“TA DA!” Came the exclamation from the kitchen, at 6:30 am.

My husband had just secured dinner reservations for our family at “Be Our Guest” at the Magic Kingdom, which currently happens to be the absolute hardest place to get a reservation at Walt Disney World. This accomplishment occurred only six days before we were scheduled to leave for our trip. Reservations can be made up to 180 days in advance, and people are serious about flocking online to make theirs that early. Fortunately for us, my husband thoroughly enjoys enjoying a glass of wine in the evenings while “trolling” the reservations website, or in this case, his morning coffee time scored dinner at one of our favorite places. When people cancel and a spot opens up, you’ve got to be on there to grab it!

However, if you don’t have the time or desire to scavenge the reservation site like we do, planning is still a key to making your Disney vacation as magical as possible for your family. With the fabulous military discounts, the trip itself is definitely made more affordable. Currently, four-day tickets are less than $200 per person at MWR or Shades of Green resorts in Orlando.  Children under age three are still free. https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/special-offers/military-4-day-tickets/

The military discounts for resorts on property also help tremendously with the expense.  Disney resorts are divided into three price categories and really do provide options for all budget sizes. http://www.militarydisneytips.com/Disney-Armed-Forces-Salute-Disney-Resorts.html

Some Disney (Florida) basics: There are four parks to visit. The Magic Kingdom, which is home to the iconic Cinderella Castle. There are tons of things for big and small kids to do here. The shows and parades are amazing but for anything that takes place in front of the castle, get there early to get close enough to see. Magic Kingdom also hosts a nightly fireworks show that will require you to arrive early, too as it is Disney’s most popular. Princesses and other character appearances are everywhere here so keep your cameras handy.

 Epcot Center is an incredible place to visit, play and learn. Its claim to fame is the huge golf ball that can be seen from almost anywhere in the park. This park focuses on technology and the future, as well as the past. The World Showcase, which surrounds a lagoon, boasts  11 different countries including stores, restaurants and opportunities to learn about the culture in each. There are also many places to see princesses and characters here, too. So if you missed the princesses at Magic Kingdom, don’t worry, their appearance schedules are all listed on the guide. Epcot also has a nightly fireworks spectacular which happens to be our favorite. The fireworks take place above the lagoon and can be seen from any country in the World Showcase. I think we’ve seen it from every country’s vantage point. It’s not quite as crazy in popularity as the Magic Kingdom’s and the beauty of it is it can be seen from many places in the park. On our last trip, we got there early enough to grab a café table in France and have champagne and French pastries while we watched the show. Best view yet!

Disney’s Hollywood Studios is home to . . . the movies! This park features streets and shops paying homage to old Hollywood and movie-themed attractions such as the Tower of Terror, based on the Twilight Zone, Star Tours, the Star Wars themed extravaganza and the Great Movie Ride, which takes you through some of the most iconic movies of all times.  Hollywood’s nightly show is Fantasmic, a blend of pyrotechnics and live characters all in an arena surrounding a lovely lake. It’s a must see!

Disney’s Animal Kingdom givens you and your family the opportunity to get up close and personal with some animals you might otherwise not ever get to see in their ‘natural habitat.’ Kilimanjaro Safari is a slow bus ride through the savannah and jungle where you can see everything from hippos to cheetahs, elephants and giraffes and even rhinos. It’s an amazing time for people of all ages to see and learn about so many different creatures. Animal Kingdom’s centerpiece is the huge “Tree of Life” in the center of the park. Just to see it is beautiful, as well as a great place for a photo op, but it also contains a live show, themed after the movie “A Bug’s Life.” There are many other animal themed shows and rides here. This park is also broken into world ‘regions.’ There’s an African section, an Asian section, there’s even a dinosaur section!  The dinosaur section includes a huge ‘dinosaur dig’ area great for little ones! In Asia, Everest is the thrill roller coaster ride that is the park’s most popular. This park closes the earliest, so I recommend going early, seeing everything you can and then hopping over to one of the other parks to end your night with fireworks.

