PrintGrading for Participation: Commenting on Discussion Forum
The primary rationale behind having you complete these assignments as discussion forum postings as opposed to just typing up an answer and submitting it through a drop box is that we want you to share ideas with your classmates and have meaningful discussions about the issues raised in these assignments.
Grading comments and discussion can be a challenge. It's important for you to know that quality trumps quantity, but only to an extent. You need to demonstrate active, thoughtful participation in the conversations as assigned.
How much commenting is enough? This question is likely on your mind, and the answer is...it depends. What I'll be looking for when I assign a grade is quality more than quantity. Perhaps a few meaningful exchanges will be sufficient to address the questions. You want your commenting thread to demonstrate that you were actively engaged in the conversation and contributing thoughtful suggestions along the way. If your comments do that and read well grammatically, you'll earn full credit.