The Journal can be used effectively to:

• Share information
• Post notices
• Discuss important issues and concerns
• Ask questions and clarify information
• Provide feedback

 
Types of Forums:
There are three types of forums available: public, private and locked forums.

	Public forums can be accessed by any registered member.
	Private forums can only be accessed by a specified group of members.
	Locked forums (indicated by the padlock icon) can be viewed by all registered members but contributions are disallowed.

Forum Legend:
In addition to the 'Locked Forum' icon, forums may display one of the following icons in the forum index:

	New Post: This icon indicates that a new topic (message) has recently been added to the associated discussion group
	No New Post: This icon indicates that there are no new topics in this discussion group.

How do I join the Forums?
The forum discussions can be viewed by anyone, however, only registered members can post notices and reply to discussions.

To register for the Forums, simply click on the 'Register' button and fill in your details. Please remember your details for future reference. Once you have submitted your details, you will receive an e-mail to notify you that your request for registration has been approved.

What do I do once my registration has been approved?
Once your registration has been approved, please enter the forum area and click the 'Login' button in the top menu. This action will prompt you to enter your username and password. Once you have successfully logged in, you will be able to access discussion groups, create topics and reply to topics.

Forgotten your password?
If you have forgotten your password, please go to the forum area and click on 'Login'. Then click on the word "here" in the phrase "If you have forgotten your password, click here". This will take you to the 'Lost Password Form' which will prompt you for your username and e-mail.

Accessing Discussion Groups:
To access a discussion group, click on the title of the discussion group. This action will take you to the list of topics currently available in the selected discussion group.

Topic Legend:
Topics may display the following icons:

	Hot Topic: This indicates a topic that has had several replies (usually more than 10 or a value specified by the Forum administrator)
	New Replies: This indicates that a member has recently replied to the topic.
	No New Replies: This indicates that no member has recently replied to the topic.
	Topic Locked: This indicates that replies cannot be made to this topic.

Topics and Posts:

Adding Topics: To add a topic, click on the button labeled "New Topic". This will take you to a form prompting for topic details. As the form is in HTML, please follow the 'Tips' when using the special features. Special features and how to use them are also outlined below:

• Bold, Italics, Underline - to use any one of these options, click on the corresponding button and enter the text you which to bold, italicise or underline in the pop-up window and click 'OK'
• Quote - click the 'Quote' button to begin the quote marks and click the 'Quote' button again to end the quote.
• Images, URL (links) - click on the corresponding button and enter location or the address on the pop-up window.
• Emoticons / face icons - click on the icon you wish to use and its code will be inserted where your cursor is located.
• Attachments - Files and documents can also be attached to topics. This option is available at the bottom of the form. Select the 'Browse' button to locate the file.

To submit your topic, please press the 'Add Topic' button at the bottom of the form.

E-mail: Once you have added a topic, other members will be able to reply to your post. Other members will also be able to e-mail you directly by pressing on the "e-mail" button of your post. Please note that all members can choose not to publicly disclose their e-mail. If you chose this option, your e-mail address will not be available. (Please see "Customise" under "Menu Options" below to learn how restrict member access to your e-mail)

Profile: Other members can also view your profile (your name, organisation and your username). As with your e-mail address, you can choose not to display your profile by selecting the appropriate options in under the "Customise" area.

	Replying to Topics: To reply to an existing topic, click on the 'Add Reply' button. This will direct you to a form prompting for your reply message. Please see "Adding Topics" (above) on how to fill this form.
	Delete Topics: To delete a topic that you have added, press the 'Delete' button for the topic.
	Edit Topics: To edit a topic that you have added, press the 'Edit' button of the topic. This will take you back to the editable topic form. Please see "Adding Topics" (above) for assistance.
	Quote Topics: To quote an existing message (post) in your reply, press the 'Quote' button of the topic. This will take you back to the editable topic form. Please see "Adding Topics" (above) for assistance.

Menu Options:
The following menu options are available for all registered forum members. These options (namely, Customise, Search, Memberlist, Register and Login/Logout) are accessible via the menu bar in the forum area.

Customise - This area contains a personal notepad where forum members can write notes (for personal use) which they can view and alter at any time.

• Under the "Profile" members can change/add their personal details and preferences.
• The "Topic Watchers" area lists the topics that you have chosen 'watch' or closely follow.
• The "Miscellaneous" area allows the user to view their personal note pad or the return to the main forum area.

Search - The search function allows members to search for a certain topic. Searches can be conducted by specifying keywords or an author.

Memberlist - This displays a list of all registered users, their location, the number of posts they have made and their e-mail address.

Register - Please see section "How do I join the Forum?" (above)

Login / Logout - By pressing this button, the user can login or logout of the Forums.

 
Statistics:
There are three sets of statistics available for viewing in the "Information" section of the Forum index (this is located at the bottom). These statistics are:

	Personal Stats: This provides the details of your last login, the number of forums entered and the number of posts made by you.
	Active List: This section lists the location of all members that are currently logged on to the Forum.
	Forum Statistics: This displays the number of topics and replies made by all members, the number of members registered and the username of the newest member.

Forum Disclaimer:

WebQuest Direct cannot be held responsible for the content of messages within the Forums or any consequences arising from the use of information contained within these posts. The views and opinions expressed by Forum members do not necessarily reflect those of WebQuest Direct.