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Have a Question "How to Reply to a Discussion Board Post"? We've got you covered!
Author:
Samantha Williams
Apr 21, 2024
12 min
Table of contents
- How to Reply to a Discussion Board Post & Make a Solid Argument
- How to Respond to Discussion Board Posts Respectfully?
- How do you react to a wrong discussion board response?
- Responding to Discussion Board Posts When You Are Not Sure in Your Argument
- How to Write a Response to a Discussion Board Post: Structure & Outline
- Wrapping Up: How to Respond to a Discussion Post?
How to Reply to a Discussion Board Post & Make a Solid Argument
Discussion posts are a wonderful way to foster student communication and engagement outside of a classroom setting. But first, let’s get the basics out of the way. What is a discussion board post?
Normally, it is a forum or a class group chat where students are encouraged to share their opinions and findings on a particular topic. It’s mostly used online instead of in conventional classroom discussions.
To write a discussion board post response that matters, you need to follow the instructions in this article. Below is a condensed version of the article.
- Research the topic. If it was previously discussed in class, pull up the recommended readings and refer to them for your answers.
- Be respectful. Thank the previous poster for their question; use their name. Write in an analytical rather than an emotional manner, even if you are in disagreement.
- Avoid personal opinions. Instead, rely on solid facts, evidence from your research and information presented in class.
- Finish with an open-ended question. Those questions push the conversation forward rather than ending it, which is what you need for a discussion.
How to Respond to Discussion Board Posts Respectfully?
Avoiding bias and an emotional response might be hard if you feel strongly about the topic. You must remember, however, that if the teacher posed the question, they might be trying to provoke you. This is a great opportunity to show that you can separate from your personal opinions and present valid, research-based arguments.
Whenever you look up ‘how to reply to discussion board posts,’ the search results say to be respectful. But how do you do that if you think the question is outright ridiculous? Well, it’s difficult, but we are here to learn.
First of all, you need to do your research. Review the information covered in class and see if your professor hints at something you’ve already discussed. Go into auxiliary readings to research the topic further. Don’t read with the sole purpose of disproving their argument. Instead, look for evidence of both points of view and present it in your reply.
How do you react to a wrong discussion board response?
If you see a reply to discussion board post from your fellow student that is wrong, don’t rub it in their face. Again, remember to be respectful. After all, you are all trying to score points here. So, being rude or undermining someone can deduct your points.
Constructive criticism is a way to show your deep knowledge without flaunting it. Be calm and assertive, and acknowledge their opinion. Carefully point out the flaws in the other person’s argument and show evidence that supports your ideas. You may also find readings on which they based their post but got the main idea wrong due to lack of attention.
You can also focus on something positive in their post. You must be able to work with at least one sentence. Point out that argument and support it with evidence, or explore it further in your post.
Finish off as usual with an open-ended question. A good question may allow the previous commenter to redeem their first post and fix their mistakes. This way, you will not only state your argument and show your knowledge but also give your fellow student a chance to fix their mistake and present a more valid argument.
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Responding to Discussion Board Posts When You Are Not Sure in Your Argument
There can be many ways to respond to a discussion board post. But how do you navigate those boards when you have nothing to add? Well, you can’t just stay quiet until that one topic you’re good at comes up. If you do, you risk not scoring enough points and being invisible to your professor.
Instead, you need to be proactive and be as visible as possible. If you’re unsure about answering a question, follow the list below.
- Do your research;
- Go through class notes;
- Look at class readings and recommended ones.
Topics for discussion don’t come out of the blue - they have probably been covered in class. If you have no idea what the teacher is talking about and haven’t been paying enough attention in class, ask your friends for their notes. They might also recommend some books or specific authors to pay attention to.
How to start a discussion post reply?
There are two ways you can start your reply.
If you are the first person to comment on a teacher’s post, you must set an example for the rest of the class. Before you even reply, you must do your homework. Read the instructions and follow them. The approximate word count for your reply will most likely be specified there. Ensure you’ve read the course syllabus and know all the essential readings.
When replying, refer to sources covered in your course. Use direct quotes if appropriate, but make sure they are not too long. On top of that, you can place citations in your text when referring to textbooks or journal articles. The rest must be your analysis. Think of it like a mini-essay.
If you reply to a post by your classmate, acknowledge them and stick to the question asked. They will likely finish their post with an open-ended question, so you need to answer it. If they didn’t ask a question, reflect on their post, agree or disagree with what they said, apply the same analysis you would in any other case.
How to end a discussion post?
Ending a discussion post is fairly easy. First, you must bring your thoughts to a logical conclusion. You might restate your arguments briefly and add a final sentence explaining why you agree or disagree. The conclusion must be brief and concise. Remember not to present any new information in the conclusion.
The final sentences of your discussion post must contain an open-ended question. This will spark more conversation and lead to an interesting dialogue. When you ask your final question, ensure other users haven’t asked it. You don’t want to repeat after them because you will seem inattentive if you do.
Remember to conclude strongly. If you have some twenty words under the word count, don’t use the conclusion to restate all your arguments again. It’s better to be concise than to add fluff.
How to reply to someone's discussion post if you agree?
