Before you start It may sound obvious, but decide why you are going to blog before you start. Make a decision about your identity and internet persona. Pseudonyms can become an issue later. If you blog under your real name, it is usually better to be safe than sorry, in tone and presentation (eg spelling), because anything on the Internet is public for ever.

It may sound obvious, but decide why you are going to blog before you start.

Make a decision about your identity and internet persona. Pseudonyms can become an issue later.

If you blog under your real name, it is usually better to be safe than sorry, in tone and presentation (eg spelling), because anything on the Internet is public for ever.

Why people blog For “cv” (potential employers, writing archive, “getting known”) Education (the public, your students/users) Issue-based (evolution, careers) