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There's always more than one way to carry out a conversation. We encourage opposing views and lively discussion, but we ask that you abide by a few simple rules to keep the flow going: Be responsible, be courteous and stay on topic.

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You may have noticed more reporters, editors, producers and moderators involved in the comments on NJ.com. That’s because here at NJ Advance Media and at our affiliates, we’re making sure you know we’re listening. And many of you have told us you’d like to see the level of comments improve.

We’ve endeavored to make ourselves available to you as often as we can, encouraging you to ask questions about the stories, photos, videos and data we produce. We’ve been hearing what issues matter to you the most.

In a nutshell, we aim to continue fostering substantive conversations created by you, our readers. The goal is to spur a dynamic exchange of ideas and information, motivated by your desire to be part of the public discourse.

We welcome passionate, free-flowing debate and opposing opinions. We ask that you stay on topic and behave courteously and responsibly, but not everyone does.

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That means improving the level of conversation starts with you. We invite you to be the example in comments when you have something to say. Are you outraged about something you’ve read? Post a few sentences on it, offer a solution. Are you happy about the outcome in a news event? Tell us what it means to you, your community.

Hot-button stories elicit raw emotions and reaction. For these, we’re looking for users to show decorum and the appropriate amount of restraint.

Over here, our sniff test is often whether something would be allowed to be said at the dinner table. That is, if you wouldn’t say something that may be offensive (or combative) at home, please don’t say it in comments.

Comments should be productive. So while we err on the side of open discussion, we typically remove irresponsible remarks that just wouldn’t be suitable at most breakfast tables, especially those that derail the conversation.

That said, we strive to be clear about the community rules and try our best to be consistent in applying them. We look for the tone of the conversation to follow these simple guidelines: Be respectful, relevant and responsible when you comment.

You can read our guidelines here: Community rules. Refer back to it frequently if you're ever in doubt. And feel free to reach out to me or any of the appropriate community engagement specialists who help moderate comments and promote dialog.

The NJ Advance Media team of community engagement specialists are:

Anthony Venutolo: Entertainment

Joe Giglio: Sports

John Shabe: Local

Enrique Lavin: State

Join us in the conversation. Let’s make it a good one together.