Disney’s Fast Pass plus option helps you to “schedule” times for some of the most popular attractions to  ensure your family  gets to experience as much action as possible. After registering your tickets online you can go through a series of times based on your dates and select the rides you’d like. https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/plan/my-disney-experience/fastpass-plus/

And now, it all links to the magic bands! Magic bands can be selected by color and even personalized. They are water proof, Mickey logoed plastic bands that each member of your party wears the entire vacation. https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/plan/my-disney-experience/bands-cards/

Not only do they link to your Fast Passes, but also your actual admission ticket, as well as park pictures, the ability to “bump your band” and pay for things in the parks. Don’t worry, you decide which bands have charging privileges,  that way your little ones can’t run rampant and “bump” things in the stores to leave you with a big, fat bill!

And then there’s the food! Dining at Disney is serious business for us, obviously. At most places, reservations are recommended, but if you don’t want to commit, at least familiarize yourself online ahead of time with the places to eat at the different parks you plan to visit. There are so many to choose from, varying in price and type of cuisine it’s easy to be hungry when you’re there and just feel overwhelmed with the choices.  The Disney Dining Plan is another option to help streamline your trip, and your budget. There are some restrictions with this plan, but we’ve used it on some of our trips and enjoyed it. For a certain price, your family can put together a number of meals and snacks per day that you pay for rolled into the cost of your whole trip. We’ve priced it out, and it’s not necessarily cheaper, but paying for most everything up front is convenient.  You can research and see what’s considered a snack and a meal online so that you will be well informed if you choose this option. During the Epcot Food and Wine Festival, the dining plan is super worth it, as the food booth tasting options fall into the “snack” category. This festival usually takes place end of September through mid November. https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/plan/my-disney-experience/bands-cards/

There are many options for places to stay in Orlando, but staying on property not only gives you the benefit of Disney transportation to the parks, but you can also participate in ‘extra magic hours.’ Each park is planned to either open an hour early or stay open later and you can only stick around if you’re staying on property. And yes, they do check! It’s a great way to get in a character appearance or ride that had longer lines earlier in the day because the crowd thins out a bit. https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/extra-magic-hours/

Staying on property also enables you to ‘ship’ your store purchases to your resort so you’re not stuffing your stroller full of bags. At the checkout, you tell the cashier which resort you’re staying in, fill out a form and the next day, your packages will be in your resort’s gift shop for you to conveniently pick up.

I happen to be a photo junkie. My family calls my photo editing “doing pictures.” My Disney memories are, by far, my favorite photos to edit and go through. In addition to your own camera, Disney offers a Photo Pass service. In many locations around the parks you will find professional photographers to take your picture, with everyone included in your party, in front of the most scenic areas. The pictures are all downloaded onto your magic band and can be viewed and purchased at Photo Pass stations in the parks or online for a period of time after your trip. The photos can get a bit pricey, so picking and choosing is always a good option. Disney also offers a Memory Maker package that can be purchased before or during your trip. It’s a little cheaper to purchase ahead of time. For one price, it includes every picture taken in all the parks, plus the pictures that are taken on some of the larger roller coasters, which can cost even more than the regular pictures. It’s around $200 but if you add up the cost of the pictures, it’s actually a better deal if you choose to do it. https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/memory-maker/

If all this planning makes your head spin, there’s nothing that says you can’t just wing it while you’re there. The planning helps you do and see the most for your money, but there is always something to be said for spontaneity.  We plan Disney year-round, but some of my favorite memories have been meals on the go purchased from little stands, eaten on a bench overlooking the lagoon and fireworks viewed from partially behind a light pole with my then toddler’s diaper completely full. But seeing those fireworks light her face next to her fathers’ who’d just returned home to us after 12 long months of deployment was priceless. Making memories is what a Disney vacation is all about!

Well, only part of that is true.

Chicago is a city. However, it is also a style of writing.

