What makes an excellent discussion post? A discussion post is a written academic response posted on an online platform or forum. Discussion posts are part of course assignments meant to promote collaboration between students, critical thinking, and deeper understanding of topics. The primary aim of discussion posts is to start a dialogue between students and instructors. Usually, the discussion posts are based on a prompt or question provided by the instructor on a specific topic. In some institutions, students are required to post their discussion posts before the deadline and thereafter respond to at least 2 posts of peers. This means, provide feedback on peer’s posts or give alternative perspectives. Discussion posts allow students to interact and learn from each other’s experiences. Also, such posts allow students to demonstrate their understanding of the prompt question.
What makes an excellent discussion post?
An excellent discussion post should be concise but still thorough. This means that it should be brief but at the same time address the prompt question satisfactorily. Additionally, a good discussion post should have external sources or evidence to strengthen arguments. This means recent, peer-reviewed, and integrated references. Moreover, a well-done discussion posts should use a respectful tone and appreciate the diverse perspectives of others. Besides, a discussion post is not complete until a student engages with peers to create a meaningful dialogue. Furthermore, a well-written discussion post should be devoid of grammatical errors and jargons. In other words, students should proofread before posting and also use a simple language.
Most importantly, students should follow the recommended structure to write a good discussion post. For instance, a discussion post should have an introduction, which should provide a brief statement of the main idea. Also, a good discussion should have a body that responds directly to the prompt. Additionally, it should have a conclusion. Lastly, a good discussion should have a question that invite the responses of peers. APA style