NURS 6512 Discussion Building a Health History Essay
Sample Answer for NURS 6512 Discussion Building a Health History Essay Included After Question
Effective communication is vital to constructing an accurate and detailed patient history. A patient’s health or illness is influenced by many factors, including age, gender, ethnicity, and environmental setting. As an advanced practice nurse, you must be aware of these factors and tailor your communication techniques accordingly. Doing so will not only help you establish rapport with your patients, but it will also enable you to more effectively gather the information needed to assess your patients’ health risks.
For this Discussion, you will take on the role of a clinician who is building a health history for a particular new patient assigned by your Instructor.
Resources
Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity.
Click the weekly resources link to access the resources.
WEEKLY RESOURCES
To prepare:
With the information presented in Chapter 2 of Ball et al. in mind, consider the following:
- By Day 1 of this week, you will be assigned a new patient profile by your Instructor for this Discussion. Note: Please see the “Course Announcements” section of the classroom for your new patient profile assignment.
- How would your communication and interview techniques for building a health history differ with each patient?
- How might you target your questions for building a health history based on the patient’s social determinants of health?
- What risk assessment instruments would be appropriate to use with each patient, or what questions would you ask each patient to assess his or her health risks?
- Identify any potential health-related risks based upon the patient’s age, gender, ethnicity, or environmental setting that should be taken into consideration.
- Select one of the risk assessment instruments presented in Chapter 2 or Chapter 5 of the Seidel’s Guide to Physical Examination text, or another tool with which you are familiar, related to your selected patient.
- Develop at least five targeted questions you would ask your selected patient to assess his or her health risks and begin building a health history.
By Day 3 of Week 1
Post a summary of the interview and a description of the communication techniques you would use with your assigned patient. Explain why you would use these techniques. Identify the risk assessment instrument you selected, and justify why it would be applicable to the selected patient. Provide at least five targeted questions you would ask the patient.
Note: For this Discussion, you are required to complete your initial post before you will be able to view and respond to your colleagues’ postings. Begin by clicking on the Reply button to complete your initial post. Remember, once you click on Post Reply, you cannot delete or edit your own posts and you cannot post anonymously. Please check your post carefully before clicking on Post Reply!
Read a selection of your colleagues’ responses.
By Day 6 of Week 1
Respond to at least two of your colleagues on 2 different days who selected a different patient than you, using one or more of the following approaches:
- Share additional interview and communication techniques that could be effective with your colleague’s selected patient.
- Suggest additional health-related risks that might be considered.
- Validate an idea with your own experience and additional research
A Sample Answer For the Assignment: NURS 6512 Discussion Building a Health History Essay
Title: NURS 6512 Discussion Building a Health History Essay
Comprehensive health and risk assessment in the adolescent population is challenging, given the multiple issues manifesting during this developmental stage. Moreover, adolescents do not readily share personal information because they barely trust people and tend to be defiant, making them resist any intervention efforts in their lives. When conducting interviews to build health history with adolescents, important communication principles include trust, confidentiality, and a nonjudgmental attitude.
In the scenario, a white adolescent male seeks medical care for STI. With adolescent patients, it is crucial to make them feel comfortable first. I would achieve this by building rapport using compliments such as on dressing. I would also initiate small talk and ask the patient about home life and favorite past-times. Once I establish rapport, I will use open-ended questions and encourage the adolescent to talk freely. The communication techniques that will guide my interview include avoiding criticism, showing respect and genuine concern, giving friendly responses, and ascertaining privacy and confidentiality (Diamond-Fox, 2021). Additionally, adolescents have great independence and do not want to be treated like children; thus, I will address the patient as if I am having a conversation with an adult.
The patient does not have health insurance pointing to the possibility of coming from a vulnerable population of low socioeconomic background. I would assess the patient’s childhood background and educational background to understand the socioeconomic factors that might influence their health (Ball et al., 2019). I would also ask about the family’s statusand whether both parents are present. I would assess challenges in accessing health services, basic needs, and also get information about the neighborhood (Srinath et al., 2019). I would also inquire about the kind of people he hangs out with; if they are involved in substance abuse and criminal activities. Furthermore, I will assess the possibility of substance use in the family (parents) and experiences of abuse and neglect.
The screening tools appropriate for adolescents are Rapid Assessment for Adolescent Preventive Services (RAAP), used to identify health risks, and HEeADSSS Assessment, which evaluates risk and protective factors to enable effective intervention. In addition, the CRAFFT Screening Test is also used with the adolescent population to identify problems and risks associated with drug use.
