1.4 Forum Etiquette
1.4.1 Forum Rules & Guidelines
[callout]Please help us create a positive learning environment to engage in discussions of religion, literature and history. Here are some general guidelines to follow:[/callout]
Be Polite
- Everyone comes to this course with a different background, so please be respectful of other people’s beliefs, even if they differ from your own.
- Seek to understand, not to proselytize. Polite, even lively, debate is encouraged so long as you discuss the ideas, arguments, evidence and conclusions.
- Personal attacks, harrassment, abusive words or insults will not be tolerated. Note that staff monitor the forums regularly and will delete inappropriate content.
Help Foster Good Behavior
- Upvote good posts – If you find a post useful, upvote it or click the “say thanks” link to let the author know you appreciate his or her content.
- Report spam or abusive content – If you believe a comment does not add to the current discussion, click the “report” link to bring it to a staff member’s attention.
Write Clearly
- Keep posts short and specific – Topics should contain a minimum of 50 characters. Please add something more than “I agree” or “I disagree.” Make sure to state “why you believe that” to add to the conversation.
- Choose a descriptive title – The more specific your title is, the better response you will receive. People tend to overlook general topics like “Help” or “Question”. Use keywords that would grab the attention of others who may be skimming the forum contents.
Post Appropriate Content
- Don’t post quiz answers! Discussions are OK but please don’t post answers online.
- Do not post content that: is copyrighted, is obscene/pornographic, is abusive or hateful or that advertises outside products or organizations.
Repeat violators may be removed from the course and/or may lose access to the site.