Students’ Politeness Strategies and Politeness Maxims in Student-Teacher Online Interactions

This study investigated the politeness strategies and politeness maxims employed by engineering students during interactions with their teacher on the Blackboard Learn learning management system. Findings indicate that engineering students predominantly use positive politeness and tact maxims, aiming to affirm their teachers’ positive faces, reflecting their desire for approval, respect, and recognition. The use of in-group identity markers, such as address forms, was identified as a dominant sub-strategy of politeness. Tact maxims were mainly observed in requests and academic inquiries directed toward teachers. While the study provides valuable insights into enhancing students’ communication skills in virtual settings, it acknowledges limitations in focusing solely on the Blackboard Learn platform and suggests further exploration of politeness strategies and politeness maxims across different contexts and platforms.