Help Members Project Home

Discussion Boards

Q: What is the Discussion Board? How can I use it?

A: The Discussion Board is an integral part of the Members Project ® experience. It opens on July 22, 2008. Starting on that date, logged in members can post and read messages on projects and issues that interest, intrigue, and relate to them. Plus, you'll find others ready to listen and share ideas.

A: The content is structured as follows:

Categories: There are five categories that correspond to the five project submission categories. The five categories are Arts & Culture, Community Development, Environment & Wildlife, Education, and Health
Subcategories: Each category is organized into appropriate subcategories so that members can find what they’re looking for more easily
Conversations: These are the areas where individual discussions take place. They are often called “threads”. Logged in members may start a conversation or reply to one that is started by someone else
Posts: Posts are the individual contributions to a conversation
Replies: Replies are posts made in response to a contribution made by someone else

A: You must have a login for membersproject.com to join the Discussion Board. If you do not have a membersproject.com Screen Name and Password, click here to obtain a screen name and password [link to membersproject.com/signin]. You can then participate in the Discussion Board.

A: You can log in to the Discussion Board beginning July 22, 2008. You will be prompted to log in if you want to start a new conversation or reply to a conversation that’s already started. Enter your Screen Name and Password. (NOTE: both are case-sensitive; capitalization, spaces, etc., do matter.) If you do not have a membersproject.com Screen Name and Password, click here to obtain them first (link to signin page). You can then participate in the Discussion Board.

A: If you forgot your Password, click Login and then "I Forgot My Password”. You will receive additional instructions on the screen.

A: Beginning on July 22, 2008, you may start a new conversation in one of several ways:

From the Category Overview page on membersproject.com, click “Discuss the Projects”
From a specific project page on membersproject.com, click “Join the Discussion”
From a subcategory page on the Discussion Board, click the “New Conversation” button at the top right of the page

If you have not previously logged in to the Discussion Board, you will be asked to enter your Screen Name and Password at this point. Regardless of your method of starting a new conversation, you will be directed to a new conversation form on the Discussion Board. At this point, the title of a new conversation may automatically populate. You may also type in a title for your new conversation. Then enter your post in the message box. Before you submit, you must review and accept the Terms and Conditions by scrolling to the bottom of the text box and selecting “I accept”. You may click “Preview Post” to see how your post will appear when published. Or you can post without previewing by clicking “Submit”.

A: A public profile is the information that Discussion Board participants want to share with others. To view your own public Profile, log in and click “My Public Profile”. To view another member’s public profile, simply click on that member’s Screen Name.

A. To create or update your profile, click to open the “Check My Information” menu on the left side of the Discussion Board. In that menu, select “Edit Public Profile.” You will be directed to a screen where you can add or modify your information. Remember, everything you enter here can be viewed by anyone who accesses the Discussion Board. As such, do not include any information that will compromise your security or identity. Be sure to click the “Save” button at the bottom before you leave the page or your revisions will be lost.

A: To view the public profile of another member, simply click a Screen Name wherever you see it as a link. You can also use the search feature to locate a Member.

A: If you do not want to see any posts made by a particular member click “Ignore member” in the public profile or in any post the person has authored.

A: If you want to follow the Discussion Board participation of a member and/or communicate directly, you can add that individual to your “My Friends” list. Your “My Friends” list is a convenient way to keep track of members who are interested in the same or similar projects as you are.

A: If you are interested in adding an individual to your “My Friends” list, you must first receive that person’s consent. The Discussion Board features an easy way for you to do this. Any time you see the link “Add to My Friends” near a member’s Screen Name, you may begin the process of adding that individual to your “My Friends” list by clicking the link. Alternately, open the “My Information” menu on the left column of the Discussion Board and select “Connect with Friends.” Then click the “Invite a Friend” button at the top of the next page. Either way, you will be directed to the page from which you can send any member a “Friend Request”. Type a note to the individual and click the “Send Request” button. If the individual approves your request, you will be added to each other’s “My Friends” list. Your request will expire after 30 days.

A: You can choose to accept or not accept any friend request. If you accept a request and later wish to remove that person from your ”My Friends” list, open the Page Shortcuts menu at the top of the My Messages page and click “Edit Message Settings”. You will be directed to a page where you can type the member’s name into an empty field and click the “Save Settings” button. This will block messages from that individual.

A: A private message is an e-mail message to an individual on your “My Friends” list. It is similar to a regular e-mail.

A: To send a private message, open the “My Information” menu on the left side of the page and select “Send Private Message”. You will be directed to a page where you can send an e-mail to anyone on your “My Friends” list.

A: You can only receive private messages from individuals on your “My Friends” list. To add an individual to this list, see the instructions above or click here.

A: If you accept a friend request and later wish to remove that person from your ”My Friends” list, open the “Page Shortcuts” menu at the top of the “My Messages” page and click “Edit Message Settings”. You will be directed to a page where you can type the member’s name into an empty field and click the “Save Settings” button. This will block messages from that individual.

A: You can check your Discussion Board mailbox by opening the “My Information” menu on the left side of any page and clicking “Send Private Message”. The e-mails you send and receive can be found on the “My Messages” page of the Discussion Board. This area allows you to easily keep track of messages in folders: Inbox, Sent, Drafts, Trash, and any others you create. You can even keep an address book filled with your friends in the community.

A: Click the “Search Discussions” button at the top of any page and type your search term(s) into the search box. You can search all conversations or find posts authored by particular individuals using the drop-down menu.

A: The Discussion Board Code of Conduct defines the rules to which any member who participates in the Members Project Discussion Board must adhere. The over-arching purpose of these standards is to promote respectful interaction among and between discussion board participants. Click here for the Members Project Discussion Board Code of Conduct.

A: If you believe a participant of the Members Project Discussion Board has violated the Discussion Board Code of Conduct, you may report this violation to the moderators. Click on the “Report Abuse” link near any participant’s name. You will be directed to a page from which you can review the Discussion Board Code of Conduct and notify the moderators of a potential violation.

A: No, the projects and message board comments are member submissions and do not necessarily reflect the views of American Express Company.

A: No, American Express will be collecting data about participants online, in accordance with its privacy policy. Click here to see American Express’ Privacy Policy