BUSI 301
DISCUSSION BOARD INSTRUCTIONS
There are 3 Discussion Board (DB) Forum assignments in this course. Each DB Forum will be
completed in two parts: 1) a 300-word thread in response to the presented case study, and 2) a
100-word reply post to the threads of 2 classmates. All posts must incorporate research and must
be formatted in current APA style.
Each forum discussion takes place over a period of two module/weeks. Two replies cannot be
posted within the same day.
Submit each thread by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Monday of the assigned module/week. Submit the
first reply by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Thursday and the second reply by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Monday
of the following module/week.
Thread
To begin a discussion assignment, review the case study presented in the forum and consider the
questions at the end. Research sources in support of your answers. At least 2 sources in current
APA format must be used, and can include the Bible. Then, compose a post in current APA
format which addresses those questions and incorporates your research. Include a works cited list
at the end of your composition (this list is not included in word count requirements). The purpose
of this research criterion is to encourage you to contribute academic content to the course;
therefore, failure to do so will result in a substantial deduction to your grade. First person voice
is allowed, but your writing must otherwise be as professional as possible. It must be free of
spelling, punctuation, and grammar errors.
Once you’ve finished composing your post in a word processor, copy and paste it into a thread
within the forum.
Replies
Read the threads posted by your classmates. Choose 2 threads, selecting at least one which
presents the opposite conclusion of your thread. Compose a reply for each using a word
processor. Each response must be in current APA format and must incorporate at least 1 source to
support your opinions and ideas. Please note that “I like what you said,” “that’s a good
comment,” and “I disagree with your comment” in and of themselves do not count as a complete
reply. Rather, stating reasons that support the opinion, adding additional ideas/thoughts, or
providing alternative ideas/thoughts count as a reply. Communication must follow Student
Expectations.
With a thread opened on your computer screen, click on “Reply” and then copy and paste your
related reply composition into the message box. To enhance the dynamic nature of discussion, be
sure to post only one reply–not both–before the first reply deadline (as stated above).
One of the goals of Discussion Board assignments is to encourage student community learning;
thus, not every posting will have a response from the instructor. Rather, the instructor may
respond to a few posts in a way that adds to the conversation, asks a pertinent question, or
summarizes some of the key points made by students.
Page 1 of 2
BUSI 301
NOTE: Attachments must not be used for posts or replies because they inhibit the flow of
discussion. Accordingly, posts and replies posted as attachments will be given a grade of 0.
Post-First
This course utilizes the Post-First feature in all Discussion Board Forums. This means you will
only be able to read and interact with your classmates’ threads after you have submitted your
thread in response to the provided prompt. For additional information on Post-First, click here
for a tutorial.
Page 2 of 2
