How to Write Discussion Posts

A growing number of college course require some or all their work to be completed online. Discussion posts are a common requirement for hybrid and online courses. Students are sometimes frustrated that prompts for discussion posts can be vague and they may be uncertain how they should respond to peers. With three basic steps, it is easy to write discussion posts that stand out from the rest.

1) Read and FOLLOW instructions in the prompt

Read and reread the discussion board prompt carefully. It may be helpful to underline or highlight the questions posed in the prompt. This can easily be done in electronic form by opening assignments in a word processing document. Ensuring complete understanding of the prompt and all of its prompts is worth the extra time. The most common reason students are docked points from discussion board relates to their failure to address some or all points of the discussion board prompt. Pay careful attention to whether the assignment requires you to respond to your classmates. How many responses to peers should be made? What should those entail?

2) Write and Revise

After a thorough review of the prompt, start writing. If references are needed, always cite your sources. Unless your instructor has specifically said otherwise, always assume the need to cite outside references. Respond to each item in the prompt with concise, well-organized statements. Make it clear which statements respond to which item. After your response is complete, edit and revise your work. Correct spelling and grammar errors and add headings to organize your post if it is more than a few paragraphs in length. Ideally, discussion board posts should be brief, concise responses that include your unique perspective.

3) Interact

Discussion board posting is a useful learning tool because it facilitates a virtual dialogue about a topic to be learned. The only way this benefit can be enjoyed is if students take advantage of the interactive components of a discussion board. Ask genuine questions within the body or in the closing of your post. Invite others’ perspectives and respond to other posts in a thoughtful manner. By responding to more than the minimum posts, more people will be drawn to your post as well.

Discussion board posting requirements are likely to only grow with the greater focus on online education. Through the basic steps of understanding instructions, writing/revising, and interacting, your posts will not only meet but also exceed the expectations of instructors.