Edit Discussion Topic - Properties

Last Modified on 04/13/2026 1:02 pm CDT

When you either create a topic through [New] then [New Topic], or click [Edit Topic] on an existing topic, this will take you to the Edit Topic page.

Overview

When you create your Topic, the following options are available on the left side of the page: Topic Title, Grade Out Of, and Description.

Shows the Edit Topic page with Topic Title, Grade Out Of, and Description options on the left side.

Topic Title

This is where you will enter the name of the Topic.

Shows the Topic Title field on the Edit Topic page.

Forum

Clicking on [Choose a forum] will expand a dropdown menu of all your forums, allowing you to select which forum to place this topic in. The [Create Forum] link on the right will allow you to create a new forum through a popup window.

Shows the Choose a forum dropdown and Create Forum link on the Edit Topic page.

Enter a Forum Title to name your new forum. Click [Save] when done.

Shows the Forum Title field and Save button in the Create Forum popup window.

Grade Out Of

The Grade Out Of subsection displays two pieces of information. On the left, it will show the total points possible for the Topic.

Shows the Grade Out Of field displaying the total points possible for a topic.

On the right, you may see the option [Not in Grade Book] — by default, this option will be selected if the topic is currently not associated with a Grade Item. Clicking on it will show the following dropdown menu.

Shows the Grade Item dropdown menu with options for linking, adding, or resetting the grade item.

NOTE: It is good practice to have the Grade Items created in the Gradebook first, before linking your grading activities to the Grade Item. It is easier to Link to an Existing Grade Item than it is to create the Grade Item as you go.

  1. [Edit or Link to Existing] — If you already have an existing Grade Item for this topic, click this to add it to the Grade Item. This will pull up a window with two options: [Create and link to a new grade item] or [Link to an existing grade item].

    Shows the Edit or Link to Existing window with options to create and link a new grade item or link to an existing one.
  2. [Add to Grade Book] — If you do not have an existing Grade Item for this topic, click this to create the Grade Item from here.

  3. [Reset to Ungraded] — This will reset the item to be ungraded.

Description

Create a description for the topic that will be visible to your students in Discussions before clicking into the topic. You can click and drag the [Window Resizing Icon] in the lower-right corner of the text box to adjust the size.

Shows the Description text box on the Edit Topic page.
Shows the Window Resizing Icon in the lower-right corner of the Description text box.

Troubleshooting and Support

If you need additional assistance, contact the IT Service Desk at 281.318.HELP (4357).

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