It is one of the three writing styles that are required for almost every paper that we will ever write in our academic lives. The format that is required for a research paper is usually specific to a subject field. 

Sounds easy, right? Well, the explanation is pretty much where the ease ends. And although things can get a little (actually, a lot) murkier, don’t panic. Why? Because I like to work smarter, not harder.

So here are the quick and dirty details of the three types of academic writing styles, complete with the place to go for answers. So, in the words of the great Samuel L. Jackson, “Hold onto your butts.”

MLA:

The Modern Language Association (MLA) style is currently in its 7^th edition, and provides a set of guidelines for works that are centered on the Arts and Humanities. English, all types of arts, languages, etc. utilize the MLA style. If your degree involves the words “of Arts”, get comfy-cozy with MLA, because it is going to be your bread and butter.

APA:

The American Psychological Association (APA) style is currently in its 6^th edition. It is the go-to format for both hard and social sciences, like medicine, psychology, sociology, and social work.

CMS/Chicago:

The Chicago Manual of Style, or CMS, is now in its 16^th edition. Like MLA, it is used frequently within the Arts (particularly literature). Unlike MLA, CMS is used for research of sources that take place within specific historical frames of time or context. Although CMS is not an uncommon format, it is encountered typically in publishing, graduate, and post-grad work. If you plan on continuing your education into the ultra-awesome realm and/or having your amazing academic works published, CMS is a need-to-know.

Any time you plug any of these style terms into a search bar, your first response will almost always be for Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab. Click that link.

I promise, it’s okay if you are not a student of Purdue University.

It’s okay that it says OWL, and you are not going to school for any kind of avian science.

Purdue OWL is the go-to source for all of your formatting needs. They offer more than 200 resources for academic and professional writing, including research, grammar, writing mechanics, job search writing, and English as a Second Language (ESL). 

Purdue is also the reigning authority for … wait for it … all three styles of academic writing! They have examples of spacing, reference pages, headers, and footers, hanging indentation, weird citations - the works! 

The works. Get it? Okay, so I like a good academic-writing pun. Stop judging me and go write your paper.

If a major test with a well-known acronym is in your future, the right preparation can set you up to maximize your score. There’s a range of free online tools to help you assess your current knowledge level, build on it and bone up on smart test-taking strategies.

College prep tests

If you’re unsure which college admission test is right for you – ACT or SAT – check out the Princeton Review’s breakdown of the two most common college admissions assessments. U.S. News & World Report also has a helpful guide on college admissions tests and how to prepare for them.

Most schools require one or the other; check with the specific school’s admission office to make sure you’re filling in the right blanks. It’s a tossup as to which is more common; most students end up taking both. Some sites suggest the SAT is still the most common test (more than 2 million students take it every year) and most colleges and universities require it for admission. But other experts say that’s a myth, that the ACT is just as widely accepted. If you take both, you can usually submit whichever score is higher.

Some schools require writing portions and subject tests as part of the application process. Some colleges require none of the above, but those are in the minority. It really depends on your field of study and college/university.

Sites to get you started

CollegeBoard’s SAT page has all kinds of great info – review tools, news about changes to the test, SAT study plan, even a full practice test – all free. For $31.99 you can purchase a full guide with DVD, or sign up for an online class for $69.95. It’s a range of options that will in the very least give you a starting point and an idea of how much more prep you need before you take the test.

At 4Tests, you can prep for dozens of free practice tests from the GED to the LSAT. Check out the discussion forums for feedback from fellow students on specific tests. Their study store connects you with test guides that are ranked and reviewed if you want to purchase extra support. 

The ACT is focused solely on that test. There are several free components (sample test questions, question of the day, test-taking tips, test descriptions, etc.), but no full practice test. For $24.95, you can buy a year’s access to their full online prep program.

Test Prep Review is another site with numerous free practice tests; one of the longest lists of practice tests out there. It also offers a breakdown of the major standardized tests are and what fields of study require them.

