Updated For Quick Essentials: So, C'mon Everyone...Learn How to POST!

[Charles Fischer]

New posts are the lifeblood of Our Beloved Ducks forum and we greatly appreciate all of you who announce breaking news, share articles from other sources, and create original postings.

 

Remember, your words are scrutinized and judged by readers—throughout Oregon, from coast to coast, and around the globe, (read in over 40 countries) and every post is important. With this in mind, please observe the following tips and guidelines, especially if you start new topics. Everyone is extending the same courtesies that are below to you--please reciprocate.

 

You can go in and edit up to an hour after your post is published in the forum.  Just to up to the right corner and click on the three dots, then click on "Edit." Easy-Peasy!

 

The Most Important Items to Learn:

 

1. Give us READING SPACES, please. Do NOT write continuous text which is hard for older eyes to read. (See No. 1 below)

2. Tighten up the bottom of your posts, so everyone does not have to scroll so much. (See No. 2 below)

3. Learn in less than a minute how to put a link in your post in seconds.  (See No. 3 below)

4. Learn how to do the title correctly for a new thread.  (See No. 4 below)

5. Avoid the common writing errors. (See No. 5 below)

 

1. READING SPACES, not Continuous Text! 

Break up blocks of text to make your posts easier to read and comprehend. Try to limit paragraphs to three lines. Never post blocks of text longer than four lines.  After three or four sentences, hit the "Enter" key twice on PC, or "Return" twice on Mac.  Make it easy on old-fart eyes like mine, please.

 

2. REMOVE EXCESS SPACES at the Bottom of Your Post!

Tighten up the bottom of your post, as you should not have any extra spaces after the final period in your post. To ensure that your post does not feature extra empty spaces or lines, use the backspace key to erase any possible extra spaces.  (This saves a ton of scrolling down a page for everyone)

 

3. How to Add a Link to an Article Into an OBD Post  (Easy!)

 

A. Get a copy of the article URL from the page you are reading it on, (highlight the URL address in the upper right and right click, then select 'copy') and first write one line, a short sentence about the article as introduction or to inform us of what it is about.

 

B. After the sentence you wrote, hit the "Enter" on PC, or "Return" on Mac key TWICE, and then paste the link into two spaces below your written sentence.  If the article box does not appear, then go back in for ten seconds and edit it to include a space below the link.  (Sometimes it needs it)

 

The article box should appear, and if it does not, which happens often, then see below.

 

C. How to attaching a link to a word? You see how others will write out a description and attach a link to word or two? Simply copy the URL, then highlight the word you want to attach the link to.

 

Then, go up to the top of the tool bar/dashboard and click on the "B", the "I" and "U" so that the word highlighted is bolded, in italics and underlined. The click on the chain link symbol to the right of the other symbols. A window appears, you paste the URL into the URL box provided, and then click on the "insert into post."

 

The directions above look tougher than it is; it is only a few clicks and copy, and once you know how--you can do either one in seconds.  If you are still confused?  Go to the Directions, and the page I created explaining all this at the top of the forum.

 

4. How to Create a Good Title for a Post in a New Thread

 

Creating an informative, and provocative title for your topic is essential. 

 

A. First Title Essential: Telling us what is the thread going to be about, because readers want to know what they are opening with a thread. Don't give us a three word title, and make us figure it out.  People won't open a thread unless they know what is in it, and Google won't suggest a nebulous title either.  Everyone wants certainty, so please tell us in the title what your thread/post is about, please.

 

The cold, hard truth is that if you write a poor title, people won't click on your title to open the thread because analytics show that nebulous or tricky titles turn people off, and they won't open them. Don’t be cutesy or clever. Do be definitive. And informative. And factual. Don’t make your readers guess about what your title means. Show them courtesy by giving them no-nonsense information.

 

B. Second Title Element: Make Me Want to Click!

 

So many titles are boring, and you just pass them by. Then, you later find out that one was a terrific post and discussion--but you passed it because the title was SO BORING, so blah. Sell us on your topic! Make us want to click! Create curiosity, but be honest about it. Pull out a quote, or deliver a comment while describing the topic. 

