The moderator is basically responsible for controlling the quality and direction of the discussion; the buck stops with him or her.

The moderator prompts and guides the process of reflection, and helps students who get stuck.

The course facilitator may also ask students to:
   - share relevant information files for the class and
   - research particular topics and distribute the results for the whole class to use.

By clearly defining the group, the moderator can attract and keep group participants; they won't unsubscribe because they're disappointed.

1. Define the purpose of the group before the group starts, and let the title reflect it. It might be research, or it might be to explore a body of existing knowledge.
2. Put discussion rules in place.
3. Provide other basic information: Identity of the moderator, his/her individual email address, and how to subscribe and unsubscribe.
4. Ensure that admission procedures and pre-requisites are clear.
5. Identify the group's role on the continuum between: chat group/discussion paper/professional forum/research forum/research journal
6. Clearly state the assessment mode for academic groups.
7. Monitor length of e-mails--too short and they are chat, too long and they are hard to read. Generally, the shorter they are, the more frequently they can be sent.
8. Respect people's time by monitoring the frequency of emails (too often and it becomes spam).
9. Monitor the tone of discussion, that it reflects appropriate attitudes.