The Importance of Threading Messages
Threaded messages can appear in a variety of formats within the communication world, including forums, message boards, emails, text message exchanges and more. There are numerous benefits to having -- or reading -- threaded messages, especially if you opt to join an online conversation after it has started. Paying close attention to threaded messages will allow you to make the most of any conversation.
Other People Are Reading
-
The Flow
-
Threading keeps the messages in a conversation in their correct order, allowing anyone who joins the conversation to know where it began and where it led. Each message is followed by any direct response to it. This can generate branches as people respond not just to the original statement, but to any of those following it. Like any type of conversation, when you walk into it late you may feel lost. However, with threaded messages, newcomers can see everything that has already been said in the order that it has been said, giving them an immediate sense of the conversation's flow.
Agreements and Disagreements
-
A fully threaded message makes it easier to see exactly what people are responding to at any given moment. This comes in handy when someone on a forum or message board shows agreement -- or disagreement -- with a particular message that has been posted. While messages that have not been threaded will still show each response, the responses will not be in order. A threaded message clarifies the issue, ensuring that everyone involved knows exactly what someone did or did not agree with.
-
The Email
-
While threading is used a lot within blog comment areas, forums and chat rooms, it is also important with email. For example, you may send someone an email on a Tuesday asking a question, only to receive the response days or weeks later. Your original email question -- if it hasn't been deleted -- will be below the response, reminding you exactly what question you asked. This comes in handy if you have sent numerous emails to numerous people asking different things. Some phones allow you to organize your email in threads, creating a log of the entire email conversation, including dates of response.
Semi Versus Full
-
Threaded messages allow you to not only reply to the topic of conversation, but to anyone else who has replied to that topic of conversation. While this is a benefit to some, others may feel overwhelmed by the amount of conversation taking place. A semi-threaded message board only allows you to reply to the conversation topic. This can work well if you want to leave a quick opinion without getting into an online debate with another person.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Jack Hollingsworth/Photodisc/Getty Images
