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.