Important: Please improve your thread titles...please read...

When someone replies to a thread, that thread is supposed to jump to the top of the index. However, there are times when it doesn't. This is an indication that the thread has been "anchored".

You may ask, "Why do threads get anchored?" The main reasons usually have to do with the text inside the subject field.

If you want your thread to survive, add substance and info to your subject. If you have a question, ask it in the subject. If you want to state an opinion or observation, make it "headline-like" and put as much info as you can in the subject so the reader knows exactly what your thread is about without clicking on the thread.

Important: Don't force readers to have to click the thread to know what it is about.

Here are some of the main reasons for anchored threads:

1. The subject of the thread is too short and not descriptive enough. We often see users just put one word or sometimes two words. Even 3-4 words can be too short. These are immediately anchored. Again, be descriptive. The subject should contain the point of your thread.

2. The subject of the thread is cut off. This is a problem that has been popping up a lot lately. A user will post a subject such as:

"The key to winning the game is..."

or

"I am about to get torn to shreds but I think that"

For whatever reasons, the user cut the subject off and is requiring that the reader click on the thread to find out what the point of the thread is. We would rather the main idea of the thread to be inside the subject.

3. THE SUBJECT OR POST IS IN ALL CAPS. These are immediately anchored. All caps are hard to read and comes across as shouting.

4. There is already a thread on the info that you are posting. This is self-explanatory. We don't need 10 threads on the board announcing what Robert Smith just said about LSU. We usually keep the thread with the best subject, and anchor/delete the repeat threads.

5. The topic has been beaten to death. Sometimes, topics have run their course and need to just fade away.

6. A thread has gone off topic. If the replies inside a thread have nothing to do with the main idea in the subject, we often anchor.

Exception to these rules: Good morning threads, Lunch Threads, Late Night Snack Threads and approved IM thread.

Hopefully, we can start improving the readability of TD.com by following the guidelines inside this thread.