Use the Reply button to respond to an existing thread,
instead of starting a new thread.
- Don’t just agree or disagree.
Responses should be meaningful. Simply saying “I agree”
or “I disagree” does not add to the conversation. Add
your reasons for agreeing or disagreeing to make the post more
substantial.
- Avoid being overly critical.
Try to be balanced in your responses. Rather than pointing out all
the negatives or positives, try to include both in your
responses.
- Avoid personal attacks.
There is a thin line between attacking the argument and attacking
the arguer. Make sure to remember it is the argument that you
disagree with, and keep your responses civil. Even when other
posters have crossed this line it is important to remain
civil.
- Alert your instructor about problematic posts.
If someone posts something offensive or inappropriate it is
important to notify you instructor so they can delete the offending
post or clear up any misunderstandings.
To view all messages of a forum on a single screen, switch to
Tree View (upper right-hand corner). Using the option at the bottom
of the page, choose Select All > Go. Now go back to the
top of the page and click on Collect. Messages are displayed
in the order they are posted. A drawback is that you loose the
threaded nature of the messages.
Remember, this is an academic environment. It is
important to keep in mind that your instructor will be reading your
posts and it is important to behave accordingly.