Discussion Posting Guide

Course discussions are a great way to expand your knowledge and learn collaboratively. By explaining your thinking, testing ideas, and responding to others, you practice the same skills used in academic and professional settings: critical thinking, clear communication, and collaborative problem-solving. Discussions also build a sense of community, allowing you to make connections with your peers and learn from diverse perspectives. The goals of a discussion are:

  • Critical Thinking: Analyze ideas, question assumptions, and show how you arrived at your viewpoint.
  • Dialogue: Interact with others. Build on their ideas, explain your reasoning, and ask thoughtful questions.
  • Application: Use course concepts, evidence, personal or professional experience, and real-world examples to support your points.
  • Community: Contribute in ways that help everyone learn. Your unique perspective enriches the collective understanding of the class.

On this page, you’ll find tips on how to make the most of your course discussions. Select each section to learn more.

Your initial post sets the tone for the discussion, so make it thoughtful and specific. A well-crafted post helps others understand your perspective and gives them something substantial to respond to.

Before writing:

  • Review the required reading/viewing resources for the module so you can use the discussion to expand your knowledge.
  • Read the discussion assignment instructions carefully.
  • Check the discussion rubric to get a good idea of how your work and participation will be evaluated

A strong initial post:

  • Takes a clear position or point of view—avoid vague or generic statements.
  • Explains your reasoning, showing how you arrived at your perspective.
  • Supports your points with evidence, such as course readings, concepts, data, credible sources, and/or relevant personal or professional experience.
  • Makes meaningful connections between the course content and real-world situations or examples.
  • Invites further discussion, such as by posing a question, identifying a tension, or highlighting something worth exploring.

Take time to read the full discussion thread before responding. Your responses to your classmates’ posts should move the conversation forward—acknowledge ideas you agree with, build on them, and offer alternative perspectives respectfully. Avoid repeating what others have already said.

Your goal is to contribute to a productive, inclusive conversation where everyone can learn from one another.

Strong replies:

  • Acknowledge the writer’s point and show you understand it.
  • Add something new, such as an example, insight, or alternative perspective.
  • Ask a thoughtful question that encourages further discussion.
  • Use a respectful and professional tone, even if you disagree.
  • Connect back to course concepts or relevant personal experience when appropriate.

Discussions bring together people with different backgrounds, experiences, and opinions. To help us maintain a positive and productive environment, please follow these ground rules for communicating online:

  1. Be respectful: Treat everyone with dignity and respect. Be thoughtful and courteous in your interactions with others in discussions. Respectful communication ensures that everyone feels safe to participate and learn.
  2. Participate actively: This is a shared learning environment—everyone’s voice matters. Don’t just read what others have posted; contribute thoughtfully to the conversation so all can benefit from your insights.
  3. Consider your tone: Before posting or responding, reread your message. Have you said what you meant? How might others interpret your tone? Remember: once something is posted, you can’t “un-ring the bell.”
  4. Practice constructive criticism: Disagreement is a natural part of academic discussion, but keep it civil. Critique ideas, not people. Express differing opinions thoughtfully, and back them with evidence or reasoning.
  5. Remember the human: There are real people on the other side of your screen. Without facial expressions or tone of voice, meaning can be easily misunderstood. Be explicit, warm, and thoughtful in your wording.

To make the most of your course discussions, consider these few tips before you post or reply:

  • Make sure to meet the requirements for timelines and number of posts/responses specified in the rubric.
  • Be sure to cite your sources. If you refer to another person’s ideas, writing, or research—whether from a book, article, or website—give proper credit. Academic integrity applies in online discussions just as it does in formal writing.
  • You can always write your posts using the Canvas text editor. However, we recommend drafting your posts and responses using your preferred document creator (e.g. Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Apple Pages) and saving your work in a file (.doc or .docx format recommended). Keep the formatting simple so you can just copy/paste the information into Canvas when you are ready. Since discussion posts and replies cannot be edited in Canvas, this can help you prevent any loss of work.
  • Review your posts and replies before submitting and check that they are spelled correctly and the words and works of others are properly cited, quoted, and referenced. This will help you demonstrate your professional skills through the discussions in your courses.
  • Discussions can be used for different purposes, such as clarifying assumptions and misconceptions, presenting different perspectives or viewpoints, and attempting to reach a consensus on an issue. Consider what kind of interaction you can have with ideas shared by others and how you can learn from their approach to the topic.