Are you familiar with the concept of the "Invisible College"?
It refers to the loose dynamic of scholars and researchers exchanging messages and collaborating around a shared profession or research topic. These groups may exchange drafts of research or just the germ of an idea. This phrase has been in use since the early 1960's when email was not a preferred method of communication. Today we have significantly more access to others in our field through electronic communication, specifically email. Email has generated new forms of electronic communication: mailing lists and, sometimes, newsgroups.
What are mailing lists?
Internet mailing lists are generally communities of people discussing one of their favorite topics by email. These are also referred to as discussion groups. Members subscribe via email message to a piece of hardware called a "list server." Once subscribed, a member can email a message to a specific email address and the message is "posted" or emailed to all other list members simultaneously.
Announcement lists are somewhat different. Members subscribe, but cannot post a message to the other subscribers. The JEFFLINE Forum uses a mailing list in this way to announce the arrival of a new edition. Many other newsletter-style mailing lists are popular. The journal Scientist sends a newsletter message announcing the latest edition's table of contents and also includes graphics that can be viewed if you have an email reader with graphics capabilities.
The Nursing, Information Technology and Library professions have embraced mailing lists and utilize them to keep a finger on the pulse of topical discussions as well as obtain answers to specific questions. A systems librarian will monitor a software "user group" discussion list and ask for assistance if she gets stuck on an implementation problem. Information about upcoming conferences, job postings, and current hot topics within a discipline are discussed. Often, links to journal articles and helpful Web sites are posted.
- "DNIG" is a discussion list "for nurses interested in diabetes education and care."
- NurseLinx is an newsletter/announcement format providing "news for nursing."
Other lists cover topics as diverse as
- GERO-NURSE (research about gerontological nursing interventions),
- NurseAdvocate (Nurse-experienced workplace violence),
- and the geographically designated CTNURS-L (Connecticut Nurses).
Privacy for incubation
Some mailing lists are open to anyone with an interest to join. Some lists have an individual who must manually add subscribers, after providing proof of membership in an organization. The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) only allows members to join lists. Professionals may join lists covering 13 topics including gerontology, home & community health, and the school system. Limiting access allows members the privacy to discuss issues that may not be appropriate for all audiences.
Moderated lists have a list owner or moderator who personally reviews every message submitted to the list and posts only those messages that are on the topic. Many lists have a list owner or administrator but remain un-moderated. Largely populated lists can produce dozens of messages per day and require many hours of manual posting for the list owner. Consequently the participants must understand the "netiquette" of posting messages to a list.
Netiquette
Lurking - When a new member subscribes to a mailing list, lurking is the first activity to undertake. Lurking is the act of reading the mailing list emails without posting any communication. It does not have a negative connotation in this setting. It allows the newbie (new subscriber) to study the tenor and flow of conversations and observe what is appropriate and inappropriate behavior.
No Flaming - think before you hit the "send" button on your email message. Personal insults, profanity and rude behavior may get you tossed off the mailing list.
No Shouting - IF YOU POST MESSAGES IN ALL UPPER-CASE LETTERS, IT HAS THE SAME EFFECT ON THE READER AS IF YOU SHOUTED!
No Advertising - most, but not all, mailing lists ban blatant advertising. Generally, lists will welcome conference notices, short announcements of product demonstrations, and subscriber's thoughtful comments on products they have used if it relates to the topic. Each list is different and it pays to ask if it is OK with the list owner before you post an ad or announcement. Regarding personal opinions on products - exercise restraint. Some lists have subscribers who produce the product you may be discussing.
Use Emoticons - not communicating face-to-face has its dangers. A writer's message can be misinterpreted with unpleasant results. Using emoticons puts some of the writer's intention back into the message. Emoticons or "smileys" are little facial expressions created using letters and punctuation marks. To view one, you must rotate your head 90° to your left. The face will show itself. Use a "winking" face to indicate that your statement is tongue-in-cheek: ;-)
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BTW
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By the way
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TIA
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Thanks, in advance
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IMHO
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In my humble opinion
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LOL
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Lots of laughs
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Abbreviations - a language short-hand is popular on lists. You will be a popular poster if you post short, to the point messages. Avoid 100+ word messages, people will delete your post rather than read a long-winded piece of email. To the right are a few popular abbreviations in use all over the Internet.
Bulletin boards vs. mailing lists
The American College of Physicians - American Society of Internal Medicine (ACP - ASIM) has a slightly different twist on professional communication. With proper password verification, members can post and read messages using a Web page set up for the purpose. You do not receive email on a topic, you must go to the specified Web page to read or post. Some people prefer this method since it limits the amount of incoming email, but many prefer the imposed reading of email messages. You see that there are messages in your "in" box that must be dealt with.
Start with your professional organizations. Many have email lists, but don't promote the lists too heavily. There are also publicly available lists of email lists, one is called "liszt.com" and the other "tile.net". Addresses for both are listed below.