It’s somewhat easy to come up with an answer when you fully disagree with the previous commenter. You just critique their arguments and provide an opposing view, and you’re done. But how to respond to someone's discussion post if you agree with them? Well, it’s not that hard, either.
If you agree strongly, use affirmative phrases like the following:
- That's right;
- I agree;
- I'm with you on that;
- You're right;
- Absolutely;
- Exactly;
- I couldn't agree more;
- Definitely.
The problem with agreeing to the previous statement is that you don’t have much to argue afterward. However, if possible, you should try to expand on their statements. You might provide more depth to the argument if you feel the previous commenter didn’t do that. If they did, you can simply focus on answering the question they posed at the end of their post.
How to reply to a classmates discussion post if you’re friends?
When thinking about how to respond to a classmates discussion post, you must remember that the setting for this discussion is strictly professional. You will be evaluated not by your friend but by the professor. And she or he might not appreciate your inside jokes.
In truth, it’s fine to use humor as long as you are sure it will be taken the correct way. So, before joking around, assess the situation. If the topic for your discussion is Holocaust, it’s better to refrain from using humor.
When replying to your friend’s post, try to stay unbiased. After all, this is what studying is about - you must learn to analyze objectively, without prejudice. If their argument is shallow or lacking, tell them about it in a respectful manner. If you agree with what they said, add to it or reply to their question while staying respectful and professional.
How to Write a Response to a Discussion Board Post: Structure & Outline
All discussion board posts follow approximately the same structure. But before you get to writing with full certainty, you must ensure you have all the information—check in with the syllabus and assignment details to know for sure.
A structure for most writing assignments will consist of the introduction, body and conclusion. In terms of discussion posts, the following outline will be appropriate.
Introduction
- Acknowledge the previous respondent;
- Optionally, reiterate their post;
- State whether you agree with their statement.
Body
- Present your arguments in separate paragraphs;
- Use references like peer-reviewed articles or books to support your claims;
- Analyze the references to draw your conclusions;
- You might also include potential critiques or counterarguments and address them.
Conclusion
- Wrap up the points made in your body paragraphs;
- Ask open-ended questions to encourage discussion.
This is the approximate structure you will most likely be required to follow for all discussion posts. However, you are still encouraged to check your professor’s instructions first because they might include specific details, sources to refer to or a different structure. Your professor will also indicate a precise word count.
How to answer a discussion question if you haven’t read the sources?
If you weren’t paying much attention in class or simply didn’t have the time to catch up with the class readings, you might be in a bit of a pickle. But there are several ways to go about it. First, you can ask your classmates to fill you in. Get their class notes and start reading the sources you should read for this assignment.
The other way is, of course, to order a discussion post from WritePapers.com. Send your instructions to the writers, and give them enough time to watch the magic happen.
How to comment on a discussion post that you find stupid?
If you look at a question or a topic and think to yourself, ‘This must be a joke!’ it’s most likely meant to provoke you. Here, the big test is to stay analytical and respectful while critiquing the content of the previous post.
It is not meant to be easy, but this is what learning is all about - you find yourself in tough situations and carve your way out of them.
Most likely, your professor wants to see if you can keep calm and take control of your emotions during an academic discussion. So, you should plan your strategy carefully, distance yourself for a moment to avoid being overly emotional and approach it like you would any other discussion post.
Wrapping Up: How to Respond to a Discussion Post?
Now that you’ve read this article, we hope you are not intimidated by discussion board posts and all the possible discussion post responses. The truth is, it’s not that hard. Since discussion boards act as a substitute for in-class communication, they can be less formal than academic papers you’re used to.
Unlike in essays, in discussion posts, you can use humor to a certain extent. You still have to be careful about it. But a discussion board post doesn’t have to be dry and soul-less.
Discussion posts facilitate communication between your classmates and you and the teacher. This should push you to explore the topic further, research it deeper, look at different perspectives and present your findings to the class.
With this type of assignment, there’s no strict structure or limitations. You are still encouraged to use the three-paragraph structure you normally would. But since it’s less strict, you can step away from that and be creative.
You just have to remember to stay respectful and academic in your expressions. If you see that the previous commenter is wrong, it’s our learning opportunity. Learn to stay calm, respect different opinions and continue a discussion politely.
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Confirm the previous writer’s analysis, use phrases or words like ‘Absolutely, exactly, I couldn't agree more, definitely’ and answer their question to further the discussion. Stick to the professor’s instructions regarding structure, outline and word count. Support your statements with credible sources. Stick to the ones that your professor recommends.
You must be respectful and calm and use academic language. Read through their post and see if there’s anything they got right. If they did, acknowledge it. If you can’t find anything, proceed to critique their statement. Remember to still stick to the structure and recommended word count. Support all your claims.
The best way to respond is the one indicated by your professor. Instructions may differ depending on the subject, academic level, and tutor, so you must always follow the instructions.
WritePapers.com is your best bet when it comes to buying a discussion post. Our professional writers know how to structure, cite and write a piece like that. Since we only work with professionals with extensive experience, you can use this chance to collaborate with the author instead of simply ordering a discussion post. Ask them questions and learn from their experience.
