Overview of Lecture Topic Discussion Requirements

To participate fully in the On-line Course, it is a requirement to engage in short question/answer/discussion with the instructor and other students through the use of an online discussion bulletin board. This discussion board, in Blackboard, is accessed from appropriate places in the topic and issues pages. Students and the instructor respond directly at appropriate places in an evolving article/document. A complete listing of postings is available to everyone at any time. The postings are completed at times of convenience to the student. There are no times when everyone has to be on-line at the same time such as in a chat room.

Each main lecture- topic in the outline will be explored from a variety of viewpoints by text, instructor designed notes and graphics- denoted as ProfO Notes, many other internet sites, and on-line group discussion. It would be to your advantage to look at some of the materials that I have spent time in designing - denoted with ProfO Notes. Otherwise do not be overly concerned by the fairly large number of internet links that I have found. I have just tried to find you more material such as would be given in a lecture to supplement what is in the text book. You may use these, skim them, or omit as you have or do not have time. The On-Line Course requires that students will be more proactive in postings to a discussion board of lecture topic discussions/summaries for instructor/student questions and comments.

Each Topic has the following components:

ON-LINE  Topic Lecture Discussion Requirement:

The on-line lecture discussion requirement is to do five (5) questions:

1. I.  Molecule or Report of the Week:  (4 points)
   The molecule or report of the week allows a good distribution of material for learning and posting.  The responses usually have suggestions that must be included.
   

2. II.  Content Question A   (4 points)
   There are two sets of content questions listed on the detailed Topic outlines which will require responses for posting.  Usually 1-2 paragraphs will be sufficient.
   

3. III.  Content Question B   (4 points)
   

4. IV.  Issue Question   (4 points)
   The Issue question will require a little more of an extensive answer - 4-6 paragraphs, which will be in response to the suggestions for inclusion.
   

5. V.   Response or Ask a Question.  (2 points)
     Extra responses earn extra credit (1 pt/ques. up to 2 points)
   Respond or comment to someone else, or use General Questions to ask a general question that the Prof or others might answer.
   Response Format:  What or why is something interesting?  Then add a new perspective or viewpoint.  Needs to be longer than one sentence.
   
   Ask a question Format:  Give a little background of what you already know or what is your interest, then finally ask your question.  Other students may use a response to try to answer you question and the prof will also answer your question.
   
   Grading of Questions I - IV:  (Four points each)
   Participation = 1 point  (just do something even if other criteria are not met)
   Content = 1 point (you have included all items requested)
   Appropriate Length = 1 point (one to two sentences is usually not sufficient)
   Cite Sources = 1 point
   
   Total points = 18 + up to two more extra credit points
   

The answers to the questions may be found in the regular text book, in ProfO Notes, or at various Internet sites. I will also make comments and answer questions. These will be posted to Blackboard. The requirement is to answer five questions for 18 points.  If you answer  beyond the requirements, you can get one to two extra credit points.  This is the only extra credit that will be offered in the course.

1. Assigned Questions: At least for some of the questions, you will be assigned to answer a specific question by using a student ID number assigned at the beginning of the CHM 110 course. For other questions you will have a choice of what question to answer.

2. Check Elmhurst Blackboard First: Actually before you get ready to answer a question you should check the Blackboard first to see what other people have written. A series of questions will be listed, as well as responses. It will be to your advantage to get started early to have the best choice of questions. You should respond to questions that you have been assigned and any free choice questions that you have. If the question has already been answered try to add something new to answer the question or clarify what has already been written.

3. Research Answers to Molecule report, Content Questions A and B, and Issue Question: Each question has some suggested references in the Text, ProfONotes (these I have written in lieu of giving a lecture), and internet sources. You may also look for your own sources, but I would do this only as a last resort, since I have already given you some quality links.  Google or Wikipedia will bring up more resources.

Take any notes that you think will be helpful that can be written more formally for the discussion. Try to find as much information as possible to and answer the question. Please rewrite answers in your own words that you understand. If you just copy and paste from the internet it will be quite evident that you really do not know the meaning of many of the technical terms and I will not give you full credit especially in the content point.

4.  Cite References:  You must cite your work to receive full credit.

Chem 110 Discussion References and Citations:

Ground Rules for providing references of textbook, internet sites, and other sources of information:

When writing to answer questions for Lecture Topic discussions and Issue discussions, you should be aware of providing references for the material that you write about. Somewhat slightly relaxed standards that are in use when you write term papers should also apply to writings in the discussions.

Some simple rules should suffice:
a. Textbook information that has been quoted or paraphrased should be credited by a simple citation such as: Text p. xx.

b. Internet information should be rephrased into your own words. Do not just copy and paste large sections of material from an internet site and call this your discussion contribution. Short sections may be quoted - but marked as quotes, followed by some summarization. The URL should be cited as the source of the material.

I can tell if you are just copying and pasting - the wording is too good, you probably do not know how to use unfamiliar words, etc. Another tell tale sign is that words from wikipedia or other sources are underlined with a different color which are links to a glossary - these all copy/paste. So please reformulate into your own words that mean something to you.

c. Information from newspapers, news magazines, or other journal articles should be cited in the usual manner.

d. Opinion or other original thinking, insights, background information from general reading or watching the "news", your work experience, creativity, or other distillation of general knowledge that you may have should be cited as "Opinion or personal experience".

