Discussion Questions
How to answer
Due Dates
Discussion Board Assignments are due…
Assignment – Due each week on or midnight each Saturday.
Remember to back up statements with information from the
text and from your research.
And
Interactions (2) due on or before midnight on Wednesday each
week. Interact throughout the week and do not wait to post
responses on Wednesday night.
Follow the SQR Method
•S
•Q
•R
Summarize
Question
Respond
Summarize
 Review the text and course materials.
 Take notes and organize your response to the discussion
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question by topic.
Research the topic of the question in the library and in the
text.
Evaluate information and distinguish main ideas from
supporting details.
Condense and transform ideas into a response.
Develop your response to the question.
Question
Review the question for your response:
 Did I develop a response to the question that is 3 to 4 paragraphs in length?
 Did my response show my reading, researching and learning?
 Did I respond to my class mates in a substantial way (at least one paragraph that extends
the discussion, asks a question or offers a counter proposal)?
 Did I go beyond simply answering the question? For example, did I explain the “how” of
why I came to the conclusion I did?
 Did I explain the “what”?
 Did I consolidate my research and reading into my ideas and conclusions?
 Did I explain the “why” of my conclusion?
 Did I fully indicate an understanding of the discussion board question?
 Did I show my understanding the position of my fellow student(s) in my response
posting(s)?
 Did I explain my “what”, “why” and “how” in my response posting(s)?
 Did I cite my sources properly?
Write your assignment as a 5 – 7
paragraph essay or mini-essay
Write Assignments and Replies in
Complete Paragraphs
Respond
Respond to 2 other students (unless directions state
differently).Your response should be 2 or more paragraphs in
length and:
 Describe why you agree or disagree with the other student
and do one of the following:
Expand on the points made.
Provide a story or example to illustrate the main idea.
Offer a different perspective.
Provide an online resource relevant to the topic (include the
hyperlink).
 Provide a summary of the ideas posted so far in the discussion.
 Ask a question.
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Netiquette
The first rule in the class is to “be hard on the problem and soft on
the people.” Other rules include:
 Respond to the students who responded to you.
 Have substantial posts. Do not depend on “Me too” or “I
agree” posts.
Cite Sources
 Purdue University Online Writing Lab (2004) Workshop
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/workshops/hypertext/apa/
introduction.html
 University of Maryland University College (2005) APA Citation Explained
http://www.umuc.edu/library/tutorials/citation/
 University of Southern Mississippi, University Libraries (n.d.), APA Tutorial
http://www.lib.usm.edu/legacy/tutorials/apatutorial/tutorialindex.html