Demo Post

Hello World


























Link to CNN

Social Media

We recently discussed the role of social media in relation to delivering the news. It's an interesting issue, mainly because we've yet to see any big studies on how influential it really is. The following is a video on just how big social networking is and why it is or isn't a "fad." I want you to watch the video then respond to it on your blog. Feel free to make comments on each others' blogs, too, because I want to see what you all have to say.

Your response should include initial reactions, what this means for news media, how you feel about the size of social media, etc.

Get Angry!

Rants. We've all been on them, whether we know it or not. We've vented to friends, complained to teachers, and whined to parents. This is ranting.

Ranting on your blog can be used to accomplish lots of different things. You can rant to make a point, incite action, vent, and any other number of reasons.

Your job today is to rant on a subject related to your blog. Do not be rude, but be forceful. Give us reasons. Persuade us to agree with your anger. Incite us to take action. Make us share your pain and thus wish to change whatever it is you're ranting about.

The post should probably end up around three paragraphs long. It shouldn't contain personal attacks or foul language, but it should be forceful and help us to understand why you're so impassioned about the subject.

Good luck!

P.S. Obligatory Youtube Video of the now!

Hey Guys

Unfortunately I couldn't be there today to guide you on your blogging as I usually do. But trust me, I'm busy working hard at a workshop to become a better teacher. So, while I'm doing that, I need you all to get busy working hard to become better bloggers?

By the end of the block I want a regular blog post. Just stick to whatever your theme is and give me a good three paragraph (minimum) post. Videos, pictures, and links are suggested, of course.

In addition to that, I want you to find a blog that shares the same theme as yours. Review the blog based on how well written it is, how often it's updated, layout, etc. Essentially, rate the blog based on what we've learned so far.

Good luck!

P.S. Complimentary cat video. You're welcome.

New Layout

Hey guys,

Hopefully you visit this blog before class on Wednesday and get really confused by the new layout. I'm experimenting with my blog by trying to make it more "personalized." I was inspired by the pen and ink style of the turn of the century.
















If you want to try and do this, check out the following sites.

Blogger Templates Free

BTemplates

Our Blogger Templates

I have a tutorial sheet that shows how to change your template. We'll be taking care of this tomorrow during class, so be prepared to join the esteemed group of individuals with attractive, customized blogs.

Also; Ninja Cat is back.

Time for a New Kind of Review

Lots of bloggers spend their time reviewing products, shows, and services. These types of posts are great, because it gives readers a chance to see others' first impression of a commodity so that they may make an informed decision. Writing a product review, though, is more than just stating whether you like it or not. In fact, you have to give the good and the bad at the same time. This means you'll be delivering the PROs and CONs to your readers. The following website gives a great How-To on writing product reviews. Check it out before proceeding.

How to Write a Product Review

There you have it, the proper way to write a product review for your blog. It should be fairly obvious what your next blog post should be. Write me a product review based on your blog's main topic. Now, if you're writing an auto-blog, that doesn't mean you have to review a car. It means you have to review a product that is used by the auto industry, which includes items such as wax, tools, cleaning products, fuel additives, etc. not just cars. So think outside the box and review something you have experience with. These reviews should be fairly long, probably a minimum of four paragraphs, so be thorough.

Good luck!

Writing a Series (First in a series)

We've discussed how to write a series, and now it should be blatantly obvious what the assignment is. You need to find an issue, a topic, or a story within your blog's theme that will allow you to write a three-part series. I don't care what the series is over, whether it is meant to spark a revolution or to just inform, but it does need to be three parts with a clear theme. Each post should be a minimum of seven paragraphs, much like your last three posts. But all of these paragraphs throughout the three posts should have some sort of connection. But really, you guys know what a series is, you're the ones who explained it in class, so I have 100-percent faith that you will pull this off.

To sum things up:

-You need to write a three-part series (three-part is a minimum, you can go beyond that, you know).

-Each post should be seven paragraphs or longer.

-Each post must build off of the previous one.

-These are due on April 22 by the end of the class period.

Good luck and happy blogging!

P.S.

Here are some links on how to write a successful blog series.

10 Steps to Writing a Successful Series on your Blog

How to Write a Blog Series

How To Write a How-To

Here's the deal, guys, we've been blogging a lot about media, recently, and have lost sight of the main topic of our blogs. To rectify this situation, I'm asking you to deliver to me a how-to that relates to your blog's theme. For example, if you're writing a technology blog, write me a how-to for a new program or electronic device. How-to's are simple, they just explain how to perform an action or task. How-to's are just step-by-step instructions in essay format, rather than list format. This means they must be written in paragraph form, with proper spelling and punctuation.

Your how-to is due the first day in class after break and should be published to your blog. It should be a minimum of 10 steps long.

