Scoring Guide for Discussion Board Forum Participation
Total Possible Points Per Forum: 10
Very Good: 9-10 / Good: 7-8 / Satisfactory: 5-6 / Unsatisfactory: 0-4
Quantity of Posts (3 @ 3 sentences each minimum)
(2 pts.) / Contributed 3 posts at or above theminimum length required, often going beyond the minimum if necessary to make a point or to respond to other writers. / Contributed 3 posts at or above the minimum length required. / Contributed 3 posts at or below the minimum length required. / Contributed fewer than 3 posts with less than minimum content.
Contribution to Conversation
(3 pts.) / Offered responses throughout the posting period, thoughtfully responding to other posts and asking follow-up questions to keep the discussion going. / Offered responses throughout the posting period, responding to other posts, and may have occasionally asked relevant questions. / Offered responses mostly throughout the posting period, occasionally making specific responses to other posts. / Offered responses mostly at the end of the posting period, perhaps all at one sitting; made few if any direct responses to others’ ideas.
[1]Knowledge of Assigned Reading Material
(3 pts.) / Demonstrated full understanding of the reading material in references to passages and/or ideas.
Used specific references to reading material to support or challenge ideas. / Demonstrated understanding of the reading material, making valid references to passages or ideas. Used references to support own ideas. / Demonstrated partial understanding of the reading material and used a few references to support ideas. / Demonstrated little or no understanding of the reading material, responding to others’ ideas or offering irrelevant responses.
Application of Knowledge Beyond Reading Material
(2 pts.) / Demonstrated ability to apply ideas in reading material and/or other students’ posts to prior learned knowledge, making insightful connections. / Demonstrated ability to make connections between reading material and prior experience or knowledge. / Demonstrated some ability to see connections between reading material and broader insights contributed by other students. / Demonstrated little or no ability to make or see connections beyond basic meaning in the reading material.

Adapted from Teaching for Online Learning

Discussion Board Rubric

Barbara Pittman, PhD

[1]Discussion Forum responses can include questions that help students better understand difficult material. Students need not refrain from such questions out of fear that it demonstrates lack of understanding. When readings are especially difficult, it will be noted in the Forum and adjustments to the weight of this category will be announced.