Based on the patient’s age, one of the major risks he is exposed to is substance abuse. According to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics (2022), 50% of teenagers have abused drugs and alcohol at least once. Teenagers are vulnerable to substance use because of peer pressure, the urge to experiment, ignorance about the effects, and involvement in criminal activities. For adolescents from low socioeconomic status, the risk of substance abuse is even higher (Farley, 2020). The second risk that the patient is exposed to is infectious diseases. The patient presents with the problem of STI, which means he engages in behavior that exposes him to the risk of sexually transmitted infections and can lead to contracting HIV and other chronic infections. Finally, the patient may be exposed to psychosocial issues common with adolescents.
The risk assessment instrument I would use is HEADSS, an interview instrument used to evaluate issues in an adolescent’s life. The instrument evaluates several components, including home, education/employment, activities, drugs use, sexuality, and mental health concerns (Ball et al., 2019).
Targeted Questions
- Do you live at home with your parents? Are both your parents together?
- What kind of people do you hang out with most?
- Have you ever tried alcohol, marijuana, and any other hard substance?
- Have you ever witnessed or been a victim of abuse in the past and present?
- Do you use protection when engaging in intercourse with your girlfriend?
- What do you know about sexually transmitted infections?
- Have you ever felt like harming yourself or someone else?
- Have you ever run into problems with law enforcement, leading to incarceration?
References
Ball, J. W., Dains, J. E., Flynn, J. A., Solomon, B. S., & Stewart, R. W. (2019). Seidel’s guide to physical examination: An interprofessional approach (9th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Mosby.
Diamond-Fox, S. (2021). Undertaking consultations and clinical assessments at advanced level. British Journal of Nursing, 30(4), 238–243. https://doi.org/10.12968/bjon.2021.30.4.238.
Farley, H. R. (2020). Assessing mental health in vulnerable adolescents. Nursing, 50(10), 48-53. doi: 10.1097/01.NURSE.0000697168.39814.93.
National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics. (2022). Drug use among youth: Facts &statistics. Retrieved from National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics: https://drugabusestatistics.org/teen-drug-use/
Srinath, S., Jacob, P., Sharma, E., & Gautam, A. (2019). Clinical practice guidelines for assessment of children and adolescents. Indian journal of psychiatry, 61(Suppl 2), 158–175. https://doi.org/10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_580_18.
A Sample Answer 2 For the Assignment: NURS 6512 Discussion Building a Health History Essay
Title: NURS 6512 Discussion Building a Health History Essay
The main question post for this discussion entails building a health history regarding a pre-school-aged white female living in a rural community. I would use a patient-centered care approach with techniques that included courtesy, comfort, connection, and confirmation during the interview to develop a rapport with the parent(s) and the patient (Ball et al., 2019). The discussion will focus on communication techniques, social determinants of health considerations, risk assessment tools, and targeted questions to improve the patient and the family’s wellbeing.
Communication and Interview Techniques
I would review the pre-visit questionnaire and identify who was attending the patient before entering the exam room. Of note, if the person accompanying the child were not the parent, then I would check with my mentor the policies and procedures for my primary care setting. I would also review the patient’s History of Present Illness, Past Medical History, Surgeries, Allergies (medications, food, and environment), Current, Present, and Past Medications, and Family Health History.
The patient should be close to or held by the parent in a pediatric centered room that elicits reassurance for the pediatric patient. The room temperature should be comfortable. The furniture would be placed so that there were no barriers between the patient, parent(s), and myself (Ball et al., 2019). Decreasing physical barriers during the interview can facilitate a comfortable and engaging experience for the patient and parent(s).
I would knock before entering the room and introduce myself as a registered nurse and a student family nurse practitioner, working closely with an experienced mentor.
I would address the parent by their last name and ask how they would prefer I address their child (i.e., nickname). I would then say hello to the patient in a kind tone of voice and tell her that I am happy to meet her. My questions would be open-ended and non-leading, and I would courteously wait for them to answer the questions (Malloy & Stolzenberg, 2019).
