questions.
view a video and answer 2 questions. Video Link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/3zc6bm4ze04h8io/Week1Video.mp4
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Discussion
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Week 1 Discussion Board
• View the guest speaker video and answer the discussion questions.
• Provide an initial post and a response for this week’s discussion board.
Discussion Board Goal
By completing the discussion board, you will gain a better understanding of how
to successfully implement your business plan.
Discussion Board Questions
1. Which 2 or 3 tips that the guest speaker mentioned did you find to be the
most helpful?
2. How can you apply those tips to your business plan?
Deliverable Due
• Enter an initial post by Wednesday (midnight, EST) answering the
discussion question.
• Enter a response post by Sunday (midnight, EST) to at least one of your
classmates’ posts.
• Your initial post must be a minimum of three paragraphs and cite at least
one source (outside of course materials) that supplements this topic.
• Your response post must be a minimum of one paragraph. It is not
necessary to cite an outside source if one is not used. If one is used, please it cite
appropriately.
• Follow the guidelines as outlined in the Discussion Board Rubric.
Grading Criteria
Individual Input and Initiative
Group Participation and Interaction
Critical Thinking and Analysis
Sources and Resources
Presentation and Style
Grading Criteria - See attached rubric. Grade Weight: 5%
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Discussion Board Rubric
Criteria Superior
20-18 points
Above
Average
17-16 points
Average
15-14 points
Below
Average/Failing
Below 13 points
Individual Input
and Initiative
[20%]
• Contributions
enhanced
instructor’s vision
for assignment
• Inspired rich
responses from
colleagues
• Surpassed typical
expectations
• Accurately
reflected
instructor’s
intentions
• Response
affirmed
discussion’s focus
and direction
• Response
appropriate to
subject
• Generally
competent, though
little sense of
engagement
• Response
revealed little
understanding of
subject
• Lack of
compliance with
discussion goals
• No energy or
enthusiasm
conveyed
Group
Participation
and Interaction
[20%]
• Participation
fostered “team
spirit”
• Brought “life” to
group
• Radiated respect
for colleagues
• Encouraged and
supported
colleagues
• Diplomatic in
disagreement
• Participation
consistent and
rewarding
• Comments not
integral to
discussion (e.g. “I
agree with...“)
• Courteous,
though little
rapport with
colleagues
• Off-topic postings
• Irrelevant or outof-
context
responses to
colleagues
• Lack of courtesy
and etiquette
Critical
Thinking and
Analysis
[20%]
• Insightful
• Fresh, stimulating
perspectives
• Richly detailed
• Comprehensive
• Persuasive
• Perceptive
• Effectively
detailed
• Logical
• Coherent
• Good continuity
• Competent
• Perspectives
well-stated, but
commonplace
• Adequately
detailed
• Responses did not
reveal even minimal
grasp of concepts
• Little analysis or
demonstration of
understanding
Sources and
Resources
[20%]
• Readings fully
integrated into
response, and
cited correctly
• Outside sources
well-chosen, with
serious effort, and
fully cited
• Stimulating
anecdotes with
appropriate detail
• Readings wellintegrated
into
response, and
cited correctly
• Outside sources
only somewhat
relevant, though
cited correctly
• Relevant
anecdotes with
appropriate detail
• Readings
acknowledged in
response, and
cited correctly
• Outside sources
not utilized
correctly, or were
inappropriate
• Marginal
anecdotes with
adequate detail
• Readings not
integrated
whatsoever into
responses
• No outside
sources
• No relevant
anecdotes
Grammar
[20%]
• No significant
errors (spelling,
grammar, usage,
punctuation,
capitalization,
structure,
organization &
style)
• Presentation
enhanced content
• Few or minor
errors
• Presentation
adequately
conveyed content
• Frequent or
major errors
• Presentation
diminished content
• Errors abounded
to point of
distraction
• Presentation
defeated content
Point Deductions:
Failure to appropriately cite outside resource – 5 points per incorrect citation
Non-repetitive typographical errors – 1 point per error
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DISCUSSION BOARD EVALUATION CRITERIA
1. Individual Input and Initiative
This category examines what you, the student, “brought to the table” in the
discussion with your colleagues and in response to your instructor’s intentions for the
assignment:
• Did you enter “on target” by firmly addressing questions initially posed by your
instructor on the discussion board?
• Did your points build upon this material, perhaps stimulate related questions
for the group, and thus enhance the overall dynamic of the discussion itself?
Applicable Adjectives, Concepts, and Terms:
• accuracy, comprehension, development, direction, energy, engagement,
enthusiasm, focus, interpretation, pertinence, relevance, understanding
2. Group Participation and Interaction
This category evaluates your interaction with colleagues in the discussion:
• Did your responses complement those of your colleagues, by building upon
their previously-posted comments in a relevant and subject-enhancing
manner?
• Did your responses reveal accurate comprehension and adequate
consideration of your colleagues’ perspectives?
• In general, were your contributions effective and productive toward furthering
group discussion?
• Did your responses and overall tone embody courtesy and supportiveness,
particularly in areas of intellectual disagreement with colleagues?
Applicable Adjectives, Concepts, and Terms:
• contribution, diplomacy, encouragement, etiquette, respect, support, tact,
team-building
3. Critical-Thinking and Analysis
Courtesy, enthusiasm, comprehension of subject and instructions are each
important—but unless accompanied by meaningful content, all are inconsequential.
Think of this as the peak of your posts — the summit to which all other criteria are
directed.
• Were your discussion points well-reasoned and well-supported?
• Did your input reward colleagues with interesting insights, revealing full
understanding and a comprehensive analysis of the subject?
• Did your responses integrate and synthesize opinions and perspectives
previously posted by colleagues on the discussion board?
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• Was there consistency and continuity in what you offered the group? Did the
responses convey an adequate sense of “flow” and have smooth transitions?
• Could your input be counted on to be informative, stimulating, and perhaps
even persuasive?
Applicable Adjectives, Concepts, and Terms
• challenging, coherence, comprehensiveness, consistency, defense,
development, insightful, interesting, interpretation, logical, organization,
perceptive, persuasive, provocative, reflection, stimulating, unity, validity,
well-argued, well-reasoned, well-supported
4. Sources and Resources
Primarily, this assesses the following:
• Did you properly integrate, quote, and cite course content within your
discussion board responses? Looking beyond the assigned readings,
however, demonstrates an appreciation for other sources that you may
have chosen to apply.
• Were outside sources integrated well into responses, and then cited
appropriately? Also respected and acknowledged are stories and
anecdotes from your own career or life experiences, or from those of
admired peers.
• Were the anecdotes offered with proper focus and relevant detail toward the
discussion subject?
• Did the anecdotes enhance or constructively expand the subject under
discussion?
Applicable Adjectives, Concepts, and Terms:
• analogies, anecdotes, documentation, examples, relevance, quotations,
selectivity, support
5. Presentation and Style
In short, this is the “mechanics” of discussion participation:
• Were proper spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization all adhered to?
• Did your discussion board entries display a consistent command of sentence
structure, paragraph organization, and effective vocabulary?
• Did your presentation of ideas and examination of topics possess unity and
focus?
• Was there an overall sense of clarity and coherence to your discussion board
postings? Were transitions smooth? Were details varied? Did digressions or
over-elaborations mar the work at times?
• Overall, did style properly convey, or even enhance, the essence of your
content?