INLS 181: Internet Applications

BRIEF GUIDELINES FOR THE DISCUSSION FORUM REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATION

1. To be an active part of a distributed online community
2. To write about that community
3. To compare 2 (or more) communities

From the syllabus:
Your review will include

• A title; good organization; proper use of English
• Identification of the your intended audience
• Identification of the intended audiences for the forums
• Effective use of HTML
• A narrative introducing each forum and your experiences with them
• A recommendation for which forum might be best for a member of your intended audience

General format
You should be using considerably more advanced HTML techniques than for your first assignment. You might consider using more than one file, incorporating graphics, using CSS, or other techniques.

Choose 2 mailing lists or newsgroups to discuss and compare.

• That's 2 total. So, you could:
  • Analyze 2 mailing lists, OR
  • Analyze 2 newsgroups, OR
  • Analyze one of each
• Also, you could look at Web-based discussion forums, if you would like
• They do NOT need to be on the same topic or have the same audience

Provide a general introduction to your exploration

Provide a description of each list/group using criteria you think would be of interest to your audience

Compare or contract the two, again using criteria you think would be of interest to your audience

Provide a summary or conclusion, including whether you recommend each list/group.