Guidelines & Suggestions for Participation

Important: Details on how to participate in our new structure will be emailed to registrants prior to the e-conference. Don't forget to register with a valid email address!

EcoRes's dual structure offers several ways to participate, whether in the plenary email discussion or the online forums. Please consider these suggestions for your contributions:

• In your first posting, briefly introduce yourself to the group (1-2 sentences may suffice).
• Keep postings on-topic and within the timeframe allotted per subject.
• Post early and often, but briefly (<500 words). Short posts get read; long posts don’t. Have a lot to share? Try splitting it into multiple comments.
• Good resources? A side forum will be provided for your suggestions.
• Operating language: For posts: English; For suggested materials: All
• Be respectful and remember that posts are open to all registrants. (Flamers beware!) EcoRes reserves the right to remove inappropriate contributions. Repeat offenders may be blocked from participation.
• Note: File attachments are not supported.

• Share your experience, as an individual or organization. If possible, provide examples or case studies. “Best practices” and “lessons learned” are greatly appreciated!
• Ask questions and discuss answers.
• If you use terminology exclusive to your field, please include brief definitions.
• Send links to related case studies, reports, bibliographies or other resources (i.e., publications, discussion lists, databases, websites, etc). These may also be posted in the participant recommendations section.
• Network, network, network: Explore ways to form local, regional and international partnerships with your fellow participants.
• Spread the word: Share what you learn with your colleagues, students, friends, and family.
• Make it real: Take what you learn and put it use. Then come back and tell us about it.
• Think globally, act locally: Form a local discussion group during the e-conference to discuss the proceedings. When the e-conference ends, keep your group going and build from there.
• Questions / Comments? Please contact the Forum.

---

  Effective Intercultural Communication

“Intercultural communication occurs whenever a message produced in one culture must be processed in another culture.” (Porter & Samovar, 1994)

Recognizing the diversity of our group, the EcoRes Forum would like to remind participants to consider the following general guidelines for intercultural communication. Bear in mind: Our group encompasses an endless variety of “cultures”: gender, nationality, ethnicity, profit/non-profit, academic/activist, religious/secular, and much, much more. Thank you!

1. Languages barriers: Please draft your messages carefully. Remember: English is not the first language of most participants, and each field may define similar terms quite differently. Whenever possible, avoid the use of jargon, idioms, and colloquialisms.
2. Be very careful with humor: Without body language and facial expressions, online comments are easy to misinterpret.

Best Practice: Be extra sensitive to others and less sensitive to yourself (try hard! :-)), proceed carefully, and assume the best spirit and motive until
proven otherwise. Remember: Our goal is two-way communication!

---

  E-Conference Code of Conduct

One of the greatest strengths of this e-conference series lies in its diversity. Our participants and panelists come with widely varying views on the environment, politics, ethics, how (and if) these fields overlap, and whether they should interact. We see this diversity as a strength, and ask that all participants appreciate this dialogue and debate as a vital, constructive part of democratic issue exploration.

The EcoRes Forum is dedicated to the free and respectful exchange of information, ideas, and education on the sociocultural aspects of climate change. We are committed to maintaining a safe, equal, and open discussion platform in which participants with differing views feel free to express themselves. As long as posts remain on-topic, they will not be removed on the basis of views expressed. However, this requires that all participants exercise respect and courtesy in their posts. Abusive language or personal attacks will not be tolerated. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, libelous, hateful,
  or otherwise objectionable messages
• Messages invading another’s privacy
• Messages attacking another participant, rather than critiquing message content Constructive disagreement is encouraged; however, please focus your comments
  on the argument/position in question
• Messages containing racial, religious, sexual or ethnic slurs or insults related to mental, physical or intellectual qualities
• Messages advocating violent action or illegal activities

In addition, disruptive messages (i.e., repeated posts of the same message, commercial advertisements, chain letters, and so on) will be removed.

The EcoRes Forum reserves the right to remove any posts in violation of these guidelines. Those responsible for such posts will be block from participation. If you encounter a post in violation of the above, please report this directly to abuse@eco-res.org.