Considerations of Social Determinants of Health
My patient is a pre-school-aged white female living in a rural community. One of my concerns would be access to health care providers. Nielson et al. (2019) report that 20% of Americans live in rural settings, but only 10% of primary care providers (PCP)provide medical service to these areas. Nielson et al. also report that the shortage of PCPs is expected to reach 25,000 by 2025 in rural communities. Another consideration would be access to urgent care or acute care facilities within a reasonable geographical area. Is the child exposed to lead paint if the houses are old? Does the child have access to clean water? Is there a grocery near them with access to fresh fruits and vegetables? Is there a good school district for the patient? Are there parks and sidewalks and safe places for the child to play? How old are the parents? What is the educational background of the parents? The age and educational background of the parents would be significant in terms of assessing health literacy. The parents’ religious or spiritual beliefs are also important considerations.
Questions Posed to Assess Health Risks
My first question would be addressed to the parents, and I would ask what brought you in today? The following questions would revolve around the chief concern of the parents, and I would paraphrase their concern(s) and ask them if I understand their concerns. Once I established their chief concern(s), I would ask them what is their most important concern today? What do you think is going on with your child (if there is a concern)? How do you feel your child is doing? Tell me about your child? What kind of activities does she do during the day?
Potential Health Risks Based on Patient’s Age, Gender, and Ethnicity
The patient is considered vulnerable because she is of pre-school age and is dependent on caregivers. She does not have an adult’s cognitive or physical abilities and needs her primary caregivers’ protection. The patient may not be able to verbalize if someone is abusing or neglecting them. The patient is also female and may be more vulnerable to sexual abuse (Melmer & Gutovitz, 2020). Health care providers have an ethical responsibility to protect their patients. The patient is white and should be screened for common genetic anomalies that affect white populations, such as Cystic Fibrosis.
Risk Assessment Tool
The Safe Environment for Every Kid (SEEK) risk assessment tool would be mailed to the parents after the first interview. I would respectfully address any concerns raised once I reviewed the completed questionnaire (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2021). Using a risk assessment tool will help to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the parents or caregivers. Early identification of risks to the pediatric patient can be mitigated by providing the parents with educational resources the parents could use when necessary.
Targeted Risk Assessment Questions
The targeted questions that I would ask the parents would involve risk assessments: Is your child current with their vaccinations? Does your child have a car seat, and are you comfortable with how it works? What type of childproofing do you use for your home? When was the last time your child saw a dentist? How is potty training going? How would you describe your child’s sleeping pattern? How would you describe your child’s eating habits? How often does your child attend daycare or pre-school? How often do you read to your child? How much time does your child spend watching television or on computer devices? Does she have any difficulties pronouncing words? Does anyone besides the parents take care of your daughter? I would assess if the pre-school child is meeting developmental milestones based on her age. Lastly, I would summarize the chief concern with the parent(s) and ask if there are any other questions or concerns for me before they leave. The parents would be given a written patient/parent educational handout after the visit (American Academy of Pediatrics, n.d.).
Conclusion
Building a health history with a pediatric patient involves cooperation with the family and building a strong rapport based on respect and dignity. One of the most important aspects of becoming a successful family nurse practitioner is listening to the patient (and parents) and learning. Open-ended questions that are not leading allow a greater depth of building the patient’s history. Summarizing the visit with the patient and the parent is a helpful tool that improves communication. Risk assessment tools help to prioritize a plan of care for the patient (and their family).
References
American Academy of Pediatrics. (n.d.). Bright futures tool kit, 2nd edition new.
https://brightfutures.aap.org/materials-and-tools/tool-and-resource-kit/Pages/default.aspx
American Academy of Pediatrics. (2021). Screening tools.
Ball, J.W., Dains, J.E., Flynn, J.A., Solomon, B.S., & Stewart, R.W. (2019). Seidel’s guide to
physical examination: An interprofessional approach (9th ed.). Elsevier Mosby.
Malloy, L.C., & Stolzenberg, S.N. (2019, March). Editorial perspective: Questioning kids:
applying the lessons from the developmentally sensitive investigative interviewing to the research context. Journal Child Psychology Psychiatry, 60(30), 325-327. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7017956/
Melmer, M.N., & Gutovitz, S. (2020, November 20). Child sexual abuse and neglect. In:
StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470563/
Nielson, M., D’Agostino, D., & Gregory, P. (2017). Addressing rural health challenges head
- Missouri Medicine, 114(5), 363-366.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6140198/
A Sample Answer 3 For the Assignment: NURS 6512 Discussion Building a Health History Essay
Title: NURS 6512 Discussion Building a Health History Essay
Your post was informative, as I do not work with pediatrics. For your pediatric patient, it is vital to assess the socioeconomic status. Some barriers include the cost of services, insurance status, and transportation or access to care. Caldwell et al. (2017) state that rural populations have higher morbidity and mortality than urban populations. People living in rural areas also have fewer preventive care screenings, less access to specialists, and more preventable hospitalizations. While it is essential to utilize child-friendly communication techniques, an assessment verifies the child’s family will be able to afford the treatment rendered and have the means to attend future checkups and treatments. Depending on the case, the provider could implement a home health nurse. However, one would also need to ensure those services would reach the rural area; otherwise, assessing whether telehealth may be an option is also warranted.
