Hammond, Michael. "Issues associated with participation in on line forums—the case of the communicative learner." Education and Information Technologies 4 (1999): 353-367.

This paper examines participation in online forums, focusing on asynchronous text-based discussions within small groups of learners after a learning event or course. Through three case studies, the research highlights adult learners' experiences, revealing overall positive attitudes towards the forums but noting lower-than-desired participation levels. The study identifies three participation patterns: non-participation, quiet participation, and communicative participation. It emphasizes the communicative learner—those who participate regularly and positively engage with the group. A profile of the communicative learner underscores the importance of fluency, coherence, and informality. The paper discusses the issues related to online participation and their implications for fostering communicative participation.