Welcome to Writing Loss: The Online Edition!

Here's a copy of the email I sent about this Forum.

Hi everyone,

Welcome to Writing Loss: The Online Edition!

I have created an online discussion forum called "Writing Loss 2016" for your online journals (within your discussion group), for supplementary PDF uploads, and for any student-submitted topics, announcements, and news you'd like to share with the class.

This private discussion forum functions as a site to share your online journal entries / correspondence with your presentation group members. So knowing how to find your group, and to post every week by Friday 11:59pm, is the most important thing about visiting this site. Look for your Presentation Group under Discussion Groups.

Note: You need to log into the site to create a user name, password, etc., before you do your first post.

This log-in process should take you about 5-10 minutes for the first time--a few minutes more if you want to add an avatar (totally optional.) Feel free to be creative with your avatar!

DIRECTIONS

1)

Find our "Writing Loss 2016" forum

Here's the website:

writing-loss-2016.freeforums.net

It's private, so it will not be open to the public. You have to log in to get access.

2)

Create a user name / log in / password

When creating a username, please use your first and last name. You should use your 'preferred first name' so that your classmates call you by the name you want to be used in class.

That way the posts are also attributed to the right person.

(I was able to change my display name later in settings, after I created my user account, if you don't get the name right the first time around.)

3)

Post a test reply

Navigate to "Discussion Groups" and find the one for your focus area.

Click on the threads. There should be a "Week 8 - Oct 28" thread for your group. Go to that thread.

Click "reply," with the word "test" in the body of the post, to do a test post. That way you can get the hang of it before posting your first journal entry.

4)

Post a Journal Entry

You should be in "Discussion Groups" at this point.

You should be in the thread for "Week 8 - Oct 28."

Then you can post your journal reflection: You are asked to post, once a week through the end of the semester, a journal reflection and/or correspondence with your group members. You may share your thoughts/feelings about anything that happened in that week's readings or in class. You may use any tone you wish and address anything related to the course as long as the themes and content connect somehow. You will post 2-3 paragraphs, 4+ sentences each. This weekly post contributes to your participation grade for the semester, yet more broadly this forum helps you to develop your voice and interests as a writer.

Be respectful always.

The forum has an open borders policy within our class, but a closed borders policy for people not in our class. You are welcome to read anyone's posts, from the other presentation groups. You may even post in other groups' discussion threads for extra credit, as long as you engage with their themes and not simply re-post what you already said elsewhere, word-for-word.

Do not worry about spelling, grammar, etc. Just try your best to communicate with me and your classmates.

You may bring up anyone's journal entries during our talks in class if it's relevant to the discussion.

You will be graded on the completion of your weekly journal, with the option of extra credit every week. For example, if you only post one paragraph 4 sentences long, you'll receive a 50% grade. If you post more than 3 paragraphs, you'll receive extra credit, depending on how many paragraphs you write.

This weekly writing is part of your participation grade for the class, as outlined in the syllabus. If you are late, I will deduct 20% for each day late. By late day #5, it's not worth any points to post.

5)

Additional Uses for the Discussion Forum / Website

You can also use this online discussion forum as a place to start discussions, make announcements, post news, do "Show & Tell," etc., under the general discussion section. I have created a folder for student submitted content.

However, you are asked not to share any forum content with outsiders, unless you have permission or it is your own writing. This is a space of safety and mutual respect, so please honor the trust others have placed in you.

6)

Questions?


If you want me to create anything new on the site, let me know.

If anyone is having problems with any of these steps, email me, and I'll troubleshoot.


::::

Happy writing!

I look forward to reading your contributions.


Thanks,
Julie