At FreeTestPrep.com, you’ll find articles, guides, practice tests and flash cards for SAT, ACT and GED. They also have more than 1,500 college application essays to give you ideas to jumpstart your own.

The Princeton Review offers free tests for SAT and ACT. You can register for paid services like tutoring and self-paced study courses. You can connect with a college admissions counselor in certain states and research college rankings, financial aid, study abroad, and more.

Recently, a student in search of an editor for a research paper contacted me. During our initial consultation, I asked her for her working outline. Much to my sadness, rather than handing me a piece of paper, she responded with an expression usually reserved for individuals stricken with deep confusion.

And when I say “deep confusion,” I mean a complete and total loss of functional thought.

Basically, I was stared at as though an extra arm had sprouted from my forehead. My sadness was because, in the land of research and academia, it doesn’t matter if you are writing a five- or fifty-page paper. Having an outline is the key to success.

Let me say it again, so that I’m very, very clear: outlines are crucial to the academic writing process.

Think of your paper as a dresser. Dressers have drawers, right? And we use those drawers to separate our clothing so we are able to get dressed with minimal confusion- underwear and socks from the top drawer, a shirt from the middle drawer and a pair of pants from the bottom drawer.

That makes sense, right? So if we organize our clothes, our silverware and other simple objects, why wouldn’t we organize our thoughts?

Mind blown. 

So, to continue the flow of awesome, I’m going to give you a few resources to help jumpstart your inner outlining genius:

1.  Every writing program (Word, Pages, etc.) has a variety of bullet point styles and outline templates built into the software. Once you’ve figured out the way you want your headings and subheadings set up (and sell your soul for the instructions to format them without going completely bonkers) it’s all plug and play!

2.  If you want to get really fancy, you can look online for even more templates! Google, Microsoft, and a variety of academically owned websites have these templates and examples for download. Be very careful when you are choosing sites to download from, though, and use only reputable web locations. Ain’t nobody got time for a sucky virus that will crash your hard drive.

3.  The Purdue OWL website has several explanations and examples of academic research outlines, and even a nifty PowerPoint presentation available free for download. You can check them out here: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/544/03/

      This site has saved my scholarly booty on more than a few occasions, but that’s a topic for another day.  

So there you go! Writing a research paper can be as simple as getting dressed!

Okay, not really. But, when it comes down to brass tacks, taking the time to create a functional list of topics to be addressed and your plan to address them will likely save you hours of work. Hours that can be spent doing other things. And, hours saved are a precious commodity for any student!

There are a number of websites that are available when doing research for a paper or project. You can Google any phrase and buckets of information come pouring out. 

It is easy, though, to get caught up in the volume of information and forget that not everything you read on the internet is true. When using any kind of internet-based research, it is important to use sources that contain information that can be verified by another legitimate source. 

What are considered legitimate sources, you ask?

Legitimate sources are places you find information that are, in a word, trustworthy. Here are a few sources to start you down the right road to academic research:

1. Primary sources provide first-hand information and are, as a rule, the best and most verifiable of all sources. Primary sources are original documents, works of art or other tangible things that were created during the frame of time that you are researching. Primary sources can also include academic or research works that provide new evidence or scientific findings on the topic you are researching, or can be directly quoted interviews (so long as the interviewee is someone qualified to discuss the topic at hand).  

Example: The Diary of Anne Frank would be an excellent primary source for research on life during the holocaust. However, the Hollywood film, Schindler’s List would not.

2. Secondary sources are works that evaluate and discuss a primary source, or combine to discuss several sources. These works often include summaries, analysis, pictures or personal interpretations of a primary source. While often reliable, secondary sources are at least one step removed from a primary source. What does “one step removed” mean? In short, it means that the information presented that discusses the primary source is valid, and can be verified by another legitimate primary or secondary source.

Example: For academic purposes, your class text can be an excellent secondary   source. They are often well researched, well written, have been reviewed by peers and accepted by the scholarly community. If the thought of using textbooks makes your eyes glaze over with boredom, other secondary source options include encyclopedias, articles and certain documentaries. 

