Newsgroups, E-Mail Lists, and Discussion Forums

To assess the relevance and credibility of a message on a newsgroup, an e-mail list, or a Web discussion forum, check for a “signature” at the end of the message, and try to locate a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) list. A signature can provide information about the sender, such as a professional title, and the URL for a personal home page where you can learn more about the author. FAQs can tell you about the purpose of a newsgroup, an e-mail list, or a discussion forum; whether messages are moderated (reviewed before being posted); and whether membership is open or restricted to a particular group.