UNV 504 Grand Canyon University Discussion Questions

Discussion Question Forum Examples

In the courses you take at GCU, you will be communicating with others in the Discussion Question Forum.

Discussion Question Forum Example

Below is an example of a discussion question along with a good post and a poor post.

DQ: What did Mark Twain mean when he said, “the difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug”? Demonstrate your answer by providing an example from your own life when “almost the right word” created confusion, misunderstanding, or adversity.

Good Post:

It is important to use the right words when communicating. If you don’t select your words carefully, you can end up not getting your point across or missing a great opportunity. I think this is what Mark Twain meant when he made the above statement. Because Mark Twain was a writer, words were his life. If he did not use the best words to get his point across, then his words might fall flat. Using the right words made his writing powerful and touching.

Also, using the right word ensures correct understanding. If you aren’t careful about the words you use, it’s easier for people to misinterpret them. If people misinterpret you, they can misjudge you or be hurt by your words.

I have experienced the difference between using the right word and the almost right word. A couple of years ago, I was having a tough time. I was really busy with a lot of different things, and my family could tell it was wearing me down. One day, my daughter came up and handed me a picture she drew of the two of us out in a field of flowers. I was in the middle of something and just took it and said, “Oh, that’s nice, thanks,” and then continued on with what I was working on. A little while later, I could see she was sad, and I realized how I kind of brushed her off earlier. I felt terrible and thought about how much work she put into the picture for me and how she was trying so hard to make me happy. I realized that saying, “Oh, that’s nice, thanks,” was using almost the right words, but not the right words. I then picked her up and told her the right words. We both felt much better after I expressed exactly how I really felt.

Poor Post:

I liked the quote from Mark Twain. He was a funny writer and also said profound things sometimes. He even changed his name to be a writer; his real name was Samuel Clemens. There’s a big difference between lightning and a lightning bug. I’ve never seen a lightning bug, but they just make a little light I’m sure. Lightning is very powerful and destructive. I say things sometimes that people misinterpret. I don’t like it when that happens.

Discussion Posts Explanation

You can see there is a big difference between the two posts. Some of the differences are:

• The good post was much longer and more focused than the poor post.
• You can tell more thought went into the good post. The poor post sounds like the writer just wrote it in a few seconds without really thinking about it.
• The good post closely followed the directions by explaining what Mark Twain meant by the quote and gave an example from experience that illustrated how the quote was true.
• The poor post simply spoke in generalities and rambled on about things that did not directly relate to the question.

If the answers you provide to the discussion questions in your GCU courses are more like the good post above, you will do well in your courses. Remember, the discussion question posts count for nearly 30% of your grade, so make sure to give it your best effort. Also, think about the other students in your class; which post above would make writing a response easier and more enjoyable? Writing good discussion posts makes the class better for everyone.

Responding to Other Students’ Posts

It is just as important to write good responses to other students’ posts as it is to write good posts yourself. Below is an example of a good response and a poor response. The same principles explained above apply to your responses to other students. The examples below are both responses to the Good Post example above.

Good Response:

I think your post to the discussion question was great. I didn’t really think about how important words must have been to Mark Twain until I read your post. It is true, he was a writer, and words are very important to writers. No one would care about what he wrote unless he always used the right words. People remember those who have used the right words. This point makes me think about great speeches like the speech from JFK in which he said, “Ask not what your country can do for you,” or MLK’s “I Have a Dream.” Both of these speeches obviously use the right words. If they would have used the almost right words, I do not think anyone would have remembered them. Thanks for getting me to think in that vein.

I also appreciate you sharing your story about your daughter’s picture. The story really made it clear how important it is to use the right words. It does feel pretty bad when we realize we failed to use the right words. I can totally relate, (see my post for the DQ). Thanks, great post!

Poor Response:

I liked your post. It’s better to use good words instead of almost good words. OMG! Your daughter must have been sad. Good thing you fixed the situation. I would have felt horrible too if it was me, LOL!! Good post.

Discussion Response Explanation

You can see there is a big difference between the two responses. Some of the differences are:

• The good response took into account exactly what the initial post was communicating and built on the train of thought.
• The good response was honest and built up the writer of the initial post.
• You can tell more thought went into the good post. The poor post sounds like the writer just wrote it in a few seconds without really giving it much thought.

The poor response used some text message language and could have come across as rude