IN THIS ARTICLE

Create or Edit Topics

Apply Topic Tag

Set Topic Requirement

Delete Topic

Reorder/Rearrange or Disable Topics

How to Disable a Topic or Turn Off Point Earning

There are a set of default topics for each new community, but you’ll want to edit them and add new ones to fit your community’s needs. We highly recommend creating Topics before your community starts and keeping them required. Topics encourage conversations on relevant content and help members organize and find information. Topics also act as filters in the community feed, showing only posts with select topics.

We generally don’t recommend deleting Topics after a community has started, but it is possible to disable them at any time.

💡Community Success Tips

Use concise thematic topics that are easy to understand. These could be themes from a syllabus (“ethics in research” or “organic molecules”) or things your community will be looking for (“housing info” or “upcoming events”).

Avoid structural or wordy topics like “week 1” or “module 4″ or ones that are too general to help members organize information (such as “info”).

Create or Edit Topics

1. Select Settings (left side navigation) → Topics.

2. Enter the Topic name in the blank space under “Add a new topic”.

3. Click the Submit button.

4. Select the Edit button next to listed a Topic to rename or edit colors.

5. Click Save Changes button.

Apply Topic Tag

1. Edit a post or create a new post and select Add Topic

2. Choose a Topic from the list (you can search for a topic by name as well)

Set Topic Requirement

1. Select Settings (left side navigation)

2. Select Topics.

3. Under “Should a topic be required to submit posts?” Click the drop-down menu. Then Select Topics are required, suggested, or optional.

Delete Topic

(not recommended once a community has begun)

1. Go to Settings → Topics.

2. Click the Remove button next to the Topic you want to delete.

3. Click Remove this topic on the pop-up window.

Reorder/Rearrange or Disable Topics

You can reorder topics in the list of topics that appear when completing the posting action by going to the Settings menu, choosing Topics,

and then when taken to the Topics page, simply drag (the three lines to the right of the topic- like Breaking News) further down the list. (You can also drag a topic or topics you want students to focus on to the top of the list.) You can make these changes at any time.

How to Disable a Topic or Turn Off Point Earning

“Points Earning Disabled” is mainly for instructors who want to enable casual conversations in a Yellowdig community without awarding points for them. This feature ensures that conversations around particular topics are still possible, but that learners will only earn points related to “on-topic” conversations that their community facilitators wish to remain active.

“Topic Disabled” is used when instructors don’t want students to continue to see a specific topic as an option. One example is if you’re far into your program and all the “Introductions” have been made, you may consider disabling the “Introductions” topic.

💡What if a point disabled topic and points earning topic are applied to the same post?

If there is at least one point-enabled topic applied it will grant points

See the below screenshot showing a community Member’s view of the topic bank. If a topic has point-earning disabled, the topic tag will appear white, and only the text and the dotted outline will have color.

how topics display to community members

Audience: This help article is for Instructors, Designers, and Administrators. Students or Learners cannot access these settings.