 

This is not natural skill; this takes some practice, and if you work at it--you can deliver great titles that start wonderful discussions.

 

 

C. Capitalize Every First Letter in the title of a new thread please, except...

...except for the inconsequential words such as, "a, an, it, the, and, as, or, etc." Always capitalize the first letter of the final word in a title too. Google will suggest one article over another simply due to looking more professional with the capitalization.

 

D. Why Are Good Titles Important?

 

Two reasons, and the first is that you are being courteous to your fellow OBD members and loyal readers. Other OBD members take 30 seconds to create a good title to inform you in advance as to what is in the thread, so please extend the same courtesy in return to them?

 

"I found the forum on Google." I have heard this often, and this is the second reason for a great thread title. A good thread with a great title will come up in a web browser search, such as on Google, and thus so many great members of this forum learned of us from a search about Oregon Football, and found this site.

 

Google and all search engines want search-integrity with what they suggest to those searching. They will downgrade a site that has tricky titles that have nothing to do with the thread, and were attempts at "Click-Bait." So being informative in your title will tell Google what the thread is about, and then it will show up in web searches.

 

D. More Tips for Writing Quality Titles

 

When referring to the Oregon Ducks in a title, it is not necessary to include “Oregon.” It is assumed that “Ducks” refers to the Oregon Ducks.

 

Preferred: Ducks Win

Not preferred: Oregon Ducks Win

 

In titles, use single-quotation marks, not double-quotation marks. This is AP Style for title writing.

 

Correct: Lanning: ‘Our Goal is a Championship’

Incorrect: Lanning: “Our Goal is a Championship”

 

In the post itself, use double-quotation marks as you normally would in everyday writing. In titles, use single-quotation marks.

 

Pac-12 is hyphenated.

 

Correct: Pac-12

Incorrect: Pac 12

Incorrect: PAC

 

In title writing, the word “and” can often be replaced with a comma.

 

Preferred: Oregon, Alabama Play for Title

Not preferred: Oregon and Alabama Play for Title

 

Know the difference between a hyphen and a dash. A hyphen joins two words together to create an adjective or a noun.

 

Hyphen example: Ducks Passing-Yardage Stats for 2021

The hyphen connects “Passing” and “Yardage”, creating an adjective to modify “Stats”

 

Connecting these two words makes the headline easier to understand. Without the hyphen, the headline would read: Ducks Passing Yardage Stats for 2021

 

 

A dash interrupts a thought or creates emphasis. Create a dash by typing two hyphens—with no spaces before or after.

 

Dash, correct example: Breaking News—USC, UCLA to Leave Pac-12

Dash, correct example: George Kliavkoff—Completely Blindsided?

Dash, incorrect example:  Breaking News - USC, UCLA to Leave Pac-12

Dash, incorrect example:  Breaking News -- USC, UCLA to Leave Pac-12

 

Important reminder:  Close up those spaces when using dashes—and use two hyphens for a dash, not one

 

An ellipsis is three dots only, not four, not five: …

 

In a title, an ellipsis leads one idea to another.

Ellipsis, correct example: Canzano: Pac-12 + Big 12 Doesn’t Work…On to the B1G

 

Here’s one way to remember the three-dot rule of an ellipsis: an ellipsis is also referred to as a “dot-dot-dot.”

 

Use exclamation points sparingly or not at all.

 

NEVER use double exclamation points.

Overusing exclamation points makes content look amateurish. (Charles...this mean you too!)

 

Limit your title to one line. If it extends to a second line, cut words from it.

 

5. Avoid Common Writing Errors in Posts

 

We’re limiting the discussion to three common errors.

 

A. Perhaps the most common error is the misuse of “it's” and “its.” 

 

According to Merriam-Webster, It’s is a contraction and should be used where a sentence would normally read “it is.”

 

The apostrophe indicates that part of a word has been removed.

 

Its with no apostrophe, on the other hand, is the possessive word, like “his” and “her” for nouns without gender. For example, “The sun was so bright, its rays blinded me.”