Because the parents will be a significant source of information for this child, the provider can implement the Parent Evaluation of Developmental Status (PEDS) screening tool. According to Hina Sheel et al. (2023), PEDS is a surveillance and screening tool for children aged 0-8. It addresses parents’ concerns regarding development, behavior, and mental health. This form has only ten questions. PEDS: DM (Developmental Milestones) is a new tool that is used with PEDS or by itself. This tool has 6-8 items per page per age to accurately predict children’s developmental status (Hina Sheel et al., 2023). Sheldrick et al. (2020) find PEDS to offer adequate specificity and modest sensitivity in detecting developmental delays among children aged nine months to 5 years. It is one of the most accurate instruments universally recognized (Sheldrick et al., 2020).
As a nurse practitioner, I will focus on mental health, so I would most likely utilize the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) screening tool in my practice. A mental health assessment is as vital as a physical health screening. Providers should be evaluating the patient’s physical and psychological health. According to Hina Sheel et al. (2023), this tool evaluates children’s mental health problems in the age range of 2-16 years. The parents and teachers complete the screening (Hina Sheel et al., 2023).
References
Caldwell, J. T., Ford, C. L., Wallace, S. P., Wang, M. C., & Takahashi, L. M. (2017). Racial and ethnic residential segregation and access to health care in rural areas. Health & Place, 43, 104–112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2016.11.015
Hina Sheel, Suárez, L., & Marsh, N. V. (2023). Parents’ evaluation of developmental status and strength and difficulties questionnaire as screening measures for children in India: A scoping review. Pediatric Reports, 15(1), 175–196. https://doi.org/10.3390/pediatric15010014
Sheldrick, R. C., Marakovitz, S., Garfinkel, D., Carter, A. S., & Perrin, E. C. (2020). Comparative accuracy of developmental screening questionnaires. JAMA Pediatrics, 174(4), 366. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2019.6000
A Sample Answer 4 For the Assignment: NURS 6512 Discussion Building a Health History Essay
Title: NURS 6512 Discussion Building a Health History Essay
Your case was quite an interesting one to research. Omenka, Watson, and Hendrie (2020) conducted a scoping review of African immigrants’ health disparities. Scoping studies are a type of research to identify available evidence or gaps on a subject of interest (Munn et al., n.d.). With that said, Omenka, Watson, and Hendrie (2020) found little research has been specifically conducted on African immigrants; instead, the researchers found African immigrants were being grouped in research studies conducted on African Americans. On that note, I find it important to differentiate the health and spiritual beliefs of both cultures so that, as clinicians, we can provide culturally competent care.
I agree with your statement on creating a safe zone for the patient before conducting sexual history assessment; this will build trust and the patient will be willing to openly share personal health history. According to Omenka, Watson, and Hendrie (2020), African immigrants view HIV as a spiritual problem and are more likely to seek medical attention when a disease is in its advanced stages. Hence, the importance of early intervention is important.
Additional interview questions that may be of value in this situation may be to ask, “can you tell me how you view illness?” and Ball et al. (2019) suggests asking, “what do I need to know as your clinician to provide care for you?” Likewise, Ball et al. (2019) suggest not pressing an issue when communicating with patients. Great post.
Ball, J. W., Dains, J. E., Flynn, J. A., Solomon, B. S., & Stewart, R. W. (2019). Seidel’s guide to physical examination: An interprofessional approach (9th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Mosby.
