To write a good discussion post, you should have a purpose. You don't want to just ramble about a topic or not have a clear idea of what you want to focus on. Make sure you've read the course material, and that you understand it, too. Then read the directions, because every instructor can have different ideas about what can and should go into a discussion post. If you need to do any research to write your post, you should do that before you start writing. Don't be afraid to express something about yourself in the post, but don't make it all about you. Stay on topic, and be honest. You can find more about it here: http://www.elearners.com/online-education-resources/online-learning/how-to-write-an-a-discussion-posting/
