This Message Board is for questions regarding the class. Use your SMS for personal chats!

You can add but not eliminate messages. So make sure your message is correct (and what you mean) BEFORE you post it.

Suggestion: Write your message out first (with "Notepad" or "Wordpad", NOT with "Word"!!!); correct it; memorize it with the COPY function; then PASTE it on the Board.

As in any communication, put yourself in the shoes of the people who will read your message. Don't write: "Hey, I didn't understand that assignment, can anyone help me?" This is a zero message: you didn't specify (1.) what assignment, (2.) what you didn't understand exactly, (3.) who you are.  Zero messages deserve zero responses.

And remember, the receiver sees only your typed message - there is no voice inflection, twinkle of an eye, or body language to give it special meaning.

Exception: you can add typed smilies to give your message special intent (using standard U.S. keyboard characters):
;-) means "an ironic twinkle of the eye".
But unfortunately you can't use SMS symbols or e-mail smiley icons.

As in e-mail do not use upper case letters (DO NOT USE UPPER CASE, LIKE THIS) because that denotes SHOUTING.

IF using the Message Board seems complicated, remember how much time -- and cell phone money -- you save with respect to meeting people for help or phoning them.   Plus your questions and problems are surely similar to those of other students, so by discussing questions on the Message Board, publicly, you help other people, too.

What advantages do you get from answering someone's message for help on the Bulletin Board?  A lot.  Principally, you learn to become an autonomous learner through peer correction.  When you respond to a message on the Board from a fellow student asking for help, you clarify in your mind the information you give him or her; so in "giving", you actually "receive".  You become surer of what you know, and this helps you speak with more confidence during an oral examination.