As I continue to explore a new world of engagement through the various tasks assigned in this Unit, it's become more and more apparent to me that communication lies at the base of every process and activity undertaken online.

I've always considered myself an effective communicator. English was my favourite subject throughout my school years. I have a very good grasp of the English language and can communicate ideas and thoughts adeptly to others whether through oral skills or in writing. My working life has been centred around communicating - as a writer, a Publicist, a Public Relations Consultant, it has been imperative that my communication skills are top notch.

There have always been protocols in place: How to write a business letter; how to effectively communicate a message via a Media Release; how to compose a feature article for publication; how to write a news article for publication; how to conduct a business meeting; how to structure a presentation or pitch.

I have learnt these methods of communication and am a skilled practitioner. But I am now developing my understanding of how these protocols do and don't translate to the online environment.

Communication online has a different set of protocols for different types of online communication. There are right and wrong ways of contributing to Forum Posts; right and wrong ways of being involved in email lists and newsgroups; right and wrong ways to Twitter; right and wrong ways to effectively communicate via email.

It is not enough to apply standards used outside online communication to communicate online. There's a whole new set of rules to be learnt in order to become an effective online communicator.

So,if the methods and forms of communication are different between offline and online communication what, if anything, is the same?

Etiquette.

Underpinning all positive and productive communications whether offline or online is a type of social etiquette. It makes sense! There are a set of implicit social rules of conduct when communicating with someone else that need to be followed in order for effective communication to be achieved. More than that, these 'rules' allow people to have meaningful and productive exchanges via basic skills such as listening, responding, reacting and empathising.

Netiquette. An understood set of guidelines to appropriately communicate in an online environment, a 'network etiquette' that informs all effective, positive and 'human' communications conducted via the internet.

Well what an eye opener! I had given no thought at all to netiquette in the decade since I first logged onto the world wide web. I took my traditional communication skills and my social niceties with me and off I went to 'communicate' as I had always done, and with supreme confidence.

Sticking within the confines of what I already understood as good communicating meant I merely lurked in any space where I didn't fully understand 'the rules of engagement'. I was an observer but not a participant beyond emailing and some basic chat with friends.

How limiting! What a way to under use the full experience of the internet!

I'm on my way to further crunching of this theory but at this stage I have decided that the key to online communication requires an understanding of netiquette first and foremost.