Tips:

1. Use pictures to illustrate the post.
2. You don't need to do something terribly complicated, you just need to explain it so that anyone can follow along and possibly perform the steps, also.
3. List all of the tools and/or equipment needed at the beginning.
4. Be creative, find something fun to explain.
5. Check out this link to see some great how-to's.

The Dichotomy of the Healthcare Battle

Alright, we know about the battle over healthcare reform. We know that congress is essentially split on the idea, and that a healthcare bill was recently passed by a narrow margin. We also know what healthcare is and why people need it.

So, what's the big deal?

That's what you guys need to figure out. Your job is to search the web and find two articles on healthcare that explain the argument. This means you have to explore the dichotomy of healthcare. One article should be pro healthcare reform, the other should be anti healthcare reform. Once you've found the two, link to them in your blog and then compare and contrast the two articles. This means looking at similarities and differences. Find out why some are for it and some are against it. Then, form your own opinion and bacjk it up with factual information.

A few tips:

-The more articles over the dichotomy, the better. You don't necessarily need to stop at two.
-Pictures are great. There have been rallies and protests on both sides. Pictures of these would be a great way to raise interest in your blog and show the dichotomy through a visual medium.
-This should be a somewhat longer blog, so let's say five paragraphs, minimum.
-Don't be afraid to open up a conversation in the comments section of others' blogs.

Good luck and happy blogging.

The Next Big Thing

A lot of bloggers try to predict "the next big thing" in their niche, or blog topic. Tech bloggers try to predict what the new waves of technology will be, fashion bloggers try to figure out what the hot style will be for the next season, and sports bloggers try to figure out what the next shift in playing dynamics will be. Now, it's your turn.

Pick a topic, any topic, and predict what the "next big thing" will be. I'd prefer for you to try and make the prediction based on the topic of your blog, but if you find yourself stumped, turn to a separate interest.

There are some requirements, though...

1.) This needs to be a little longer than the typical blog because you need to give your prediction and back it up with some sort of source. So let's make this blog post 3 to 4 paragraphs long.

2.) As I just mentioned, you need to have some sort of source that helps to support your prediction. This means you need to link to that source.

3.) I'd like a picture or two (or three, even), that supports your post. So make sure you're finding good pictures that support your writing.

Happy blogging!

Who owns you?

Recently, we discussed the "Big Ten" corporations, those giant companies that pretty much own all of Modern Media. We also discussed the ways they influence us, but not in any great depth. So here's the deal, you're going to pick five pieces of media and figure out which of the Big Ten companies own them. This will involve a little research, and may take longer than the average blog post. But, it will also give you greater understanding of the people who own the media.

Here are the requirements:

1. Pick an album, a movie, a television show, a book, and a magazine that you are interested in or have regular contact with. Once you've done this, find out which of the big ten companies owns them.

2. Figure out if those Big Ten companies own any similar ventures, such as record labels or recording artists, publishers, or production studios. How may this affect the way you look at media? (i.e. if the label that publishes your favorite album also publishes bands and artists of the same genre, how might that Big Ten company use that to control media?)

3. Finish the following statement in 2-3 paragraphs.

"It is important to understand who owns the media because..."

If there are any questions, please, ask me as soon as possible. This is a different kind of blog post, so I expect there may be some confusion.

Good luck and happy blogging.

Blog Assignment Due March 12

Part of blogging is visiting other blogs to get new ideas, start conversation, or to just browse. It should be easy to predict, then, what this assignment is about.

A week from now you need to post the link to a blog you visited. Then, in your blog post, you need to respond to, and rate, that blog. Here's how you should go about this.

-Give me three things you really liked about the blog.
-Give me two things you think the blogger should improve.
-Give me one question you would like to ask the blogger about his/her blog.

Pretty simple, right? Well, here's the catch. The blog MUST NOT be one of your classmate's. Use a random blog you found on the internet. You never know, you might find a blog that you can visit every day.

Good luck.

Blog Assignments Due by March 10th

Alright guys, here's the deal. At the end of this post are a few prompts from the list you guys gave me. Complete THREE of them in separate posts. Each post should be two to three paragraphs and include a picture. That means three posts and three pictures for this assignment.

Prompts.

1. If you were forces to get at least one tattoo by law, what would it be and what would the personal value/meaning of it be?

2. If you could go back in time, how far would you go and why?

3. Describe the worst experience you've ever had at a fast food joint.

4. Pick one book you would suggest to someone. What is it about? Why would you suggest it?

5. If you could plan out your life from now until you die, what would it look like? Your college, career, family, home, etc.

Happy blogging

Time for a little introspection...

Introspection is the process of looking inside oneself and studying what you find there. It involves looking at your faults, your talents, and any other characteristics that you may find inside yourself. In this blog post, I am asking you to bee a little introspective and try to explore the idea that is you.

