disscusion topic

Discussion Board Rubric

At two points throughout the Semester, you are required to post items to the course online discussion forum

on Blackboard that add value to the topic that is covered that week, linking theory to real world examples.

You can choose to post a photo, advertisement, short video, brief piece of writing, song, etc.; however, your

post must be something that no one else in class has posted to the discussion forum yet. No two posts can be

identical. Then, you should analyze the object using concepts from this week’s readings in 300 - 400 words.

You should also respond to a classmate’s post before 11:55p on the deadline listed on the syllabus. You

should craft a thoughtful response that addresses your classmate’s post and makes meaningful connection

between the content and personal experience/current events. Your response is worth 5 points of the

discussion board grade.

Your posts are graded using a 20 point scale [20 (A), 15 (C), or 10 (F)]. If your post is well-developed and

demonstrates understanding, you will earn 20 points. You will receive 15 points if your post shows some

critical thinking but is not fully developed. If your post lacks insight or shows little understanding you will

earn 10 points. If you do not post, or your post is identical to a classmate’s, you will receive 0 points. If you

do not post a response to a classmate, you will lose 5 points.

When preparing your post, please follow the Five C’s of Effective Writing. Make your writing: Clear,

Concise, Correct, Courteous, and Comprehensive.

Excellent

(20 Points)

Acceptable

(15 Points)

Unacceptable

(10 Points)

Score

Original

Post

 The post advances further discussion by stimulating at

least one substantial follow-up

post.

 Well-structured, logically sequenced sentences, written in

formal language.

 Contribution is thoughtful, analytical, and original.

 Author makes meaningful connections between content

and personal reflection current

events, etc.

 Free of grammatical/spelling errors.

 Successfully meets minimum word count requirement.

 The post advances further discussion by stimulating at

least one substantial follow-up

post.

 Structure is present but organization of ideas is

somewhat sporadic.

 Shows evidence of analytical thought on the idea, but

analysis is not fully developed

or clearly presented.

 Somewhat meaningful connections between current

events, but connections are

not clearly presented.

 Some grammatical/spelling errors.

 Approaches minimum word count requirement.

 Short post, which does not develop idea for

further discussion.

 Lacks structure and/or flow.

 Lacks insight or depth. Does not express

opinion clearly, and/or

shows little

understanding.

 Written in informal language

 Poor spelling and many grammatical errors.

 Does not meet minimum word count

requirement.