Discussion Guidelines

As shown in the syllabus, each reading assignment corresponds with a discussion. Log in to Blackboard to participate in a discussion.

Each discussion assignment will focus on a set of quotations from one of the assigned readings. For your first post, please choose and discuss one of the listed quotations. To avoid repetition, please choose a quote that has not been previously discussed by another student.

Unless otherwise stated, your first post is due at the end of Thursday of the discussion week, and your response post is due on the following Saturday at noon. Partial credit will be given for late discussion posts. No credit will be given for posts submitted after a discussion closes. Each discussion closes on Saturday.

First Post:

Your first discussion post should comprise two sections: (1) your interpretation of the quoted passage that you have chosen and (2) a critical discussion. Guidelines for each section are as follows:

1. Interpretation (1 paragraph): What is the main point of the passage? In this section, you may wish to answer one or more of the following questions:

If the quote is from a dialogue, who is speaking (e.g. Socrates, Meno, etc.)?
What role does the passage play in the text as a whole?
Is the quote metaphorical, or should it be taken literally?
What are some of the key terms or concepts in the passage?

For example, in the Apology, Socrates states the following: “...I go around doing nothing but persuading both young and old among you not to care for your body or your wealth in preference to or as strongly as for the best possible state of your soul...” (p. 34). Why does he say this? What do you think he means by “the best possible state” of the soul? Use the context to determine the answers to these questions.

2. Critical Discussion (1-2 paragraphs): Do you agree with the quotation? For this question, feel free to completely disagree. In any case, please explain why you agree or disagree; i.e., give some specific reasons for your position. If the passage presents a particular point of view or a set of values — e.g., a personal remark made by Socrates — do you agree with the point of view or the values being expressed? In addition, you may wish to answer one or both of the following questions:

What are some of the limitations or weaknesses of the claim being made?
Are there any unanswered questions that the quotation raises?

Using the quotation above as an example, you could disagree with Socrates by arguing that wealth and physical health are important aspects of living a good life. One could argue that Socrates is wrong to value the soul so highly — indeed, one could argue that the soul does not even exist. Even if you agree with the claim, you may wish to briefly discuss an opposing point of view.

Response Post:

Please reply to at least one post with which you disagree. By disagreeing with another student, you are teaching them that other points of view are viable. Also, pointing out specific weaknesses or limitations in another’s post is a good way to think outside the box. Disagreeing will help prevent repetition in the discussion — i.e., by disagreeing, you are interpreting the text differently and providing a new perspective. You are free to choose any post (including posts written by the instructor) with which you disagree.

Your response should comprise at least one paragraph. You are encouraged to write more than one response.

Please note that there is a difference between disagreeing with a quotation on the one hand, and disagreeing with a student's interpretation of a quotation on the other. The latter is what is required for your response. In short, I ask you to disagree respectfully with your classmates.

Grading:

Discussion posts will be evaluated using a five-point scale. Here are some additional guidelines:

Posts should offer relevant commentary and present arguments as opposed to merely stating opinions.
You should write at least the minimum number of posts; writing additional posts is not required but it is encouraged.
If you incorporate material written by another student or author in your post, be sure to give due credit, even if you are paraphrasing, and use quotation marks for unaltered wording. Citations for material from outside the course should include, at a minimum, the title or author of the source and a link if your source is online. Quotations from the assigned readings should include page numbers. Finally, if you are paraphrasing or quoting another student, state the student's name and use quotation marks where necessary. Sacred Heart’s Academic Integrity Policy and the syllabus provide additional information.
In general, writing should be clear and organized. There may be a few typographical or grammatical errors, but these should not detract from the clarity of the post.
Write your posts before the deadlines to avoid deductions in your grade. If there are technical problems that prevent you from posting in Blackboard, please (1) e-mail the Help Desk (techsupport@sacredheart.edu) and CC your instructor and (2) e-mail a draft of your post to your instructor. To avoid deductions in your grade, both e-mails should be sent before the due date. Each forum will close after the final post is due, so be sure to post all of your comments on time.

The following are especially important:

Your comments should present evidence that you have read and reflected on the assigned reading. With this in mind, for your first post you should select, quote, and discuss a relevant passage (one or more sentences) from the assigned reading in addition to the quotation that you are discussing. With this approach, avoid passages that have already been quoted — this will give you the opportunity to add something new to the discussion.
To avoid deductions in your grade, choose a quote that has not been previously discussed by another student.