For research and academic writing, these two types of sources should be used to support your thesis. Seriously. If what you’ve found falls outside of the primary or secondary source definitions, seems poorly written, or just generally seems like it won’t pass muster, scrap it. Just get rid of that bad boy and find another source. Although finding another may seem like adding work, your grade will thank you!  

There’s a lot of unbelievable things that we witness as military wives, but sometimes the things we hear are just the stuff of modern fairy tales. Staff writer Sandra Moyer is here to dust the darkness off those closely held, widely believed rumors in our new monthly column, military myth busters.

Myth: You can charged with damaging government property for suffering a severe sunburn.

Background: There are many times that service members (including myself) have been told that getting a sunburn can earn them consequences under the Uniform Code of Military Justice’s (UCMJ). Typically, the portion of the UCMJ that is used to enforce the claim is Article 108, which deals with the destruction of government property.

Research and Analysis: Under Article 108, people and property are discussed separately, rather than people being considered property. That is because people are not property. They cannot be assigned a monetary worth, and, are not legally subject to being purchased or sold. That being the case, a sunburn on a service member is simply not defined as damaging government property.

Unfortunately, I can’t drop my microphone and walk out just yet, because there are two another articles of the UCMJ that make this situation sticky.

Article 115 refers to malingering, which is just a fancy word for faking or exaggerating an illness or injury in order to avoid duty. The issue here means that someone would not only have to get sunburned, but also excessively seek medical treatment and claim that because of the burn they are incapable of performing their duties.

Article 192 references disobeying direct or lawful orders or regulations . . . and that’s where the real possibility of reprimand comes into play. If a regulation or someone appointed over a service member clearly states that, say, service members must stay inside to avoid sunburn (which is likely never, ever going to actually be said) and a service member willfully disobeys that order and gets a sunburn, they could indeed be punished for disobeying that order. As the chances of anyone being ordered to stay inside to avoid sunburn are seriously slim to none, so are the chances of someone being punished for violating it.

Myth (mostly) Busted: The short answer to this question is no, you cannot be charged with damaging government property for getting a sunburn. The longer answer is that service members are not free to damage themselves all willy-nilly without the possibility of repercussion.

Regardless, you should just be smart about your health and your job and follow the wise words of Mary Schmich: “Wear sunscreen.”

Three years ago, when I started college, I learned …well, I learned a lot of things. But one of the most important things I learned was that writing assignments and their due dates in a planner did not work for me, and neither did physically carrying everything I needed to study effectively.

Why didn’t it work, you ask? 

I’ll tell you why: because college assignments are long. Everything about them is long - the instructions, the rubric, the references. And fitting that amount of information into a teeny space on a cute notebook page or in one binder just isn’t feasible. Enter the student’s best friend: technology.

There are a number of ways that technology can be a huge asset when it comes to the daily lives of college students. One type that I have become ridiculously dependent upon is the app. The app is small, but it is mighty, and it is versatile.

Here are a few that have helped me immensely:

Electronic textbooks have become increasingly popular in the last several years. Using apps like iBooks and Kindle are an easy way to simplify and downsize physical bulk. Often, these apps include features that allow the user to highlight and bookmark passages, add notes, look up definitions and web search simply by selecting an area of the screen.

Similarly, apps designed to read PDF and document files can be extremely beneficial. Not only can documents be imported into the reader, but often can be noted, highlighted, and categorized in folders. One app that I’ve found that blows the rest out of the water is Document 5. It allows the reading of books, articles, and documents, along with the ability to search within those for specific words. It will store photos, videos and music; sync with iCloud, Dropbox, and Google Drive, manages files, and can be password protected. Basically, it’s a phone-sized filing cabinet with a tiny personal assistant surprise inside!

