home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
DP Tool Club 8
/
CDASC08.ISO
/
VRAC
/
IN_9309.ZIP
/
MODGUIDE.IN
< prev
next >
Wrap
Text File
|
1993-08-31
|
9KB
|
154 lines
INTELEC MODERATOR'S GUIDE
A moderator, sometimes referred to as a conference host, is in over all
charge of a conference. The moderator's chief responsibility is to main-
tain a friendly atmosphere while enforcing all network guidelines. The
following is a list of guidelines for moderators to use while carrying
out their duties. These guidelines are just that: guidelines. They are
not intended to circumvent broader Intelec regulations, nor is it intended
to list all Network regulations. Use this as a supplement to the net guide-
lines.
1. Keep threads on topic. Ask off-topic messages to be moved to a con-
ference of a more appropriate forum. Consult the complete conference
list and suggest to the user the proper conference for their messages.
2. Welcome new participants to your conference soon after a person's
arrival. You may miss new names appearing, especially in busier con-
ferences, but try never to miss a new participant's announcing themselves
and asking for assistance.
3. When moderating someone make sure they understand they are receiving an
"official warning". Make sure you include the words "first", "second",
"Official Warning" in the body of your text and try to include the word
"Warning" in the subject header.
4. Ask for an acknowledgement of all warning messages, (this counter-acts
the excuse "I did not receive your message"), but discourage arguements on
your decisions. If a user chooses to state their case and argue with you
they must move their thread to the USER-2-MOD conference. Any debate
concerning your actions within the conference is considered off-topic and
disruptive.
5. Never fan the flames by insulting in return. Avoid sarcasm.
6. Always consider mail lag time. A user may break the same rule again
before they have read your warning. Mail lag can sometimes be as great as
seven days. If you keep messages in numeric order, check back through the
message base to see what the average turn-around time is for this person
to respond to a message.
7. Keep records in notebook or file. These will serve as reminders of when
you moderate someone, the infraction, who they echo through, etc. You may
need this information in case of future problems with the same user.
8. When in doubt, ask. The Moderators conference is there for the exchange
of ideas and to receive advice from other conference hosts and the Chief
Moderator. Remember, besides representing your conference, you represent
Intelec also. Your actions reflect on the Network as a whole, so be sure
of yourself before you act, seek advice when you are not sure of your
position or how to handle unusual cases.
9. Inform the Chief Moderator of all Official Warnings. Include the name
of the offender(s) and their origin tag lines and subject header. Post
this information in the Moderators conference. The Chief Moderator keeps
text file records of all warnings.
10. Suspensions are granted or denied by the Chief Moderator after review-
ing all messages leading up to the request. The first priority considered
is compliance with Intelec regulations. Moderators may not suspend partic-
ipants on their own. Suspension requests are made in the Moderators conf-
ference only. As a part of a "check and balance" system, the Chief Moderator
can not Ban (TCan) anyone. That action must be performed by the Network
Administrator after he has reviewed the situation.
11. In the more volatile conferences, a moderator should attempt to keep
their own personal beliefs and bias out of their decision making process.
Try to be impartial. Strong religious and political view points will
cloud your judgement.
12. Avoid letting anyone know your personal beliefs on a subject when that
subject is one of controversy. If you are known to have a certain stand
on any matter, you will be accused of being biased and unfair in any ruling
on your part. This diminishes your ability to moderate effectively and
creates extra burdens on the administration.
13. Keep a copy of the In-Basket handy. Moderators are expected to know
and keep abreast of Intelec regulations.
14. Try to put yourself in another person's shoes when trying to cool off
a dispute. Consider by studying their messages, where they are "coming
from". Education, computer proficiency, and cultural differences make a
difference in the way a person communicates. Often a person is not in-
tending to cause problems, but merely does not understand as well as others.
15. When your first reaction to a message is to blast away with warnings,
it's time to step back until you calm down. Never post an angry message
as a moderator.
16. Do not let things "get to you". Remember you are dealing with a diverse
public. Not everything you read or respond to will be to your liking.
17. A moderator should poses tact, decorum, diplomacy, a sense of humor
and good communication skills. Having an active interest in the confer-
ence's topic is helpful, but actually secondary to the function of over-
seeing policy.
18. Moderators are required to monitor NetAdmin, Moderators and UseR-2-mod
on a regular basis. In NetAdmin you may use the "YA" option in your reader.
In Moderators and User-2-Mod you should attempt to read all messages.
19. When message traffic dies to a level that threatens the future of a con-
ference, attempt to stimulate new threads. You may also periodically advertise
your conference in NetAdmin, New Users, and conferences that are similar to
yours with that moderators permission.
20. Before responding harshly to a message that is clearly off topic, con-
sider the possibility the message is a cross feed and therefore unintentional.
Remember to report obvious cross feeds to the administrator.
21. Moderators should refrain at all costs the criticizing of other
moderators in a public conference. If you feel another moderator needs
critiquing, keep it in "Private" by using the moderators conference.
22. In the past many conferences used specific conference guidelines. It
proved to be a confusing policy and as of Sept 1, 93 we no longer recommend
them. If your conference needs a specific guideline that is not addressed in
the General Net Rules make this need known to the Administration before
implementing any such guideline.
23. Be sure to make your position known. Identify yourself as the moderator
in a signature or tag line. Never use that signature or tag line outside
your own conference, Moderators, NetAdmin and User-2-Mod.
24. Where as all moderators are answerable to the Chief Moderator, the Chief
Moderator answers to the Net Administrator. In the event you feel you have
been treated unfairly or disagree with the CM's judgement, you may appeal
to the Net Administrator in the Moderators conference.
25. Intelec prohibits messages designed to advertise products in any
conference except ForSale. However, moderators may allow such "on topic"
ads to be placed in their conference if they feel it is of benefit to the
participants and not of the "Line Card" type.
The current Chief Moderator maintains a private phone line that can be
used in cases where using e-mail is not fast enough, or the situation is
too delicate for e-mail. Phone conversations will not replace the open way
we handle things and the results of any phone conversation that deals with
Net business will be posted in Moderators.
Chief Moderator Rod Wardlow
309-786-2276 24 hours
All calls are on "your dime" and an answering machine is not used in
order not to waste your long-distance money. If the Chief Moderator is
not available, there will be no answer. In addition, in extreme cases when
someone must be reached, Dave Calmer, the Network Administrator, has an
office phone dedicated to network business.
Network Administrator Dave Calmer
309-786-9791 24 hours
An answering machine is in use on this line when Dave is not available.