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Responding to peers in the discussion board is a typical requirement in many Walden courses, and they also serve an important purpose – they allow you to exchange ideas, academically debate, and see topics through the perspectives of other people. However, sharing your writing in a public forum where you’re often asked to debate with individuals you have not yet connected with can be challenging. It can be difficult to know where to begin or how to respond.
It may feel challenging to figure out how to approach multiple peer responses week-to-week. However, you might find it helpful to use a structured approach to help you streamline the process to boost your efficiency, allowing you to focus more on the exchange of ideas.
This approach can be broken into two phases (reading and writing) with 3 steps each.
Reading
Writing
For most classes, “The Two Threes” method will help you engage with peer posts and develop a thoughtful response. That said, some response requirements may be different, so always be sure to read the discussion response requirements prior to posting.
At the start of each course, develop a peer response template in alignment with the course rubrics. Although requirements for peer responses can differ, a template might involve these common elements.
Open your response by thanking your peer for the post and referring to a point they made that you would like to discuss further. For example, you could write:
“Thank you for the post. You mentioned _________________.”
Find an article that expands on the topic the peer discussed and introduce it in your response. Remember to include an in-text citation and reference list.
“I was interested in this idea, so I searched the library for articles and found the following _____________.”
Tie in any appropriate additional resources to support your ideas and discuss whether you agree or disagree. Ask a follow-up question if necessary.
This example template demonstrates interest in the peer’s point of view, introduces additional research on the topic, and keeps the conversation going by sharing additional perspectives and asking questions.
For some courses, this example template might align well with the rubric and expectations. Again, though, be sure that any template you create aligns with specific requirements in the prompt and rubric – remember, those requirements can change from course to course or even week to week.