- Collective: newcomers go through common experiences designed to produce standardized responses to situations

- Formal: newcomers are segregated from other members and put through experiences tailored to newcomers

- Sequential: newcomers are given a clear sequence of experiences or stages they will go through

- Fixed: newcomers are given a fixed timetable regarding when they will move through stages

- Serial: newcomers observe and get training from experienced role models, who give newcomers a clear view of the experiences they will encounter

- Investiture: newcomers receive positive feedback confirming their prior identity

Organizational Dimensions to Socialize Newcomers in Online Communities

Effective framing encourages self-selection of members, which helps ensure members are a good fit for the community. Newcomers will be happier, more likely to contribute effectively, and more likely to stay in the community if they have a complete and accurate impression of the community before they join it. 

Correctly framing an online community to give newcomers a complete and accurate picture of the community increases the fit of those who join

1. Recruitment
2. Selection
3. Retention
4. Socialization
5. Protection

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

A user who has recently joined an online community

Newcomers in Online Communities

Kraut, Robert E., and Paul Resnick. Building successful online communities: Evidence-based social design. MIT Press, 2012.

Building successful online communities: Evidence-based social design (Kraut and Resnick)

Without structured guidance about Wikipedia's contribution rules, newcomers may develop their own contribution practices, and those practices may persist over time.

Lack of Structured Guidance Leads Wikipedia Newcomers to Develop Their Own Contribution Practices

Wikipedia relies on individualized socialization: newcomers learn its norms and policies by consulting help and policy pages, asking experienced members for help or feedback, and interpreting warning or advisory messages about practices to avoid.

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