January 4, 2022
Reddit Discussions: A How-To for Literature Classes covid-19: day 648 | US: GA | info | act
This semester’s discussions for my online literature courses will take place on Reddit. Online discussions are an important component of online courses, but they are often not done very well—both a chore to write and read—especially on D2L. We will use r/LitWiki for all of our discussion posts, called Responses, to see if a better medium will help with this endeavor. To make this as productive and as painless as possible, students should approach this assignment by practicing the following.
First, if you do not have a free account on Reddit, you must make one. After, request membership in the r/LitWiki subreddit by clicking “Join” in the title bar.[1] After I approve you, you will be ready to participate. Reddit is a social media community made up of “subreddits,” or communities that span all sorts of interests. If you have a hobby or interest, chances are there’s a subreddit that covers it. Take some time to look round the site if you are unfamiliar with it; join some interesting subreddits; see how discussions work. They are pretty straightforward.
Discussions on Reddit are made up a series of embedded comments called threads. New threads may be started by using the “Create post” box at the top of the page just under the header. Within existing threads, you can either begin a new response by using the supplied comment box under the post, or click “Reply” under a previous comment if you have something to add directly to another response. All responses are embedded logically within posts, so it’s important that you put your comment in the correct area. Now that I write this, it seems much more complicated than it really is. My recommendation would be to play around a bit to get the hang of it; see how other Redditors handle discussions.
Try to adhere to the following guidelines. Any excessive deviation from them may result in the removal of your post and/or an unsatisfactory evaluation.
Be Original
Post only original topics; search the subreddit before creating a new post. In other words: read what has already been posted before you contribute so that you do not duplicate another thread.
Focus
This is a place for discussion—not writing essays. Limit all posts to fewer than 300 words, if possible. Replies (comments) should not exceed 150 words. Focus on one point (argument, thesis) per post. You can make your point, then reply later if need you have more to contribute.
Practice Precision
Use your best writing for the screen. Use the active voice whenever possible. Use bold type strategically to draw the reader’s eyes to the most important points. Avoid wordiness by eliminating any extra words. Don’t waste a single word. Use the correct conventions of English grammar. Practice precision in everything you write.
Support with Evidence
Develop your point using strong textual support from the primary text; indicate page numbers in parentheses. Secondary sources support your point even further; link specific English words to online sources—never just paste in a URL.
Proofread and Revise
Be sure to proofread for typos and revise your writing before posting.
Use Reddit Tools
Select the appropriate flair—usually the name of your class. As you read, be sure you reward good posts with up votes; vote posts down that do not adhere to the rules, do not add anything to the conversation, or are poorly written.
notes