The Kahn Academy offers an app with a wide range of information, including print and videos. I promise you, with my heart and soul, that if you struggle with any kind of mathematical concept, The Kahn Academy has a video to walk you through it. Think I’m joking? I had to take five preparatory math classes before I was allowed to enter a 100-level class. That’s how bad I am. The tutorial videos were simple and clear, and helped me salvage the remainder of my sanity. Anyway, the app’s content can be browsed through and searched by a specific word or phrase, and offers a variety of test preparation and practices. Kahn is also partnered with a number of reputable organizations, like the California Academy of Sciences and The J. Paul Getty Museum, which makes finding legitimate sources for research a snap.

Would you like to know the best thing about these apps? They’re all free. Yeah, you heard me, free. So go load up your electronics with these helpful goodies, and the next time you go to class, maybe your bag won’t give you such a backache!

I’ve been Googling school supplies lately, the internets have deemed all of their “suggestions” for me be scholarly in nature. One of the recent suggestions was an app called “Titto”, which is supposed to be an alternative to purchasing or renting books through, say, Amazon or Chegg. Earlier in the year, we briefly spent some time together discussing renting our college textbooks so we don’t have to hand over our firstborn in payment.

In the interest of keeping my sad wallet from getting any sadder, I picked a book and figured out which site or app was most monetarily efficient. (I know, right? I’m a hoot at parties, too!)

I began with a middle of the road priced book for my upcoming semester: Ethical Journalist: Making Responsible Decisions in the Pursuit of News. (Seriously, guys. I promise, I am not the world’s most boring person.) This book is required for participation in Communications 409, which is a course they tell me is a necessity for a Communications major to take … go figure. It is recommended for purchase from the school’s bookstore, which is not likely the bank account-friendliest option. We’ll toss that option in, though, just to be fair. We’re also going to stick with the paperback or digital editions, because ain’t nobody got time for a 200-pound book.

Anyway, here’s how the numbers break down:

School Bookstore:

$74.00 (New)              $55.00 (Used)             $43.30 (12 month digital rental)

Chegg:

$74.99 (New)              $50.99 (Used)             $20.49 (4 month physical rental)

Amazon:

$67.87 (New)              $11.65 (Used)             $N/A (physical rental) 

$42.99 (digital rental)

Titto:

$19.99 (Flat rate per month)

These prices are fairly comparable, to be honest. I’ve seen everything from no difference at all to, no joke, price gaps you could drive an eighteen-wheeler through.

The point, however, stays the same: a little time and research can save you a lot of money.

If the book is something you’ll never crack open again after the course is finished, rent it. And, if the book is something you’ll likely use in the future (hello, majoring in our goal employment area!) then don’t be afraid to buy it and keep it for your shelf. Whichever you choose, make sure the option is the best for you and your wallet!

Elizabeth Jamison has taken the bar exam twice in two different states. And now, she’s preparing to take it again, in a third state. Each time, she has aced it.

Three bar exams? The extra pressure, study time and cost – crazy you say? It’s the life of a dedicated military spouse who is also a dedicated attorney.

Jamison, a Navy wife and the communications director of Military Spouse JD Network (www.msjdn.com) is just one of the 41 percent of its members who have taken two or more bar exams, usually due to the demands of the military lifestyles.

MSJDN was founded to advocate for military spouses who want to maintain their legal careers in spite of the challenges that frequent military relocations present. Many of these spouses have student loan balances of more than $80,000 and have families to care for, on top of juggling the duties of being a military spouse.

Since attorneys are required to be licensed in the state in which they practice, the time and cost to become licensed in a new state is an uphill battle every two or three years. Recent legislation has allowed many licensed occupations to have reciprocity in different states to accommodate their military moves - but not attorneys.

The highest court in each state governs their licenses, meaning they have to retest every time they PCS. MSJDN is currently working with states to make accommodations for military spouses and has succeeded in nine states.

 “Our primary goal is to get these rule changes into effect so that military families can stay together and military spouses can support their families,” Jamison said. “We’re working with each state to address their concerns and the rules in each state reflect the needs of that legal community. For example, some states that have enacted rules allow spouses to become members of that state’s bar permanently, while others permit it for the length of the service member’s orders.”

