The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate whether powerful language training affected student participation, impression formation, and gender communication style in online discussions. Powerful language was defined as a lack of the use of powerless language. Participants in this study were 507 freshmen taking a first-year college experience course at a university in the southeastern United States. Initial threaded discussions were evaluated for benchmark purposes. Instruction for the dissertation was based on established topics in the first-year college experience class and was conducted the first three weeks of the semester. Established topics included Academic Success, Time Management, and Note Taking and Listening. Participants participated in online threaded discussions on each of these established topics. Prior to Time Management instruction, the Powerful Language Training group received training on the use of powerful language while the No Powerful Language Training group received alternate training on critical thinking. At the end of the study, students completed an online student perception questionnaire. Results showed there was a significant difference in the use of powerful language in threaded discussion two where the No Powerful Language Training group who used more powerful language than the Powerful Language Training group. Descriptive statistics showed there was little difference between the response rates of the No Powerful Language Training group and Powerful Language Training group. Although there were significant differences in the quality of participation for male and female participants in an online threaded discussion after training in powerful language, the differences were not in the predicted direction. Results also indicated that although female participants appeared to be more competent in both the Powerful Language Training group and the No Powerful Language Training group, the treatment had no effect on the outcome for competence in impression formation. In all cases, except female participants in the second threaded discussion, there were no significant differences in gender communication styles between the groups. There were no significant differences in any of the questions asked of participants. The Powerful Language Training and No Powerful Language Training groups were similarly satisfied with their performances in the online threaded discussions. Finally, the use of powerless language by the Powerful Language Training group, by gender, and compared by discussion, were similar. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]