Course Policies
Guidelines for Student Discussion
If available for your course, you may be expected to participate in the course discussions. Peer replies should be thoughtful, reflective, and respectful while prompting further discussion using content knowledge, critical thinking skills, questioning, and relevant information on the topic. Review the resources below for guidelines on participating in the online forum assignments.
Guidelines for Discussion Posts
- Participate in online forums as you would in constructive, face-to-face discussions. There should be little to no repetition in the initial posts so it is important to get a sense of what is already being discussed before leaping into the discussion.
- Characteristics of quality online discussion postings
- Substantial – posts should relate to the topic and provide information, opinions, or questions
- Concise – messages should be clear. Lengthy messages do not get many replies
- Provocative – prompts others to reply or object
- Explanatory – explore, explain or expand on a concept of connection
- Timely – Participate/read the DB regularly and reply in a timely fashion. Posting initial responses by the middle of the week gives other students time to respond.
- Logical – contain a clearly stated conclusion supported by premises, reason, evidence
- Grammatical – a good, clear, concise post free of typos and fragments (similar to the tone and manner you would use within a professional environment). Do not use all caps.
- Online communication lacks verbal cues. Respond carefully, be clear, and keep your sentences and posts brief.
Equity
This course does not condone and will not tolerate discrimination against any individual on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin or ancestry, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, disability, or status
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a commitment to five core values. Honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility.
Any of the following acts, when committed, shall constitute academic dishonesty:
- Cheating: Intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in any academic exercise.
- Fabrication: Intentional and unauthorized falsification or invention of any information or citation in an academic exercise.
- Facilitating academic dishonesty: Intentionally or knowingly helping or attempting to help another to violate any provision of this policy.
- Plagiarism: Intentionally or knowingly representing the words or ideas of another as one’s own in any academic exercise.