readers). Instead, select and keep only appropriate quoted text, indicating what is quoted and what is not from the original message (many email programs will do this automatically) and manually pruning out irrelevant sections. Indicate deletions. Leave enough original material so you are not enigmatic. prune your email signature to two lines or less Avoid Junk Postings: don’t post listserv commands to the list (SUBSCRIBE or UNSUBSCRIBE requests etc); they are sent to the program controlling the list, not the list itself. See the sidebar to this article or the list web page <http://purcell.phy.nau.edu/phys-l/> for controlling your list subscription. When you join a list, keep a copy of the introductory note mailed to you with this information. ensure sure you verify the address line when you try to reply to a single person and not the entire list (this sometimes embarrasses job seekers) don’t respond to calls for survey information via the list, instead return private email to the survey poster who should summarize replies and post a summary back to the list don’t post welcome or congratulations messages after an initial on-list general announcement (these are more meaningful when privately sent) if you are seeking factual information, check list archives and FAQs before posting your query. Explore and learn to use any list archives. Don’t automatically believe anything you read on the web or on any list. avoid file attachments. Don’t post binary files to PHYS-L; they are inappropriately long and burdensome to readers and are a prime vector for computer viruses. PHYS-L has no current acceptable format for posting pictures and images. The preferred solution is to create an appropriate web page somewhere, then post its URL on PHYS-L for web viewing and list comment. when posting turn off features like v-cards and HTML-mail (the default format in Netscape and Internet Explorer browser-email) that automatically create attachments chain mail is inappropriate, as is commercial solicitation Write Descriptive Subject Lines: use descriptive phrases, questions, specific topics or collections of keywords as your posting subject line. If replying to a thread identify the thread you are discussing in the subject line. Many list readers DELETE unrecognizable subject lines from lists unread in their incoming mail. Subject lines should aid the retrieval of appropriate information for months or years in the future. For instance, instead of Midterm Question use Harmonic vs. Anharmonic driving forces in musical instruments Topic, Tone, and Viruses: all postings should follow the list topic and intent. PHYS-L postings should all have purposes specific to the list (in this case teaching and learning physics, and not jokes about accountants). This is particularly problematic with the more specialized physics education lists such as PhysLrnR and TAP-L, which are deliberately not general lists like PHYS-L. an appropriate tone for posting is conversational, not formal but respectful of others. When emailing, try to speak as if you were in front of another person. It is inappropriate to use inflammatory language or personal attacks in list postings. This IS monitored on PHYS-L and all of the above physics lists. Moderators and list owners work hard at keeping tone appropriately professional, welcoming and supportive for all list members. respond first to what the poster has said before developing your own views and opinions (old business first). Try not to fall into parallel communication (taking turns to speak but not carefully reading and attempting to understand replies) in online exchanges. This usually means you should delay your responses and reflect on what to say rather than firing off "knee-jerk" instant replies. Fine conversation has give and take. Avoid e-rage; don’t say things in email you would not say standing before someone else — you are NOT talking aloud to yourself in private. The moderate use of emoticons or smileys :^) can be helpful when conveying attitude, humor or sarcasm. Readers cannot hear the tone of your voice when you write, making it especially dangerous to convey sarcasm. if you do receive an attachment document or executable file from any list, quarantine this file in a download folder and run a virus detector over it before executing or opening. Viruses have been spread through the physics lists, although this is uncommon and the event is quickly caught and announced AFTER the fact. If a computer is connected to the Internet, it REQUIRES anti-virus software.

Table 1: The four chief public physics education-related lists

 

Name (#)	PHYS-L (700)	PHYSHARE (400)	PhysLrnR (475)	TAP-L (300)
Description	Forum for Physics Teachers	Sharing Resources for HS Physics Teachers	Physics Learning Research List	Technical Aspects of Physics Labs & lectures
List address	<phys-l @carnot.physics.buffalo.edu>	<physhare@ lists.psu.edu>	<physlrnr@ listserv.boisestate.edu>	<tap-l@ listserv.appstate.edu>
List Admin Address	<https:// carnot.physics.buffalo.edu/>	<listserv@ lists.psu.edu>	<listserv@ listserv.boisestate.edu>	<listproc@ listproc.appstate.edu>
List Owner Address	<macisadl@ BuffaloState.edu>	<kctipton@alumni. rice.edu> and <jdp@westy.jtwn. k12.pa.us>	<dykstrad@ bsumail.idbsu.edu>	<grahamaj@ appstate.edu>
Related Web Pages	<http://PhysicsEd.BuffaloState.edu> and <https:// carnot.physics.buffalo.edu/>	<http://geocities.com/physhare/> and <http://lists.psu.edu/ archives/physhare.html>	<http://listserv.boisestate. edu/archives/physlrnr.html> and <ftp://physlrnr.idbsu.edu /plrserve/pub/physlrnr/>	<http://www.pira.nu/> and <http://listproc.appstate.edu: 8000>

Dan MacIsaac
http://PhysicsEd.BuffaloState.edu/danowner/
macisadl@buffalostate.edu