Writing a Superb Discussion Board Post

Tags: replying to emailsart of communication

If you are a first-time student in an online class, then you should become familiar with discussion board post writing. After all, it is one of the most popular things that students in online classes have to do to earn their grades! Most of the time, you will check your discussion post board when your online instructor places new requirements for an academic paper or the syllabus for your next class. However, you will also be required to post your discussion posts online, following each lecture or seminar.

Discussion Board Post Writing Steps

If you are still about writing your discussion board posts on your own, make sure that you follow the steps below:

1. Read the instructions carefully.
2. Get ready to write.
3. Review the purpose and scope of the task.
4. Brainstorm.
5. Use evidence from sources.
6. Sit down to write a draft.
7. Edit, proofread and post it online.

Read the instructions carefully

When it comes to writing an online discussion post, it is important to understand what is expected from you. You cannot just write something at random. Your online instructor will certainly provide you with the requirements and details for each discussion post. Your task is to understand what information you should or should not include in your discussion post and how you are to present this information to get more points.

Get ready to write

Here you will need to prepare yourself for discussion post writing. All discussion posts require a great deal of preparation, if you want to earn the highest grade and be the best among your fellow students. It means that you may want to look at other students’ discussion board posts or do some additional research to meet your instructor’s requirements.

Review the purpose and scope of the task

Now your main task is to understand what the purpose and scope of your discussion board post will be.  Remember that all students will have to follow the same instructions, and your board post will also have to support the main discussion thread. Do not be too formal in your writing, but do not use a tone and style that is too conversational or even abusive toward others. The whole point in writing discussion board posts is in creating an atmosphere of an ongoing conversation.

Brainstorm

What is means is that you should outline the ideas that you want to communicate in your discussion board post. However, you will also need to determine your perspective on the problem that you are going to discuss with your classmates. If you have any difficulties getting right to the point, send an email to your online instructor. This is the best way to clarify the issue before you write a single word.

Use evidence from sources

Once you understand the original instructions and know what perspective you want to present in your discussion board post, you will need to do research, gather evidence from reliable sources and use this evidence in writing. Even when your instructor does not ask you to use sources, make sure that you incorporate at least a couple of them into your writing. Your post will look and sound much stronger and particularly compelling if you know how to use literature. At the same time, do not forget to cite every source that you use in your discussion board post. If you do not know how to do it, take a look at the discussion post reply examples made by your fellow students.

Sit down to write a draft

This is a critical point in your progress; when you can sit down to write the first draft of your discussion board post. You will have to be very brief and concise, since most discussion posts are not longer than 300 words. Format your post accordingly. Begin with a small introduction, include a body, and do not forget about a conclusion. You will need to write the draft in your Microsoft Word file. Then you will copy and post it to your online discussion board. Read the rules for discussion board writing and follow them word for word. Make sure that your discussion board post makes a clear claim and revolves around it. It means that you will need to include a thesis statement and make a meaningful contribution to a conversation that is taking place in your academic forum online. Review the rules for discussion board posts developed by your course instructor. Do not limit your responses to “I agree” or “I disagree”. Expand on the topic. Use evidence. Persuade your opponents to support your stance. Be polite and reasonable in your judgments.

Edit, proofread and post it online

It is over, and you are ready to post your discussion online. However, before you do it, take your time to edit and proofread your draft. Also, do not forget the importance of accuracy and timeliness. The later you post your discussion, the fewer are your chances to receive student responses and replies on time. Challenge students’ beliefs about the topic. Post questions and respond to others on time. You have a talent for it, and you can do it!

How are Course Discussion Boards used?

Discussion board posts can really enhance your learning experience while you are taking a course. It allows students the ability to seek clarification from the instructor and ask classmates for their opinions and observations about course material. For example, if a student wants to form a study group or generate a discussion about an interesting article related to the course, the discussion board makes this possible. Furthermore, Instructors and professors often use it to determine how active their students are. Indeed, since everybody is able to see the posts, it makes it easier to gauge who is participating and making a contribution to the course discussion.