Here's the deal, at the end of this paragraph, I am going to give you a prompt. It is a very simple prompt, and shouldn't take you very long to figure out what you want to write about, but I'm going to ask you to think before you type. I want, at minimum, two paragraphs on the prompt. And if you can find a picture or a link to help give your post some character that would be awesome. Explain your answer to the fullest. That means why you chose it, how you would get there, and what inspired you toward that choice. Have fun with this one...

Here's the prompt:

If you could do one thing without failure, what would you do? Explain.

State of the Union

On January 27th, President Obama delivered his first State of the Union Address to Congress and the American people. This State of the Union was particularly important due to the increased interest in the American Economy and the pressure by many to revitalize our energy production and our nation's education. But when it all boils down to it, the President's speech was not much different from a blog post. There were many different appeals to peoples' emotions and morals, there were calls to action, and there were provocative questions intended to get us thinking.

It may be difficult, or even weird, for you to think of a Presidential Address as little more than a blog post, but it's true. Think of all the different ways we've discussed that are meant to bring readers to your blog. In many ways, President Obama did the same thing.

Now, on to the task at hand. In order for you to gain understanding of the way speeches are delivered, and to aid you in your blogging, I am asking you to forget about the theme of your blog for this post and complete a rhetorical analysis of the President's speech. We'll go over rhetoric in class, and I'll link you to some info on it to help you at the bottom of this post in case you forget. To rhetorically analyze the President's speech you must pick one of the following topics he speaks about: the economy, clean energy, or education. Once you've chosen which one you're interested in I want you to find three examples for each of the parts of rhetoric; ethos, pathos, and logos. Once you've done so, I want you to describe a call to action the president presents on that topic. This should be written like a regular blog post, not as if you're just answering questions. (That means don't just put Ethos- 1... 2... 3..., etc. But, rather, write it in paragraph form that flows from topic to topic.) I will talk about this more in class, but this is a good place for you to return to in case you forget.


Important Links: These links are for your aid and should probably be used.

Click here for the transcript of the speech if you lose the one I gave you.

Click here for video of the speech.

Click here for an overview of rhetoric if you forgot what I explained to you.

Focusing on Drawing Attention to Your Blog

Over the few weeks since we started blogging in class, some of the most important things we've talked about are how to bring viewers to your blog. Now, while this is not the main focus of the blogging unit I've put together for you all, it is an important aspect of blogging. One that I think you guys should understand.

Now, one of the ways to do this is to add a picture, which I'll demonstrate for you in class.

You may also choose to link to a website or another blog, I'll demonstrate this also.

Whether you choose to do either is purely up to you, but it will make your blog much more interesting to read. That's where your next assignment comes into play. I want you to write two separate blog posts. In one, link to a picture pertaining to the topic of your post. In another, find an article or site that you'd like to blog about and link to it. This will be due by Monday, February 1st.

Good luck and happy blogging!

Now, On to Business

By now you all have created a blog and are well on your way to becoming expert bloggers. This means that I shouldn't have to holod your hands to make sure you're getting your blogs done. I will be staying actively involved in the blogging process, but I'm not going to choose what you're going to write about every time you post. That being said, here's your assignment.

In class, we discussed how all blogs have a theme that the posts reflect. If you're writing a political blog, then all of your posts should deal with politics. If you're writing a literature blog, then all of your posts should deal with literature in some way. Pretty basic, right? So, with that out of the way, you need to write two blog posts, approximately 3-4 paragraphs in length that cover topics that fall under the theme of your blog. The posts don't have to be closely related, for example, if I was writing an automotive blog I may write one post about the rise of hybrid cars in the auto industry and another post about the Detroit Auto Show. Both have to do with cars, but not necessarily each other. These posts will be due by Tuesday, January 19.

Intro to Blogging 101

Hey guys,

Blog posts are going to be the focus of this unit. This should have been obvious to you, but I felt that it needed a reiteration. Now, chances are many of you have never blogged before. In fact, I know that a few of you had never visited blogs outside of Xanga, Myspace, or any other similar social networking site. I'm excited about this, since I get to introduce you to a new world of self-published work. You never know, what you create throughout this unit may become a sensation within the blogosphere and you could become famous! That's not the focus of this unit, but hey, I digress.

Now, as you can see, my writing here is somewhat casual compared to how it would be if I were standing in front of you during class. This is one of the interesting things about blogs; we happen to use our natural voice more often. In fact, the way I'm typing here is more similar to the way I would speak to my friends and family, rather than the way I typically speak to students.

Moving on, though, since this is likely your first blog post ever we'll keep it simple. In your first blog post, due by the end of class, just give me a three to five paragraph summary of your life. You can begin with where you were born, your first memory, or where you were when we rang in the new millennium, I don't care. Just give me an autobiographical account of your life. Remember, this is three to five paragraphs minimum, which equates to somewhere between 15 and 21 sentences, simple.

Good luck, and welcome to the world of blogging.