Writing Ethnicity, Spring 2007
Discussion board guidelines

The discussion board is intended to enhance our conversations about the reading assignments and about writing issues, as well as to enhance our enjoyment of the class by adding another dimension to the community. There will be several forums, including a “student lounge” area that is free for casual conversation not directly related to the course. I may look in on this area occasionally, and intervene if anything gets wildly out of hand, but these posts are not part of your grade. Other forums, including areas on the course reading and writing, will be regularly monitored. So that we can have interesting and productive online conversations, here are a few guidelines.

• Postings should be substantial: at least 200 words. Aim to add new content to the subject under discussion. Don’t just say, “I agree,” but take the opportunity to elaborate on a new angle of what you agree with. Don’t just say, “I disagree,” but explain why. Do refer to each other’s posts when relevant (for instance, “I agree with X’s statement that … because …”). This helps keep the conversation flowing.
  
• Generally, you will be expected to post or reply at least twice a week, with a deadline of noon on the day of our class meeting so that people can have a chance to catch up on new posts before class. In order to participate effectively, you will need to read all the postings and have a sense of the conversation as a whole before plunging in.
  
• Keep in mind that it is sometimes difficult to judge the tone of discussion board postings. Since this is the case, take extra care to be tactful. You might want to take a minute to re-read your comments before posting them to make sure nothing can be misconstrued.
  
• Although discussion board postings are less formal than class essays, they still constitute coursework and I will expect you to spell out words (for instance, “you are,” not “u r”) and avoid emoticons (for instance, :) ).
  
• You might want to type and save your messages in Word before posting. This will allow you to check word count, grammar, and spelling, and may help to prevent your comments from being “eaten” by the computer in a technical glitch.
  
• When I evaluate your postings as part of your participation grade, I will be looking for a few key things:
  • accuracy (get the facts right)
  • timeliness (keep up with the discussion regularly and post by any stated deadlines)
  • relevance (staying on topic)
  • originality (adding new dimensions to the discussion)
  • clarity and grammatical correctness (in other words, effective writing).