Message boards can be accessed through MyDMC using your Del Mar logon information.  After logging in, go to the “Student Resources” tab, click on “Go to My Courses,” and select “United States History I.”  The Message Boards are in the center of the page.

1. I'll post discussion questions every 1-2 weeks for you to read and respond to. These will cover the required weekly document readings on the CD-ROM packaged with your textbook. See the syllabus for reading assignments and due dates.

2. Ten percent (10%) of your final course grade will be determined by your participation in these online discussions over required readings.  Grading will be as follows: 1 adequate submission = 60; 2 = 70; 3 = 80; 4 = 90; 5 or more = 100.  Notice that there is a huge difference between posting zero times, which will earn you a zero on the assignment, and posting once. 

3. The message threads will remain available all semester, and you may contribute to any discussion at any time.  The deadline for all submissions is the date and time of the Final Exam: any submissions posted after the Final Exam will not count.

4. Ground rules for posting messages:

-- Stay on point. Address the questions I ask, or topics raised by other students, and keep your comments focused on the documents under discussion and historical issues related to them. If you just want to rant about music, weather, who's hot, etc., start a blog.

--Be factual. Even when expressing an opinion (which you certainly may do), it should be backed up by substantial factual detail. You have document readings, a textbook, my lectures, and the entire Internet at your disposal. Use them.

-- Be informed. Your posts should reflect not only your own opinions and interpretations, and not just your first impressions of the questions I ask, but your thoughtful consideration of the questions and of the readings at hand. Read carefully, think deeply, and express yourself clearly.

-- Be responsive. Read your colleagues' posts and respond to them. I'll start each discussion with a few questions, and I'll probably drop in from time to time to give you a push, but it'll be up to you to keep the conversation moving.

-- Be courteous. Basic rules of netiquette apply here. Respect your colleagues and their views. Feel free to disagree, but do so politely. TRY TO AVOID SHOUTING, overuse of texterspeak (lol, imho, etc.), and stuff you can't say on television.