Guidelines for the Threaded Discussions

One of the greatest challenges for an online course is how to encourage discussion and dialogue between the students. Since we do not meet face to face in a traditional classroom setting, threaded discussions provide the next best alternative for exchanging ideas and debating topics. For most of the course units, I will post a threaded discussion topic(s). A substantial percentage of your grade (20%) is based upon your responses in the threaded discussions. I will use the following criteria to grade the threaded discussions. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you are unclear about any issues or you have any questions.

Make sure that you provide a response to each of the threaded discussion topics for a given unit. If you provide just one response for a given topic, I will assign a grade of C or D. To earn the grade of A or B on the threaded discussions for a given unit, you must provide multiple responses to the topics as well as satisfy the criteria listed below. Your responses should be free of typographical and grammatical errors. Students often submit responses that are constructed with the haste of an email. Your responses to the threaded discussion should be prepared just like any course assignment. There are two methods to help make this practical. One is to compose the discussion entries in Microsoft Word and then copy and paste them into the discussion thread. The second is to run the "Spell Check" in the discussion thread form. Please make sure that you have read the lecture materials and assigned readings for a given unit before you respond to the threaded discussion. Your responses to the threaded discussions should make reference to the course readings. As you review the syllabus, you will notice that each unit lasts for 7 days. Please post your comments during the week that we are covering a unit. For the first few weeks of class, I recognize that many of you may still be getting acclimated to the online learning environment. At all costs, avoid falling behind in the threaded discussions. Your initial posting to a threaded discussion should provide a response to the given topic. Your second and third postings within a given unit should be responses to the comments of other students or the instructor. I encourage you to engage in a dialogue and debate with other members of the class.