 

Continuing to quote from Merriam-Webster: The rule is actually pretty simple: use the apostrophe after it only when part of a word has been removed: it’s raining means it is raining; it’s been warm means it has been warm. It’s is a contraction, in the style of can’t for cannot and she’s for she is.

 

B. A quick reference on properly using you’re and your.

 

You’re is a contraction for you are.

Correct: You’re welcome, which is short for you are welcome.

Incorrect: Your welcome.

 

Your indicates possession, as in your car, your house, your success.

 

C. A quick reference on properly using they’re, there, and their.

 

They’re is a contraction of they are. Example: They’re running late.

There indicates place. Example: The book is there on the table.

Their indicates possession. Example: Their car is brand new.

 

 

D. And an added reminder…Please do not misspell names.

 

Former coach Chris Petersen frequently had his name wrongly spelled as “Peterson.” In the days before the Internet, it was somewhat understandable when names were misspelled.

 

Today, there is no excuse for misspelling names. It takes just a few seconds to open another tab/page, and check the spelling of someone’s name online. 

 

If you’re unsure of the spelling of any word, please consult one of many online dictionaries.

 

Is it really a big deal if just one or two words are misspelled in a post? After all, nobody’s perfect; we’re not English experts--we’re just college football fans, right?

 

But yes, it’s a big deal. Using words correctly—proper grammar, error-free spelling, cogent writing—makes your discussions credible and respectable. Conversely, content that is rife with mistakes is not taken seriously. Again, fellow OBD members extend that courtesy to you, so please reciprocate for the benefit of us all.

 

You can go in and edit up to an hour after your post is published in the forum.  Just to up to the right corner and click on the three dots, then click on "Edit." Easy-Peasy!

 

Thank you, everyone, for your kind attention. And once again, thank you for your positive contributions to making Our Beloved Ducks forum one of the very best.
 

If you have questions or comments, please feel free to post them in this thread.

[RichardDuck]

Could you also rehash the proper way of linking/attaching other articles?

 

[Charles Fischer]

I have inserted the directions for posting an article, via a link in a post in the original post above.  They are also in the Directions at the top of the forum.  (I spent 14 hours one weekend making directions for the benefit of everyone....and nobody reads them!)

 

[Desert Duck]

I must say! That's it is sad!! That you have lost your appreciation for the once beloved (!!!) exclamation point!!! 

 

https://youtu.be/VSKn8RlD7Is?feature=shared

 

And even more 'sadder' that I still can't figure out how to properly insert a link after just reading your fine and detailed description on how to do it.

 

Ps. I hate exclamation points.

 

 

Edited November 13, 2023 by Desert Duck

[Charles Fischer]

Put the link in the post, have a space above it and below it.  When you publish--the article box will appear.

 

Or...to attach a link to a word, or set of words? Copy the URL, highlight the words, make them bolded, with italics and underlined, (by clicking on the B, I, U in the dashboard of the post) then click on the chain link, insert the URL link in the box that appeared, and click to finish...and done.

 

Just a couple of clicks!  Anyone halfway skilled at their job can do this easily, and I can say that as I am tech-impaired and have been able to learn and then create directions over a 14 hour period one weekend.

[Washington Waddler]

     In your instruction on how to add a link to an article into an OBD post, your ‘enter’ instruction references PC and Mac. How is this accomplished on an iPad?

Edited November 15, 2023 by Washington Waddler
spelling

[Charles Fischer]

On 11/15/2023 at 10:02 AM, Washington Waddler said:

     In your instruction on how to add a link to an article into an OBD post, your ‘enter’ instruction references PC and Mac. How is this accomplished on an iPad?

However you create a space between written lines.

 

Like this...see the space between the line of text above and this one?  That is all people have to do...  Most do not realize how incredibly easy it is to add pictures, videos, GIFs, bold and italicize, underline, attach links, etc.  Takes minutes to learn and seconds to actually do.  (That was not directed at you...but the entire membership!)

[Washington Waddler]

On 11/15/2023 at 10:26 AM, Charles Fischer said:

That was not directed at you...but the entire membership!

     Not to worry. I was always the one asking dumb questions in class.