Guidelines for Posting to Discussion Boards
- Preparation Before Posting
- Read the discussion prompt carefully, noting word count, citation requirements, and deadlines.
- Determine whether you need to answer one question or respond to others as well.
- Set a schedule to manage initial posts and follow-up responses.
- Clarify the purpose of your post—are you arguing, summarizing, or sharing an opinion?
- Drafting Your Post
- Review peers' posts to understand ongoing discussions and gain inspiration.
- Draft your response in a text editor like MS Word to organize ideas and avoid accidental submission.
- Use headings or titles to guide readers through your post.
- Start with a warm and engaging opening to ease the reader into your content.
- Avoid jokes or informal language that might be misunderstood in an online setting.
- Maintain a professional tone suited to your peers and professor.
- Responding to Classmates' Posts
- Address classmates by name to personalize your response.
- Ask thoughtful questions to promote dialogue and engagement.
- Quote or paraphrase specific ideas from the original post to show attention to detail.
- Be respectful, even when disagreeing, and avoid confrontational language.
- Focus on keeping the conversation flowing with detailed and specific comments.
- Final Tips for Success
- Balance your participation to avoid dominating the discussion.
- Proofread your post to ensure clarity, professionalism, and grammatical accuracy.
- Engage regularly by revisiting the discussion board to view and respond to new posts.
- Stay on topic and avoid repetition to keep the discussion focused and valuable.