Post by godhunter on Oct 15, 2006 13:08:24 GMT -5
-----------------
This is your friendly spec-mod Fire Master Azula, hijacking the post to make a brief announcement.
I'd really appreciate it if people would put some real thought into their theories. In your opening post (which should NOT consist of merely "What do you think about XYZ?", as Godhunter mentions below), please state what you think, why you think it, and why you don't think the opposing viewpoint is true. Make sure that your theory has a different viewpoint. If it's something obvious, I'll probably delete it. If it's a theory that I don't think will lead anywhere, I'll probably delete it. If it's something just plain stupid, I'll almost definitely delete it.
The thing is, I really hate going around deleting willy-nilly, but this is getting ridiculous. I know you're impatient about Book 3. So am I. Really. And I understand the impulse to discuss every little point. But if it's not going to be a real discussion, if there's no viewpoint other than yours, if it can't possibly lead to anything even somewhat important or interesting, then please don't post it.
If a thread of yours goes missing and you don't know why, please PM me and I'll give you the reasoning. If you think I've been too harsh, I might agree and let you re-create the thread.
I don't want to move or delete everything you post. Really. Try to help me out with that.
And now we return to Godhunter's original message.
----------------
Recently the quality of the posts here in the Theories board has been dipping. It appears that once pin point focus of the past has begun to widen, and today I have sifted through some of the threads, many not belonging here, and many more taking good ideas and not allowing them to evole to frutation due to a lack of thought put into the opening post. I, unfortunately, believe that this lack of effort is a sad representation of the true potential of those who post here, and even that of the members of DH.
For that reason I come to refocus the theories board. To outline the setup of the theory, and to, hopefully, guide this board back to the prosperity and glory that it once enjoyed.
The keys to a good theory:
•A thoughtful, interesting, and new idea
•An opening post that states the views of the idea and gives examples (to be in more detail further down)
•Coming back to your theory to defend yourself, its no fun to start a debate and have the original poster 'hide'
Those are simple things that can be done to help to increase the calibur of the of the Threads created on the Theories board. It will help boost intrest in the board and its ideas, it will entice newer posters to think an idea clearly before typing it, it will help to improve your debating and writing skills, and it might even attract some of the older members who have left to come back and join again.
Earlier I said that the opening post would be broken down again, so here it is:
•Your opening post needs to be related to your topic heading, easy you say, well, yes it is, but it will help to keep confusion out of people reading your opening post
•Don't simply ask a question, because while theorizing is asking questoins, it is much, much more than that. If you want to get a question answered, do it in another board
•Start with facts, if you start by stating some facts that support your argument then when you ask your question people will understand where you are coming from, and it will avoid confusion later
•Your question needs to be open ended. If a question is asked that is like is this person this person, then its very closed off, there can be no real debate involved, thereby defeating the purpose of the board. Your question should be something to which at least two different standpoints can be taken.
•Finally, put effort into your post. I've noticed something in my time reading and writing theory posts here at DH, and that is that if the opening post is short, the replies will be short and generally very dull and boring. If the opening post is long and thoughtful then the replies will reflect that, because it forces people to think about what they want to say so they don't look like an idiot because they only posted two lines.
This should help in a step back on the road to greatness. Though I'm afraid that this calls for an example, so the staff will be introducing a Weekly Discussion her on the theories board after every new episode, so usually friday night/saturday morning. Can't wait to see you all there.
If you have a doubt about it being a theory, and your post would contain the words I'm not sure this is a theory but, don't post it here, more likely than not, its not a theory.
This is your friendly spec-mod Fire Master Azula, hijacking the post to make a brief announcement.
I'd really appreciate it if people would put some real thought into their theories. In your opening post (which should NOT consist of merely "What do you think about XYZ?", as Godhunter mentions below), please state what you think, why you think it, and why you don't think the opposing viewpoint is true. Make sure that your theory has a different viewpoint. If it's something obvious, I'll probably delete it. If it's a theory that I don't think will lead anywhere, I'll probably delete it. If it's something just plain stupid, I'll almost definitely delete it.
The thing is, I really hate going around deleting willy-nilly, but this is getting ridiculous. I know you're impatient about Book 3. So am I. Really. And I understand the impulse to discuss every little point. But if it's not going to be a real discussion, if there's no viewpoint other than yours, if it can't possibly lead to anything even somewhat important or interesting, then please don't post it.
If a thread of yours goes missing and you don't know why, please PM me and I'll give you the reasoning. If you think I've been too harsh, I might agree and let you re-create the thread.
I don't want to move or delete everything you post. Really. Try to help me out with that.
And now we return to Godhunter's original message.
----------------
Recently the quality of the posts here in the Theories board has been dipping. It appears that once pin point focus of the past has begun to widen, and today I have sifted through some of the threads, many not belonging here, and many more taking good ideas and not allowing them to evole to frutation due to a lack of thought put into the opening post. I, unfortunately, believe that this lack of effort is a sad representation of the true potential of those who post here, and even that of the members of DH.
For that reason I come to refocus the theories board. To outline the setup of the theory, and to, hopefully, guide this board back to the prosperity and glory that it once enjoyed.
The keys to a good theory:
•A thoughtful, interesting, and new idea
•An opening post that states the views of the idea and gives examples (to be in more detail further down)
•Coming back to your theory to defend yourself, its no fun to start a debate and have the original poster 'hide'
Those are simple things that can be done to help to increase the calibur of the of the Threads created on the Theories board. It will help boost intrest in the board and its ideas, it will entice newer posters to think an idea clearly before typing it, it will help to improve your debating and writing skills, and it might even attract some of the older members who have left to come back and join again.
Earlier I said that the opening post would be broken down again, so here it is:
•Your opening post needs to be related to your topic heading, easy you say, well, yes it is, but it will help to keep confusion out of people reading your opening post
•Don't simply ask a question, because while theorizing is asking questoins, it is much, much more than that. If you want to get a question answered, do it in another board
•Start with facts, if you start by stating some facts that support your argument then when you ask your question people will understand where you are coming from, and it will avoid confusion later
•Your question needs to be open ended. If a question is asked that is like is this person this person, then its very closed off, there can be no real debate involved, thereby defeating the purpose of the board. Your question should be something to which at least two different standpoints can be taken.
•Finally, put effort into your post. I've noticed something in my time reading and writing theory posts here at DH, and that is that if the opening post is short, the replies will be short and generally very dull and boring. If the opening post is long and thoughtful then the replies will reflect that, because it forces people to think about what they want to say so they don't look like an idiot because they only posted two lines.
This should help in a step back on the road to greatness. Though I'm afraid that this calls for an example, so the staff will be introducing a Weekly Discussion her on the theories board after every new episode, so usually friday night/saturday morning. Can't wait to see you all there.
If you have a doubt about it being a theory, and your post would contain the words I'm not sure this is a theory but, don't post it here, more likely than not, its not a theory.