Familiarize—Read previous postings and discussion threads to see which points have been made and to trace the direction of the discussion. This will help you to understand the perspectives of those involved in the discussion and formulate any questions or comments you have that might pertain to the discussion. The tone of the discussion is also established and fluctuates throughout a thread. Reading the previous threads will help you get a feel for what tone you should use in participating in the discussion.

Take your time—Rushing a discussion posting will most likely lead to miscommunication and misrepresentation of a point. If you take the time to phrase a posting in a clear and concise format, you can adequately express your viewpoint and spark helpful responses (you don`t have to make a posting perfect…just clear).

Stay on target—You don`t want to go on too many tangents in a discussion; most discussions have a specific purpose and wandering too far off topic can waste time and distract from the point. It`s usually possible to email an instructor if you get too far distracted or run out of time, but discussion forums are useful tools if used properly.

Support your statement—If you do choose to quote a source directly, you must cite that source. It`s a good idea to have sources ready in case someone questions your statement. This will also keep you from providing misinformation to peers or proceeding with a confused viewpoint.

Say something—Avoid simple affirmative responses. You should try to be as productive as possible with a thorough response (i.e. I disagree/agree because…). Referencing other posts and respecting other opinions in a professional manner. It is also important to keep up with the threads; don`t answer posts that are no longer active and off topic. Discussion boards usually have etiquette and posting rules; which you should be familiar with prior to posting.