We've all seen good and bad threads; and while that may be somewhat subjective, here's the general consensus on things that make for a good thread. [spoiler]Apologies for this thread taking so long to be made since I said I was working on it.[/spoiler] [u][b]Good[/b][/u] [b]Informative[/b] People like to learn things. I find facts and current news interesting, even fascinating. I'm sure many others do too. [b]Entertaining[/b] Whether it be through [b]humour[/b] or otherwise like competitions/contests, challenges or games (bonus points for prizes), we love to have [i]fun[/i]. [b]Easy to read and understand[/b] People shouldn't have to strain to understand what you're trying to say, make it easy for them. It means that more people will bother to read what you've worked hard (or not so much) to create. Try to structure it well and if it needs one, give an intro. [b]Interaction with whoever comments & involvement of other members[/b] Check the comments every so often, reply to the messages to keep in touch with other users. Also, try to keep an open mind about things [i]even if others don't agree with what you're saying.[/i] There's not much of a point in making the thread on a public forum if you're not interested by what people have to say in response. Appreciate humour and other people's creations and ideas (even that guy you don't like). [b]Purposeful[/b] It's nice for a thread to have a purpose, rather than just making a post for the sake of it. Pretty basic. [b]Helpful[/b] Tutorials, helpful tips and going out of your way to help fellow forumgoers deserve some kudos. [b]Original[/b] There's nothing better than your own creation. Show yourself and don't be afraid to share your ideas with the rest of us. Try not to blatantly rip off others for your own glory or recognition. [b]Thought provoking/Engaging[/b] Food for thought, our minds get bored and we need to exercise them. [b]Posted in the correct section[/b] Know who your target audience is and in which part of the forums the post should be in. [b]Unbiased[/b] Self-explanatory. Nobody likes a stubborn fool and it's nice to keep your mind open to other interpretations. [b][u]Bad[/u][/b] [b]Discriminating[/b] This is just disrespectful and usually unwarranted. [b]Making the post all about yourself [i]unless it's about an experience you'd like to share[/i][/b] (Otherwise known as 'attention whoring') [b]Flamebait/Bait in general (exceptions can be made for the very clever/funny)[/b] [b]Spamming[/b] (Obviously, this is just childish and annoying) [b]One word titles/Misleading titles/Clickbait[/b] No quality. [b]"Discuss"[/b] A body consisting of just 'discuss' isn't very engaging, and is generally unappealing to a reader. [b]Beating a dead thread[/b] Once your thread has had its time, let it go. If there is no interest in it, it just wasn't meant to be. Please do not bump a million times to artificially increase its life or post count. Don't beat yourself up over it. [spoiler]Unless it was an intentional shitpost.[/spoiler] Quality always trumps quantity. Having more of the 'good' in threads and less of the 'bad' makes our home a more enjoyable place. Most of you are very capable of making good threads. This is only a quick rushed thread, [u]please feel free to add more in the comments[/u] and I'll try to edit them into the OP with credit. This is the first draft and I know it's not refined. I am in no way claiming to be a good poster, these are just some thoughts. Enjoy.