Desire2Learn

Working with Discussions

In the Discussion area, you can write and respond to messages within the class.  You can ask a question to the entire class and view all of the class responses. Instructors may post topics in which a class response is requested.

• Accessing the Discussion Page
• Reading a Message
• Adding a New Message
• Replying to a Message 
• Attaching a File to a Message

Accessing the Discussion Page

In the Discussion page, related topics are grouped by forums. Within each forum, messages can be read and posted.

1. From the My Home page, in the My Marquette University Courses section, click the course in which you wish to access a discussion.
   The Course Home page appears.

2. On the Navigation bar, click DISCUSSIONS.
   The Discussion page appears.

Reading a Message

When viewing messages in the Discussion page, you are presented with several options through the View pull-down list and toolbar icons. These options are explained in Options for Viewing Discussions.

1. Access the Discussion page.

2. From the Discussion Topics list, click the topic you wish to view.
   The Discussion Topic page appears with all messages posted within that topic shown.

3. Click the subject of the message you wish to view.
   The message appears in the View Message Pane at the bottom of the page.
   NOTE: If you don't see the View MessagePane, select the Settings link (right side of Navigation bar) and check Show the Preview Pane.

Adding a New Message    

When you add a new message by clicking COMPOSE, you begin a new thread in the discussion.

HINT: Type short messages directly into the scroll box. To avoid losing longer messages if your internet connection breaks, type them in a text editor then copy and paste them into the scroll box. To format text in the scroll box, use HTML. If text is formatted in Word, it may appear incorrectly when you paste it in the scroll box. In that case, attach the document instead of pasting it.

1. Access the Discussion page.

2. From the Discussion Topics list, click the topic in which you wish to post a message.

3. From the View Message toolbar, click COMPOSE.

4. A form to compose your message appears in the preview pane.

5. In the Subject text box, type the desired subject for your message.

6. In the scroll box, type your message.
   HINT: If you want to format your message, click HTML EDITOR.

7. To preview your message as it will appear, click PREVIEW.
   The Preview window appears with your message displayed.
   
   

8. Click PIN MESSAGE to pin the message to the top of the message list for the topic.  It will always be at the top of the list, regardless of any sorting done to the list.
   
   

9. Click CLOSE.
   
   

10. If you are satisfied with your message, click POST.
    Your message is posted as a new thread in the discussion.

Replying to a Message    

When you see a message you would like to respond to, you can use the Reply feature. Reply differs from Compose in that the message you are sending becomes part of the thread established by the original message.

1. Access the Discussion page.

2. From the Discussion Topics list, click the topic to which you want to reply.

3. Click the subject of the message to which you want to reply.
   The message appears in the View Message Pane.
   NOTE: If you don't see the Preview Pane, select the Display Options link (right side of Navigation bar) and check Show the Preview Pane.

4. OPTIONAL: If the original message is not showing, click Add Original Message Text.

5. In the preview pane, click REPLY.
   The message is replaced with a reply form.

6. OPTIONAL: In the Subject text box, type a new subject
   NOTE: The default subject is the same as the subject of the message that you are replying to, prefaced with "RE:"

7. In the scroll box, type your message.
   If desired, you can write your reply in HTML format.

8. When finished, click SUBMIT.
   Your reply is posted.

Attaching a File to a Message

1. Access the Discussion page.

2. From the Discussion Topics list, click the topic in which you wish to post a message with attachment.

3. Click COMPOSE or REPLY as appropriate.
   A form to compose your message appears in the Preview Pane.
   NOTE: If you don't see the Preview Pane, select the Settings link (right side of Navigation bar) and check Show the Preview Pane.

4. If necessary, in the Subject text box, type the desired subject for your message.

5. In the scroll box, type your message.
   If desired, you can write your reply in HTML format.

6. In the Attach File text box, type the location of the file you wish to attach.
   OR
   To select the file,
   1.   Click BROWSE...
         The Choose file dialog box appears.
   2.   Navigate to and select the desired file.
   3.   Click OPEN.
      
      
7. When finished composing your message, click POST.