**The Topic for the discussion board at the end of this email**

Discussion Board Expectations:

In certain weeks, you will be graded on how you participate within the discussion boards with your fellow classmates and instructor. You will be graded in participation with your interaction with your fellow classmates and instructor in the weeks listed in the course outlined below with each week counting as 100 points. There are no make-up assignments for threaded discussions, you must complete within that week to receive credit. The dates of the discussion threads are located in the course outline and the specific weeks, make sure that you follow this because there are no-make ups for the discussion threads as you have an entire week to complete the discussion thread. If you do not participate within the discussion boards during those weeks, you will receive a 0, with no exceptions. I have outlined the minimum standards to receive points in the discussion board.

To achieve the minimum posting requirements in this ECON 340, you should:

• Post a response to the discussion question. Respond to at least two different students or any of the extra questions that I post throughout the week. The Discussion Board Rubric(worth 100 points)YOUR FIRST POST MUST BE BY THURSDAY OF EACH WEEK OR YOU WILL LOSE 10 POINTS!!!!To do well, I will recommend that you write 3-4 paragraphs for your response to the discussion question and 1-2 paragraph response to your fellow classmates. I also recommend that you are using economic terms in your evaluation and responses as this are a good way to achieve maximum points. Each post should be “value added.” In other words, your posts should further the thread topics; show that you have learned something from our readings, or outside research; bring anecdotal, life experiences to the threaded issues; ask relevant and forward moving questions; or otherwise promote the course objectives for the week. Posts like “I agree,” or “Great post” are nice, good-will posts–but do not count as a graded post. 

INTIAL POST(30 total points): For each initial post, you need to evaluate/analyze the discussion question using appropriate economic terminology in your work in at least 3-4 paragraphs. It is important to make sure you are using proper sources and use of the economic terminology as this is what you are being graded on. When evaluating the discussion question, make sure that you are not summarizing the discussion question, but extending the analysis of the discussion question through the use of the terminology found in the text. Each initial post requires both an APA formatted in-text 

citation and reference. Please make sure to properly cite your work in APA formatting to do well as this is required for all initial posts. You need to label your initial post as the following in the discussion thread with the following subject. LAST NAME. INITIAL POST. For example, BERGAN. INITIAL POST #1

PEER RESPONSES(10 total points each, 20 total points): You will be responding to 2 students or to any of my questions that I post. For each peer response, you need to respond with at least a one paragraph response doing the same routine as you did for the initial post. Any response to any of the questions that I post will count as a peer response. It is important to make sure that with your development with your peer response that you are extending your analysis.

Discussion Board Rubric:

First Post by Thursday at 11:55pm, 10 points

Initial Post, 5 points for APA formatting, 10 points for content and development, 5 points for use of economic terms, 20 points

Peer Responses, 10 points each,20 points total

TOTAL=50 points

Requirements of submission:  You will write an initial post (3-4 paragraph response) to the discussion forum and you will reply to two posts during the week. Those may be in reply to comments on your initial post or to other students. A response needs to have more depth than “I agree” or “you are wrong.” A peer response can be classified to any of the questions I post within the week, as well. Your grade will be determined by your overall involvement in the forum and will be made up of three elements.

Critical Elements

Distinguished (A)

Proficient (B)

Emerging (C)

Not Evident (F)

Critical Thinking

You have a well-thought- out initial post and two peer responses and your first post is by Thursday

You have a well-thought-out initial post and at least one substantive responses and first post by Thursday

You have a well-thought-out initial post and responded to one post and did not get first post by Thursday

You had no initial post and/or failed to respond to anyone

Application

Your posts showed you answered the question; you demonstrated that you understood the course concepts. You had application within your work and appropriate use of economic terms

Your posts showed you answered the question; you did not completely understand the course concepts, did not address all parts of the questions and use appropriate use of economic terms in your work

Your post showed you struggled to answer the question; you did not understand the course concepts and lacked application and depth of economic terms

Your posts did not answer the question

Writing

(Mechanics/Citations)

No errors related to organization, grammar and style, and citations

Minor errors related to organization, grammar and style, and citations

Some errors related to organization, grammar and style, and citations

Major errors related to organization, grammar and style, and citations

Total

IMPORTANT NOTES ON HOW TO DO WELL ON THE DISCUSSIONS

1. Do you have 3-4 paragraphs for initial post?

2. Did you use economic terms from the Week?

3. Did you have at least 2 peer responses of at least one paragraph in length?

4. Did you label your post correctly?

5. Did you get your first post in by Thursday?

6. Did you add value in the discussion board with appropriate use of economic terms?

7. Did you use APA formatting in your initial post?

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For the first post due on Thursday

Discussion Board 1

It is argued that if a rich high wage country such as the United States were to expand trade with a relatively poor and low wage country such as Mexico, then U.S. industry would migrate south, and U.S. wages would fall to the level of Mexico’s. What do you think about this argument? What are the challenges that a small and a large country are going to face given the increasing demands of trading?

Discussion Board Rubric:

First Post by Thursday at 11:55pm, 10 points

Initial Post, 5 points for APA formatting, 10 points for content and development, 5 points for use of economic terms, 20 points

Peer Responses, 10 points each, 20 points total

TOTAL=100 points