5. 5.Write Response: Write up your answers to the question in a Word Processor so that you have a backup copy.
   

6. 6.Research Answers to Issue Question: Unlike in the topics where the questions and research are tied relatively closely, in Issues you will need to do more free range looking for information that fits your question. On the Issue Question there are general resources related to the issue and more specific links that might help answer some of the specific questions. Feel free to look at as much as you need (no need to look at everything). You may also look for your own sources, but I would do this only as a last resort, since I have already given you numerous quality links.
   
   Simple Five Step Guide in evaluating web references.
   

Take any notes that you think will be helpful that can be written more formally for the discussion. Try to find as much information as possible to and answer the question and even perhaps support the "side" that you are supposed to take. Please rewrite answers in your own words that you understand. If you just copy and paste from the internet it will be quite evident that you really do not know the meaning of many of the technical terms.

Examine the issues from all viewpoints for possible solutions to the problem.  Answer all parts of the question. Give your final answer to the main issue question. Clearly state which option YES or NO that you support, then give brief reasons and explanations for your answer (4-6 paragraphs are required for complete credit). Post your final response to the appropriate section of the Elmhurst Blackboard. This discussion should lead toward finding a solution for the issue problem.  This is the closest you get to writing a short term paper, so the length and content should reflect this.

Writing that accurately expresses your ideas demands not only writing skill but focused attention, critical thinking and active involvement. Only if you become actively involved in the writing process will you be able to communicate your ideas clearly.

Your writing should have:

•a purpose (position that you support)

•a controlling idea or thesis

•organized development of your idea with major and minor supporting details

•a logical conclusion

 
Cite your sources and Write up your answers to the question in a Word Processor so that you have a backup copy.

6. Post Response in Elmhurst Blackboard: Then go to the appropriate sections of the CHM 110 Page. Then click on the Discussion Discussion Board.  Find the appropriate Topic Number and Question and click on that link. Then click Edit. To answer a question in the message box, click into the appropriate section.  Copy from your Word processor document and paste into the message box.  See below on Directions to use Blackboard.

If you do a question beyond the normal requirements you get one extra credit point.

Participating in the Blackboard Discussion Board

Post Response or read discussions in Elmhurst Blackboard:
This will bring you to the Elmhurst Blackboard Log-on page. Click on User Login. Log in using your Elmhurst ID and password. Next you should see the page with your name, a mid section with announcements, and on the right side a list of My courses - a list of all of your Blackboard courses. Then Click on Chemistry: CHM 110. This brings you to the CHM 110 course page for Blackboard. THIS IS NOT THE MAIN STARTING POINT FOR THE COURSE. This is the reporting place for your work after you have completed your work and research.

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 many threads for the Topics and Issues, which the instructor has started for you. Within a Topic or Issue, there are many Questions which correspond to previous given questions in topics and issues.

Please read the discussion responses before you work on your question to answer. Try to respond to answers already present for your third question or extra credit response.

If you want to see if someone has responded to something you have written, then click on the question and you will see all of the people that have answered that particular question.

To view all the messages in a forum:

A forum consists of all the questions in a Topic or Issue and a thread is a single question within the Forum. When you open the discussion Board, the first screen shows all of the forums set up for the entire course. Click on the Topic or Issue of interest which will bring up a screen of all of the threads or questions in the forum or topic.  To read the posts within a single thread or question, you click on a single question and this will bring up all of the posts or replies to that question.

In Blackboard is is better not to use the back arrow of the browser but to Click OK on the bottom of screens to get back to threads or the whole forum.

Now to read the posts, you have several options.  You can click on each post separately and then keep click on next post (right side top of message box). Another option is on the screen with a lot of posts, go to the bottom of this section, where the default is Select All, click Go. This will put a check mark in front of all of the posts. Now go to the top of this frame under Thread Detail and click on Collect. This will bring up a screen with all of the posts that you can scroll through efficiently rather than clicking each one individually.

If you would like to respond to someone from the collected posts, first pick out the name of the person you want to reply to. This brings you back to the individual message. Scroll down to see the post and click on Reply.

Hopefully these ideas should help you to read the posts efficiently. Click OK to get back to threads or the whole forum.

 Write up your answers to the question in a Word Processor so that you have a backup copy.
 

To post to the discussion:

1. Click the Discussion Board link.
2. Click the Topic number or Issue number of the forum you wish to add a discussion message.
3. Click the Question number that you want to answer.
4. Click on the Reply button.
5. Type your "Message" as desired or BETTER copy and paste your message from your word processor.
6. Click the "Submit" button.
7. You should then receive a Success receipt.
8. Click the "OK" button. Your message will then be posted in the appropriate forum. If it does not then you did not use the submit button in step 6.

 Write up your answers to the question in a Word Processor so that you have a backup copy.

As you all know, even under the best of conditions, computers will fail when you least expect it or for a very important assignment. Depending upon the situation, I strongly recommend that you compose your original message in a word processor document, save it, then copy and paste it into the message box of the discussion or email. That way if something does not work quite right, you still have a copy to try again.