Instructions+-+Community+Bookmarks

One way to contribute to an online community is by tagging online resources. "Tagging" means to assign a web page a tag, or keyword so that it can be classified in some sort of organization of knowledge. Tags are similar to the desktop metaphor of "folders," except that a webpage can be assigned more than one tag, and therefore appear in more than one place in the overall organization.

When members of a community all use the same tags to label websites they find in their web-waunderings, then everyone in the community potentially has access to resources individual members feel are noteworthy. This is the essence of "social bookmarking."

Tagging is an extremely easy way to contribute to a community because once you establish an bookmarking account, it requires nothing more than a right-click and a few keystrokes. You do not have to go to the community's website, add to resource lists, etc. To begin this process, you need to create a bookmarking account at either Diigo or Delicious by following these instructions.

After you have completed to setup steps above, then all you have to do to contribute is right-click (or ctrl-click on a mac) when you arrive at an interesting URL and assign it a community tag, i.e. a tag that is being used by your community. The diaglog box that shows up when you right-click at a webpage is shown below. This community's tags are shown at the bottom of this page.