Getting Started: a guide to online learning at Wright State

Discussions - reading and sending messages

• Read a message
• Send a message with or without attachments
• Reply to or quote a message
• Compile and download messages
• Search messages

Read a message

By default, messages are presented by threads. Threaded messages are a series of replies to the same subject. The header row of each message thread displays the following information:

• Status: displays the number of unread messages in the thread over the total number of messages in the thread.
• Subject: displays the subject of the first message in the thread and the magnifying glass icon. You can view the message thread by clicking the magnifying glass icon.

Tips:

• To view both read and unread messages, click All.
• To view messages in chronological order, click Unthreaded.
• To display any messages that were just sent, click Update Listing.
• To view a different topic, from the select topic drop-down list, select a topic and click Go.

1. From Discussions, do one of the following:
   • If you want to view messages for a single topic, click the topic containing the messages you want to read. The Discussion Messages screen appears.
   • If you want to view all messages, click All. The Discussion Messages screen appears.
2. In the header row, expand the thread by clicking the arrow next to it. All unread messages in the thread appear. Note: A paper clip icon appears if the message has attachments.
3. Click the name of message that you want to read. The message opens.
4. If the message includes a file attachment, you can do the following:
   • If you want to display a file attachment:
     1. From the Discussion Messages screen or an open message, click the paper clip icon or See Attached. The Attachments screen appears.
     2. From the Attachments screen, click the file you want to view. If the file format can be displayed in a web browser then the file will display. If it is not a supported format, then you will need to download the attachment and open it with the appropriate application.
   • If you want to download the file attachment to your computer:
     1. From the Discussion Messages screen or an open message, click the paper clip icon or See Attached. The Attachments screen appears.
     2. Select the file and click Download. Your browser's file download screen appears.
     3. Follow the onscreen instructions.
     4. Click Close.
     5. Open the appropriate application (e.g. Word, Excel, etc.) to view the attachment.
5. When you have finished reading the message, you can:
   • close the message. Click Close. The Discussion Messages screen appears.
   • reply to the message.
   • download the message.

Send a message with or without attachments

1. From Discussions, click the topic to which you wish to post a message. The Discussion Messages screen appears.
2. Click Compose message. The Compose Discussion Message screen appears in a new browser window.
3. If you want to post the message to a different topic, from the Topic drop-down list, select the topic to which you want to post the message.
4. In the Subject text box, enter the subject for your message.
5. Compose your message by doing one of the following:
   • In the Message text box, enter your message. The following message options are available:
     • To change the number of viewable lines in the Message text box, from the Height of edit area drop-down list, select a number and click Resize.
   • Click HTML editor. For help, see HTML Editor.
6. If you want to insert an equation, use the WebEQ Equation Editor for Microsoft Windows or for Macintosh.
7. If you want to attach a file:
   1. Next to Attachments, click Browse. Your computer's file browser appears.
   2. Locate and select the file you want to upload. The path and filename of your attachment appears in the Attachments text box.
   3. Click Attach file. The filename appears as a link, and the file is attached to your message.
8. If you want to preview your message before sending:
   1. Click Preview. A preview of your message appears in a new browser window.
   2. Click Close. The Compose Discussion Message screen appears.
9. Click Post. Your message is posted to the discussion topic.

Reply to or quote a message

You can reply to discussion messages that were posted by other users in the course. Note: If replying to a message containing an equation, you cannot edit the equation. You can insert or edit an equation only by replying privately or quoting the message.

1. From Discussions, click the topic containing the message to which you want to reply. The Discussion Messages screen appears.
2. Click the message to which you want to reply. The message appears.
3. Choose the format for your reply:
   • To reply to all members of the topic without including the original message, click Reply. The Compose Message screen appears with the original message at the bottom of the screen.
   • To include the original message in your reply to all topic members, click Quote. The Compose Message screen appears with the original message in the Message text box and at the bottom of the screen.
   • To reply only to the person who posted the message, click Reply Privately. The Compose Mail Message screen appears with the original message in the Message text box and at the bottom of the screen. Note: When you reply privately, your reply is sent as a mail message to the person who posted the message, rather than being sent as part of the discussion forum. The recipient of your reply should check their mail messages for your response.
4. In the Subject text box, edit the subject of your message.
5. Compose your message by doing one of the following:
   • In the Message text box, enter your message.
   • Click HTML editor. For help, see HTML Editor.
6. If you are replying privately or quoting a message and you want to insert or edit an equation, use the WebEQ Equation Editor for Microsoft Windows or for Macintosh.
7. If you want to attach a file:
   1. Next to Attachments, click Browse. Your computer's file browser appears.
   2. Locate and select the file you want to upload. The path and filename of your attachment appears in the Attachments text box.
   3. Click Attach file. The filename appears as a hyperlink, and the file is attached to your message.
8. If you want to preview your message before sending:
   1. Click Preview. A preview of your message appears in a new browser window.
   2. Click Close. The Compose Discussion Message screen appears.
9. Click Post. Your reply is posted to the discussion topic.

Compile and download messages

This feature allows you to select messages, compile them into one file, and download the file to your computer.

1. From Discussions, click the topic containing the messages you want to compile and download. The Discussion Messages screen appears.
2. Display the messages you want to compile:
   • To display all messages, click All.
   • To display only unread messages, click Unread.
3. Select the format by which you want to select messages for compilation:
   • If you want to display messages in chronological order, click Unthreaded.
   • If you want to display messages by threads, click Threaded. Note: Threaded messages are a series of replies to the same subject. To expand a thread, click the hyperlinked triangle.
4. Select the messages to compile:
   • To select individual messages, select the check box next to each message you want to compile.
   • To select all messages in a thread, in the thread's header row, select the check box next to the magnifying glass icon.
   • To select all messages displayed, in the header row next to Subject, select the check box.
5. Click Compile. The Compiled Messages screen appears displaying your compiled messages. Tip: To automatically scroll to the bottom of the screen to click Compile, click Message options.
6. If you want to download your compiled messages:
   1. Click Download. Your browser's file download screen appears.
   2. Follow the onscreen instructions.
7. Click Close.
8. Open the appropriate application (e.g. Word, WordPerfect, Notepad, etc.) to view the compiled messages.

Search messages

You may search messages by

• first name of the message author
• last name of the message author
• user name of the message author
• thread subject
• unique message number
• date that the message was sent
• content of the mail message

After you have searched your messages, you may compile and download them.

To search messages:

1. From Discussions, click Search. The Search Topics screen appears in a new browser window.
2. Select your search parameters:
   1. From the Search drop-down list, select the messages to search.
   2. From the Topic drop-down list, select the topic to search.
   3. From the Criteria drop-down list, select the filter to apply to your search:
      • None = no filter
      • First Name = first name of the message author
      • Last Name = last name of the message author
      • User ID = user name of the message author
      • Subject = the thread subject
      • Message no = the unique message number associated with each message
      • Date = the date that the message was sent
      • Message = any of the words in the text of the mail message
   4. In the Value text box, enter the words or numbers you want to search. If you have selected the Date filter, type the date in the format mm,dd,yyyy including the commas.
3. Click Search. The Discussion Messages screen appears listing all messages that satisfy your search requirements.