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Participating in the Discussion Board

The Discussion Board is a helpful component of Blackboard. Students and instructors can, with relative ease, read what others have to say and contribute to the conversation.

The Discussion Board is broken up into at least one forum, which your instructor should have started for you. Within a forum, there may be one or more thread of conversation. While anyone can start a thread in a forum, it is suggested that the instructor "break the ice" and start the initial thread of conversation. However, if you feel comfortable doing so, you can start your own thread.

Please note that while text formatting options are available in the Discussion Board, different formatting options may be available to you depending on which browser you are using; for example, students using Internet Explorer will see more formatting options than those using Firefox or Netscape.

To start a thread:

  1. In the appropriate course, click the "Communication" button.
  2. Click the Discussion Board link.
  3. Click the hyperlinked title of the forum you wish to add a thread to.
  4. Click the "Add New Thread" button.
  5. Type a "Subject" for your thread.
  6. Type your "Message" as desired.
  7. Click "Browse" to add an attachment to your message, if applicable.
  8. Click the “Submit” button.
  9. You should then receive a Success receipt.
  10. Click the “OK” button.

Your message will then be posted in the appropriate forum.

To view all the messages in a forum:

  1. Click on the hyperlinked title of the forum.
  2. Messages are arranged by thread; messages that reply to a previous message in a thread are indented. New threads start out at the far left margin.

 

To read a message:

  1. Click on the hyperlinked title of the message.
    If it is allowed in this forum, you can modify or remove your own individual messages. Your instructor can remove any messages she or he deems inappropriate.
  2. You can click the "Next Message" icon at the bottom of the message to skip to the next message in the thread.

 

To respond to a message:

  1. Click the "Reply" button.
  2. Follow steps 5-10 as listed in To start a thread, above.

Back to Blackboard Help

This page was last modified 26 August, 2005 by Ayanna Gaines, with help from Anthony Aguilar of the Student Technology Assistance Program.

Questions about the website? Contact library@elmhurst.edu