Munn, Z., Peters, M. D. J., Stern, C., Tufanaru, C., McArthur, A., & Aromataris, E. (n.d.). Systematic review or scoping review? Guidance for authors when choosing between a systematic or scoping review approach. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 18. https://doi-org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.1186/s12874-018-0611-x
Omenka, O. I., Watson, D. P., & Hendrie, H. C. (2020). Understanding the healthcare experiences and needs of African immigrants in the United States: a scoping review. BMC Public Health, 20(1), 27. https://doi-org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.1186/s12889-019-8127-9
Rubric Detail
Name: NURS_6512_Week_1_Discussion_Rubric
| Excellent | Good | Fair | Poor | ||
| Main Posting | Points Range: 45 (45%) – 50 (50%)
“Answers all parts of the Discussion question(s) with reflective critical analysis and synthesis of knowledge gained from the course readings for the module and current credible sources. Supported by at least three current, credible sources. Written clearly and concisely with no grammatical or spelling errors and fully adheres to current APA manual writing rules and style. |
Points Range: 40 (40%) – 44 (44%)
“Responds to the Discussion question(s) and is reflective with critical analysis and synthesis of knowledge gained from the course readings for the module. At least 75% of post has exceptional depth and breadth. Supported by at least three credible sources. Written clearly and concisely with one or no grammatical or spelling errors and fully adheres to current APA manual writing rules and style. |
Points Range: 35 (35%) – 39 (39%)
“Responds to some of the Discussion question(s). One or two criteria are not addressed or are superficially addressed. Is somewhat lacking reflection and critical analysis and synthesis. Somewhat represents knowledge gained from the course readings for the module. Post is cited with two credible sources. Written somewhat concisely; may contain more than two spelling or grammatical errors. Contains some APA formatting errors. |
Points Range: 0 (0%) – 34 (34%)
“Does not respond to the Discussion question(s) adequately. Lacks depth or superficially addresses criteria. Lacks reflection and critical analysis and synthesis. Does not represent knowledge gained from the course readings for the module. Contains only one or no credible sources. Not written clearly or concisely. Contains more than two spelling or grammatical errors. Does not adhere to current APA manual writing rules and style. |
|
| Main Post: Timeliness | Points Range: 10 (10%) – 10 (10%)
Posts main post by Day 3. |
Points Range: 0 (0%) – 0 (0%)
N/A |
Points Range: 0 (0%) – 0 (0%)
N/A |
Points Range: 0 (0%) – 0 (0%)
Does not post main post by Day 3. |
|
| First Response | Points Range: 17 (17%) – 18 (18%)
“Response exhibits synthesis, critical thinking, and application to practice settings. Provides clear, concise opinions and ideas that are supported by at least two scholarly sources. Demonstrates synthesis and understanding of Learning Objectives. Communication is professional and respectful to colleagues. Responses to faculty questions are fully answered, if posed. Response is effectively written in standard, edited English. |
Points Range: 15 (15%) – 16 (16%)
“Response exhibits critical thinking and application to practice settings. Communication is professional and respectful to colleagues. Responses to faculty questions are answered, if posed. Provides clear, concise opinions and ideas that are supported by two or more credible sources. Response is effectively written in standard, edited English. |
Points Range: 13 (13%) – 14 (14%)
“Response is on topic and may have some depth. Responses posted in the Discussion may lack effective professional communication. Responses to faculty questions are somewhat answered, if posed. Response may lack clear, concise opinions and ideas, and a few or no credible sources are cited. |
Points Range: 0 (0%) – 12 (12%)
“Response may not be on topic and lacks depth. Responses posted in the Discussion lack effective professional communication. Responses to faculty questions are missing. No credible sources are cited. |
|
| Second Response | Points Range: 16 (16%) – 17 (17%)
“Response exhibits synthesis, critical thinking, and application to practice settings. Provides clear, concise opinions and ideas that are supported by at least two scholarly sources. Demonstrates synthesis and understanding of Learning Objectives. Communication is professional and respectful to colleagues. Responses to faculty questions are fully answered, if posed. Response is effectively written in standard, edited English. |
Points Range: 14 (14%) – 15 (15%)
“Response exhibits critical thinking and application to practice settings. Communication is professional and respectful to colleagues. Responses to faculty questions are answered, if posed. Provides clear, concise opinions and ideas that are supported by two or more credible sources. Response is effectively written in standard, edited English. |
Points Range: 12 (12%) – 13 (13%)
“Response is on topic and may have some depth. Responses posted in the Discussion may lack effective professional communication. Responses to faculty questions are somewhat answered, if posed. Response may lack clear, concise opinions and ideas, and a few or no credible sources are cited. |
Points Range: 0 (0%) – 11 (11%)
“Response may not be on topic and lacks depth. Responses posted in the Discussion lack effective professional communication. Responses to faculty questions are missing. No credible sources are cited. |
|
| Participation | Points Range: 5 (5%) – 5 (5%)
Meets requirements for participation by posting on three different days. |
Points Range: 0 (0%) – 0 (0%)
N/A |
Points Range: 0 (0%) – 0 (0%)
N/A |
Points Range: 0 (0%) – 0 (0%)
Does not meet requirements for participation by posting on three different days. |
|
| Total Points: 100 | |||||
