Major Post: Select ONE of the discussion prompts and answer it by creating a new thread within this discussion board. Technically, a major post should be at least 150 words (Do not count punctuation). Please note that this is the minimum length requirement. You are strongly encouraged to write more.
Minor Posts: You must also respond to your classmates’ posts in a substantive manner or initiate your own questions or statements. Technically, a minor post is less than 150 words. You should not repeat information from your major post in your minor posts. Your response posts should propel the conversation started by your classmates forward. Posts that contain only such statements as “I agree with you,” or “Hello So-and-So, I really enjoy your post” are not considered substantive posts and will therefore receive no credit.
General Information: Your posts should use the ASA style for in-text citations and references at the end. Please submit your posts using correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Furthermore, when answering the questions, you should attempt to critically engage with the literature. This means going beyond a summary of what the textbook says about the topic. Rather, you should use that as a starting point for your own contribution. For example, you could do one or more of the following: (1) compare and contrast sources of information using another textbook; (2) attempt to fill in a gap in what you read or discovered; (3) discuss one or more points in greater detail; (4) mention which part of the readings was most interesting and why; (5) debate the authors on a point or assertion they make; (6) locate an article from a reputable news source that ties in with the concept, explain how it furthers the class discussion, and provide links within your post; (7) navigate to the scholarly journal database at http://www.twu.edu/library/ (Links to an external site.) and supplement your post with information from a scholarly journal article related to the topic; and/or (8) locate a brief video clip that is pertinent to the forum’s topic, analyze its application to the topic you choose to answer, and provide a link or embed the video within your post. Remember to cite your sources and provide a reference list in the ASA style!
Discussion Questions for Topics 1 and 2
For the major post, you are required to choose ONLY ONE question out of all questions for BOTH topics from the following attachment to answer. You can find Topics 1 and 2 Outlines in the Files section and Module 1. Although answering additional questions will not earn extra points each week, a consistent record of extra posts can elevate your course grade to the next level (e.g., from a B to an A) at the end of the term if your total score is on the borderline or close to the next threshold. The
