Online Communication Tone Analysis
In face-to-face communication, meaning is conveyed not only through words but also through tone of voice and body language (facial expressions, hand gestures, etc.). As a result, listeners pay more attention to our tone and body language than to our word choices in order to derive additional clues to our meaning.
Challenges of Online Communication
One of the challenges of communicating online is that we must depend entirely on words to convey meaning. For example, we do not have the opportunity to reinforce our intention to be positive and encouraging with a smile or a nod. Without the accompanying tone or body language, people can misconstrue the meaning of the message. Consequently, written communicators need to carefully choose their …show more content…
However, this medium does allow for a unique dynamic: the ability to convey tone through writing. The words we choose, the format in which we present them, and visual enhancements - such as italics, color, font size, and emoticons :-) all convey the tone of messages.
The Importance of Tone in Written Communication
Tone in writing provides the reader with an indication of how the writer feels about the subject matter, as well as about the audience. In online communication, it is necessary for our tone to be professional and direct, yet natural and unforced. We want others to know that we have given thoughtful consideration to the subject matter. We also want the tone to come across as open and welcoming of further comments and responses from our colleagues. Below are some tips to consider when writing messages for the online environment:
• Keep the intended audience in mind. Personalize your message for a particular audience. Use appropriate greetings in your messages, reference specific comments posted by your classmates or by the instructor, and direct questions to the class as a whole, as well as to specific …show more content…
However, avoid overusing emoticons in place of fully explaining the meaning of your statements.
• Carefully choose your font size and color, as well as your message format. Using a bright pink font may not convey a professional tone as much as a standard black or navy font would. In addition, very large fonts or the use of all caps might make your message seem shouting and accusatory.
• Take advantage of the asynchronous aspect of the OLS software. Though you will need to compose many messages, you will not always need to post them immediately. In fact, you may decide to compose messages in another application like Microsoft® Word first, and then copy-and-paste the text into your OLS posts. Doing so allows you to save messages and review them later to provide a better perspective on the tone of a particular note. Stop and consider these questions before posting any new message: Is it respectful, courteous, professional, and constructive? Read it aloud. Would you be comfortable saying the words in a face-to-face conversation? Make any changes you deem necessary to improve the tone before sending the
Challenges of Online Communication
One of the challenges of communicating online is that we must depend entirely on words to convey meaning. For example, we do not have the opportunity to reinforce our intention to be positive and encouraging with a smile or a nod. Without the accompanying tone or body language, people can misconstrue the meaning of the message. Consequently, written communicators need to carefully choose their …show more content…
However, this medium does allow for a unique dynamic: the ability to convey tone through writing. The words we choose, the format in which we present them, and visual enhancements - such as italics, color, font size, and emoticons :-) all convey the tone of messages.
The Importance of Tone in Written Communication
Tone in writing provides the reader with an indication of how the writer feels about the subject matter, as well as about the audience. In online communication, it is necessary for our tone to be professional and direct, yet natural and unforced. We want others to know that we have given thoughtful consideration to the subject matter. We also want the tone to come across as open and welcoming of further comments and responses from our colleagues. Below are some tips to consider when writing messages for the online environment:
• Keep the intended audience in mind. Personalize your message for a particular audience. Use appropriate greetings in your messages, reference specific comments posted by your classmates or by the instructor, and direct questions to the class as a whole, as well as to specific …show more content…
However, avoid overusing emoticons in place of fully explaining the meaning of your statements.
• Carefully choose your font size and color, as well as your message format. Using a bright pink font may not convey a professional tone as much as a standard black or navy font would. In addition, very large fonts or the use of all caps might make your message seem shouting and accusatory.
• Take advantage of the asynchronous aspect of the OLS software. Though you will need to compose many messages, you will not always need to post them immediately. In fact, you may decide to compose messages in another application like Microsoft® Word first, and then copy-and-paste the text into your OLS posts. Doing so allows you to save messages and review them later to provide a better perspective on the tone of a particular note. Stop and consider these questions before posting any new message: Is it respectful, courteous, professional, and constructive? Read it aloud. Would you be comfortable saying the words in a face-to-face conversation? Make any changes you deem necessary to improve the tone before sending the