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Important information for writing discussion questions and participation
Welcome to class
Hello class and welcome to the class and I will be your instructor for this course. This is a -week course and requires a lot of time commitment, organization, and a high level of dedication. Please use the class syllabus to guide you through all the assignments required for the course. I have also attached the classroom policies to this announcement to know your expectations for this course. Please review this document carefully and ask me any questions if you do. You could email me at any time or send me a message via the “message” icon in halo if you need to contact me. I check my email regularly, so you should get a response within 24 hours. If you have not heard from me within 24 hours and need to contact me urgently, please send a follow up text to
I strongly encourage that you do not wait until the very last minute to complete your assignments. Your assignments in weeks 4 and 5 require early planning as you would need to present a teaching plan and interview a community health provider. I advise you look at the requirements for these assignments at the beginning of the course and plan accordingly. I have posted the YouTube link that explains all the class assignments in detail. It is required that you watch this 32-minute video as the assignments from week 3 through 5 require that you follow the instructions to the letter to succeed. Failure to complete these assignments according to instructions might lead to a zero. After watching the video, please schedule a one-on-one with me to discuss your topic for your project by the second week of class. Use this link to schedule a 15-minute session. Please, call me at the time of your appointment on my number. Please note that I will NOT call you.
Please, be advised I do NOT accept any assignments by email. If you are having technical issues with uploading an assignment, contact the technical department and inform me of the issue. If you have any issues that would prevent you from getting your assignments to me by the deadline, please inform me to request a possible extension. Note that working fulltime or overtime is no excuse for late assignments. There is a 5%-point deduction for every day your assignment is late. This only applies to approved extensions. Late assignments will not be accepted.
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Plagiarism is highly prohibited. Please ensure you are citing your sources correctly using APA 7th edition. All assignments including discussion posts should be formatted in APA with the appropriate spacing, font, margin, and indents. Any papers not well formatted would be returned back to you, hence, I advise you review APA formatting style. I have attached a sample paper in APA format and will also post sample discussion responses in subsequent announcements.
Your initial discussion post should be a minimum of 200 words and response posts should be a minimum of 150 words. Be advised that I grade based on quality and not necessarily the number of words you post. A minimum of TWO references should be used for your initial post. For your response post, you do not need references as personal experiences would count as response posts. If you however cite anything from the literature for your response post, it is required that you cite your reference. You should include a minimum of THREE references for papers in this course. Please note that references should be no more than 5 years old except recommended as a resource for the class. Furthermore, for each discussion board question, you need ONE initial substantive response and TWO substantive responses to either your classmates or your instructor for a total of THREE responses. There are TWO discussion questions each week, hence, you need a total minimum of SIX discussion posts for each week. I usually post a discussion question each week. You could also respond to these as it would count towards your required SIX discussion posts for the week.
I understand this is a lot of information to cover in 5 weeks, however, the Bible says in Philippians 4:13 that we can do all things through Christ that strengthens us. Even in times like this, we are encouraged by God’s word that we have that ability in us to succeed with His strength. I pray that each and every one of you receives strength for this course and life generally as we navigate through this pandemic that is shaking our world today. Relax and enjoy the course!
Hi Class,
Please read through the following information on writing a Discussion question response and participation posts.
Contact me if you have any questions.
Important information on Writing a Discussion Question
- Your response needs to be a minimum of 150 words (not including your list of references)
- There needs to be at least TWO references with ONE being a peer reviewed professional journal article.
- Include in-text citations in your response
- Do not include quotes—instead summarize and paraphrase the information
- Follow APA-7th edition
- Points will be deducted if the above is not followed
Participation –replies to your classmates or instructor
- A minimum of 6 responses per week, on at least 3 days of the week.
- Each response needs at least ONE reference with citations—best if it is a peer reviewed journal article
- Each response needs to be at least 75 words in length (does not include your list of references)
- Responses need to be substantive by bringing information to the discussion or further enhance the discussion. Responses of “I agree” or “great post” does not count for the word count.
- Follow APA 7th edition
- Points will be deducted if the above is not followed
- Remember to use and follow APA-7th edition for all weekly assignments, discussion questions, and participation points.
- Here are some helpful links
- Student paper example
- Citing Sources
- The Writing Center is a great resource