Considering audience when participating in discussion forums

• Read other entries before posting. You’ll want to see the entire conversation before you jump in. You might need to scroll to the bottom of the page to see new messages, or you might need to click the title to expand the comments.
• Help your readers understand your ideas. To provide appropriate context, you may need to start your post by copying and pasting a relevant section of someone else’s post. Be sure to identify the writer of the original post. Take the time to give all readers the information they need to understand your posts.
• Keep the discussion going. When you respond to a post, be sure to advance the discussion in a meaningful way. If you agree or disagree with the original post, explain why. If you ask a question, try to ask one that calls for more than a one-word response.
• Use detail. Avoid posting short comments (like “Good job!” or “Ditto”) that don’t add substance to the discussion or invite responses. When agreeing with or praising another classmate’s comment, explain what you like about the comment.
• Stay on topic. As much as possible, stick to the topic of the discussion. If you want to take a conversation in a different direction (if doing so is allowed within the assignment), give your post a new title.
• Proofread before posting. To avoid confusing your readers, write complete ideas in complete sentences without errors. Carefully proofread your message before you post it for the class.
• Post only what you want the whole class to see. Save personal comments for text messages or e-mail. Remember that discussion boards are public and available to the whole class. As with all your classroom communication, use courtesy and respect.