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Rules & Guidelines

The Quoteland.com discussion groups are communities for learning and discovery. Please be a good citizen when using the forums.

The people who frequent the discussion groups are not Quoteland.com employees, but volunteers who work out of sheer generosity and a love for words. Respect is all they ask for in return. Please be polite and thankful to all who frequent the board.

If you have a question, please check to see if someone already asked the same thing recently. It saves time for you and those who frequent the discussion groups.

If you want to answer someone's question, feel free. Please keep in mind that everyone here has feelings, and an insulting or condescending tone can be hurtful. If you decide to answer a question, be friendly about it.

Occasionally, a debate emerges in the course of the discussions. Debates can be interesting and fun, but they can get out of hand easily. Please be polite and humble in a debate - never insulting.

OFFICIAL RULES:

1. Regarding the nature of a post: all topics must be posted to the appropriate discussion groups. If necessary, the forum's leaders may move any topic to the relevant forum. If the posting is completely irrelevant, the leaders may delete the posting.

2. Regarding the message of a post: all posts must be completely respectful of all users. Absolutely no personal attacks, hateful language, verbal assaults, or messages of wrathful intent will be tolerated. Users may uphold, defend and debate any viewpoint stipulated, but not at the expense of others.

3. Regarding the volume of posts: While inspiration may come at any time, there is a point after which new postings by an individual are abusive. While it is difficult to establish a specific guideline regarding frequency of new topics, the difference between justified multiple postings and "flooding" is far from subtle.

Short messages and topics must be consolidated into a very small number of topics. The site leaders have the right to edit, merge, filter and delete any excessive postings.

4. Regarding plagiarism: Quoteland.com believes in the importance of scholarly honor. Plagiarism of any kind is completely intolerable. Any deliberate attempt to claim another person's work as one's own will result in immediate and indefinite suspension from the discussions.

5. Regarding the quality of original work: While skill levels vary among the members of the forum, there is an obvious difference between posting a composition and simple mental dross. The latter reduces the value of an individual's words and the attention they will receive. It is also disruptive and harmful to the discussion groups as a whole.

Works which display no effort or are designed only to garner attention will be considered off-topic and treated as such.

6. Regarding obscenity and graphic language: Graphic language is sometimes necessary to communicate a certain point. Again, there is a clear difference between occasional and calculated use of potentially offensive words and inclusion of them for the sole purpose of attracting attention. Obscenity for obscenity's sake is subject to editing and deletion at the discretion of the moderators.

7. Regarding authority: The word of the site leaders (including moderators, facilitators and administrators) is absolutely final. The Quoteland Forums are privately owned, providing a free online service for those who wish to study and discuss quotations and related literary matters in a collegiate and friendly environment. Quoteland administration has the right to deny posting rights at Quoteland's absolute discretion.

8. In addition to the rules put forth here, it is expected that every user will uphold the finest standards of respect, honor and scholarship. Any inappropriate conduct is subject to appropriate actions.