Discussion Lists

The difference between discussion lists and web forums is simply the way the messages are distributed. Messages posted to lists are distributed via email rather than being made available at a website. So anytime anyone sends a message to a group (via a group email address) everyone on the list gets a copy. Because people respond to these messages via the group email, the result is a kind of running conversation, or a number of parallel conversations on different topics.

Discussion groups or lists allow for ongoing discussions among members, with or without moderation. These types of lists are most commonly used for internal communication within an organization or group of people with a shared interest. Unlike a one-way list, a discussion list not only allows but encourages interaction among members who are part of the group. Every member has equal access to write to the group.

Advantages of joining discussion lists

• Facilitate the sharing of expertise.
• Raise awareness of current issues in your field.
• Find obscure references by asking for help on the list.
• Simple (all you need is an email account) and free.
• Increase your specialised vocabulary.
• Find out where and who has the latest ideas.
• Great place to find announcements of publications, job vacancies, and so forth.
• Space where organisers of conferences and symposia frequently post calls for papers and program contents.
• Reports may be given on new archival or bibliographic sources, new software, or datasets.

Where can I find discussion lists?

The following indexes of discussion lists can help you find the right list for you:

• catalist
• tilenet
• ozlists (Australia only)
• Yahoo! Groups
• Internet Gurus Central
• The Mailing List Gurus Page
• Cool List

Because lists come and go, it is virtually impossible to keep a truly up-to-date list collection. If you can't find what you want on these indexes you could ask your lecturer or tutor for any recommendations and/or do a more specialised search on the internet. To do this simply type in your special interest + discussion list + context into a search engine. For example, if you're interested in a discussion list on engineering that originates in Australia you could try: Engineering + discussion list + Australia.

Hint: When searching for a discussion list, think about what words or phrases might appear in the list's description. For example, if you want to talk about cats, you can search for "cats", but you probably won't find a list named "Cat lovers" or "felines". On the other hand, if you search for "cat", you'll find zillions of lists whose descriptions include the words "category" or "catalogue". You might want to specify something like "cats or feline" - try your search several different ways if you don't find interesting lists the first time. Once you find a discussion list that looks interesting, the website should include instructions for subscribing. Be sure there is a way to get OFF the list too.

Practical tips

• Don't subscribe to too many lists at once as you may be inundated. You may also like to unsubscribe if you are going away.
• Make sure you understand Internet etiquette, or "netiquette". For example, it's best to "lurk" for awhile (read the discussions and observe the tone of the group) before posting. Lurk for a week or two and you will see how the other members communicate so that you can avoid repeating points that have been made recently.
• Specific questions which show previous research and careful thought are more likely to generate useful responses from discussion group members. For example, rather than asking, "How do you mainstream children?" you might try, "I am trying to identify techniques to use in mainstreaming a six-year-old boy with Downs Syndrome into a session of science experiments with water. I have considered working with students in small groups rather than as a whole class. What would you recommend doing so that he can participate fully without disrupting the experiments?"
• When you reply to a message, include the point you are responding to in the original message, but quote only the most relevant part of the previous posting.
• Only send plain text messages to mailing lists. If you want to share anything else (ie an attachment), invite people who may be interested to email you privately.