MSJDN also has an extensive membership of about 1,000 military spouses. The network provides resources for networking, support and job postings. The postings also include non-licensed legal jobs as well. A 

“We have so many people say they thought they were the only military spouse trying to pursue a legal career and they are so happy to find our group with like-minded spouses. It’s a very active group and a fantastic perk for those who join MSJDN,” Jamison said.

MSJDN has also partnered with In Gear Career to co-host the program, Homefront Rising, and provide non-partisan political action training to military spouses. This program encourages military spouses to become active in the political process and teaches the entire spectrum of political involvement from the local school board to state-wide Senate races.

MSJDN also assists military families with their pro bono program, Justice for Military Families. Partnering with TAPS, (Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors), and funded by Newman’s Own Foundation, this program not only provides a way for military spouse attorneys to stay current on the law while serving their community, but connects military family survivors with pro bono legal help as they navigate the often difficult legal challenges that may arise after a military member is killed in action.

 “We’re really proud of Justice for Military Families,” Jamison said. “It allows military spouse attorneys to use their talents for the benefit of the military community and fills the justice gap for these families in need of legal assistance.”

MSJDN is currently working on providing continuing education through their website, as well.

Maintaining a legal career as a military spouse can be difficult and expensive, but MSJDN provides a wealth of information and support to help connect spouses and continue to do the work they love, all while navigating the demands of the military lifestyle.

“Publish or perish!” used to be the lament of academia in the pre-digital age. While the delivery system may be different, students and instructors still make their grades with the written word. As an online student, that means crafting discussion posts that are thoughtful and grammatically correct.

When it comes to starting and creating a good online discussion, preparation and an early start are critical, said Brandy McDonough, associate dean of instruction at Bryant & Stratton College Online.

“Once you’ve identified the discussion questions or directions, then you can go back to your reading you’ve been assigned for the week to pull some ideas,” she said, adding that extra research online or in the virtual library is helpful. “By doing that, they’re going to be able to get information that’s more academic in nature that will support their own statements.”

Most initial posts are due by Tuesday, but the sooner you get a post rolling, the better, she said. The initial post will require more time up front if you take the initiative to do independent research. After that, about an hour a day should be enough time for you to catch up on posts and come up with questions to further the dialog, she said.

“As you post, go in and take a look at some peers’ discussion posts, respond to maybe a couple of posts that day,” McDonough said. “Then log in the next day and look to see if anybody’s responded to your posts. That way you can provide feedback to them.”

This doesn’t have to be a particularly time-consuming process, but it’s not something you can save for just one day, she said. Break it up over the course of the week to better manage your time and plan your responses.

“It doesn’t take too much time to go in and look at what others have shared, but it’s a great way to remain actively engage in that week’s discussion and see some of the feedback the instructor has provided,” McDonough said.

Be sure you also check back to see what the instructor adds.

“The instructor is the content expert,” she said. “You may find (instructor’s remarks) interesting and relevant to your own career path that might be helpful, or it might spark some different ideas and/or discussions that you might want to continue to have throughout the week.”

If the discussion starts to wander, you can kindly guide it back on topic. McDonough suggests you find a common interest with the poster who’s off track – a career goal, a similar experience – and ask that person a question that loops the dialog back into the central theme.

“You just have to be careful to do it in a respectful way and not call it out as ‘You guys are off topic,’” she said.

Other points McDonough suggests you keep in mind:

1.    Make sure your responses actually do something to further the conversation. “Great point, Susie!” and the like really don’t cut it.

2.    Don’t use all caps. It comes off as very abrupt and can be considered shouting.

3.    If you use a different font color in your replies, don’t choose red.

4.    Be very careful about grammar and how you write. Remember to capitalize “I” appropriately. McDonough recommends reading a post aloud to catch as many errors as possible.  

“These are things that can come off to others as perhaps not academic in nature and you may not get as many responses from classmates,” she said.