Joining Scholarly Lists

I. Two Useful Definitions:

The first and most important distinction to make is between a listserv, which is an administrative tool the list owner uses to run the list, and the list, the e-mail conference which individuals use to actually write to one another on subjects such as Milton, Teaching English as a Second Language and thousands of other topics.

In other words, the listserv is the address you contact to join or leave a list, or to suspend messages when you are on vacation or too busy to participate. The list is the address which you will use to send messages to the group, and which the group will use to send messages to everybody else.

Please refer to H.E.L.P.'s Glossary of Computer Terminology if you would like more complete information about the differences between a listserv and a list.

II. Finding Lists:

First, you need to do some research in order to find out about lists of interest to you. H.E.L.P. has a number of scholarly lists (H.E.L.P. has other lists here as well) and you can click on any of these listed below:

The Directory of Scholarly and Professional E-Conferences

Liszt

Liszt is a mailing list directory to over 71,000 lists. Note, though, that this directory is not limited to scholarly resources. It has a lot of popular culture lists on it, though it will probably link you to one of the scholarly directories if you enter a word such as Derrida (if you are lucky) or tell you that it knows of no lists on this subject (do not give up; go to the scholarly lists).

Scholarly Lists and University Web Sites

You may find out about lists in other ways as well: from a colleague, a forwarded e-mail message and so forth. But remember that you need to know the listserv address to be placed on or taken off of a list.

III. Joining Lists:

Each listserv has slightly different requirements so it is hard to give specific directions. But these requirements are almost always quite similar. Say, for example, I am interested in the following list, which is described as follows:

Society for Women in Philosophy Information and Discussion List

I read further and learn how the group presents itself:

This is the list of the Society for Women in Philosophy (SWIP), an organization of women who are feminist philosophers. It is a women-centered feminist list for the purpose of sharing information and announcements of conferences, calls for papers, job announcements, requests for information, resources, and discussions in the field of feminist philosophy. Substantive discussions of issues WITHIN feminist philosophy are also appropriate. The list is moderated by a team of editors and messages that are deemed inappropriate ....

I also learn that I should join the list by doing the following:

--Send list commands to LISTSERV@CFRVM.CFR.USF.EDU

So first I write to the listserv address above and request to be added to the list. But this is not a typical e-mail message. The subject, for example, is left blank.

To: LISTSERV@CFRVM.CFR.USF.EDU

From: esommers@sfsu.edu

Re:
____________________________________________________________

Subscribe SWIP-L Elizabeth Sommers
____________________________________________________________

Note again that usually only the word subscribe, the list name and your first name and last name are written in the content field. Occasionally you write your e-mail address instead (the listserv should let you know if this is so; the default decision is to write your first and last name). But if the listserv had been set up this way, I would have written:

Subscribe SWIP-L esommers@sfsu.edu

The listserv, often machine-operated, will often send you back a confirmation number for security purposes. Usually a listserv will warn the new subscriber that a subscription will be canceled within forty-eight hours unless the confirmation is received and the instructions about sending it back are followed.

Once you provide confirmation (which the message will tell you how to do), you will then usually receive a lot information in an e-mail message: a welcome message, information on how to leave the list to go on vacation, how to unsubscribe, how to get help, how to receive names and e-mail addresses of other members and so forth. Save this message in a PINE, Eudora or Pegasus folder, as you will need it later.

You will be asked for further information about yourself--scholarly affiliation, degrees, fields of interest, research background--before you are given permission to join a list. This is usually routine, a way some list owners use to keep the level of discussion at a scholarly level that appeals to most members. Many other lists are open to anybody who is interested.

You will often find a list of the following abbreviations used to describe scholarly lists:

LN: List name

TI: Type of content discussed on list

SU: This command tells you where to send a listserv message. Disregard (B), which stands for the old Bitnet system, as at SFSU you will always use (I), or the Internet path onto the list. This is usually the second choice.

ED: This tells you whether or not the list is edited. Edited lists include comments that are selected by and often commented upon by the list owner before the entire list receives them. Unedited lists are self-governing.

AR: This tells you whether the list is archived or not.

MO: Moderator

SA: Sending address, or list address. Again, the (B) stands for "Bitnet" but you will always use the (I) or Internet option, usually the second option.

KE: Key Word(s) to access the list.

Note: If you find a long list of lists that is too much to plow through, click on the binoculars on your browser. Then write the key word you're looking for: Woolf, for example. You can also pull down the Edit menu to Find and put the word Woolf in this way. Either way can save you a lot of time.

IV. List Etiquette:

Once you join a list, it is prudent to wait awhile to observe the conventions, especially in an unmoderated list. But when you do this all of the time it is known as lurking, a habit some list participants find objectionable.

Worst List Offense: Flaming, or writing offensive or hateful messages. This is both illegal and intolerable. Note that participants can and often do disagree with one another; it is the ad hominem and ad femina attacks that provoke most people.

Another List Offense: Many people stumble upon a list (often having been sent a copy of some interesting e-mail message by a colleague) and write directly to the list to ask to join. Do not do this, as it irritates everybody and you will usually not get the information you want anyway. Look in one of the search directories above, ask your colleague for the listserv address or contact the College of Humanities Technical Support Hotline to receive help finding the necessary listserv address (338-6382).

Advice: Remember that some lists have been in existence for years, often flourishing due to the efforts of a core of interested scholars. While individuals on lists often go out of their way to welcome new members, it is prudent to read and learn about the list's conversational topics, patterns and nuances before joining in. In other words, lurking can be useful as you learn the conventions of this new discourse community.

Warning: Do not put the words Mercury, Taurus, Orion, or Apollo in your e-mail address, even if you use these for Eudora. If you have a PINE account, use name@sfsu.edu only and you will save yourself a lot of trouble getting on and off of lists.

Scholarly lists are not only educational, informative, provocative and fun but also time-consuming. They actually are not that difficult to join once you have followed this process once or twice. Give a list or two a try if you want. We will help you.