Discussion Board Rundown

The heart of this course is the discussions that take place on the discussion boards! This is an opportunity for you as a historian to demonstrate the lowest level of mastery: answering not just "what" something is but "why" something is. Students need to be aware that their presence in the online discussion boards can make a tremendous difference in the students' learning experience in our classroom.

Student Participation
Students are expected to log into Blackboard throughout the week to read announcements from the instructor, read course material, and partake in online discussions. Here is a rundown of what is anticipated:

• Every week a discussion question will be posted. These questions will typically relate to the assigned readings of that week. 
• You will have to articulate an answer and post it before 11:59 pm that Sunday evening.
• Your initial post should be no less than two paragraphs with at least two sources.  
• You will be required to respond to two of your peers with a thoughtful question/rebuttal before 11:59 pm that Sunday evening. 
• You will be graded on your introductory post and your two responses. 
• This will total 12.5 points for the entire thread (One discussion, two responses).​

Here are some tips on how to do an online discussion post:

Citation:
We live in a post-citation world. Ultimately, much of academia is bogged down with various citation styles, and professors look to markdown assignments based on knowledge of APA or MLA versus the actual content being covered. Usually, a hyperlink can suffice. That being said, a citation is required for this assignment, but I do not hold a  rigid system. I prefer CHICAGO-STYLE citation if given the option, as it is the standard in the historical community. But you choose any format you feel comfortable with (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.), or I will accept even a hyperlink. Keep in mind, if I need to be able to find your sources, you'll be marked down if I cannot.

Remember, professor was less interested in what YOU think or feel. They are concerned WHY you think the way you do through the sources you use.

Need help making a citation? KnightCite from Calvin University has an awesome free service to make the citation for you!

​Remember these important guidelines:

• Read directions- not all responses are from reading. Sometimes you will need to dig for your assignment. 
• Say something substantive- "I AGREE" is NOT a response! You must add why or how. 
• Don't procrastinate- The longer you wait, the less likely any will respond to your work.
• Ask a question if you're confused- That's why I am here! Or ask the forum.
• Review words for clarity and tone- If it doesn't make sense to you, it most likely won't make sense to me.

Here is a brutally honest video about discussion boards in general:

​Grading Rubric

Wanting to learn more? Check out these links for other portions of the class:

Midterm/Exam

Final Project

HST 201

HST 202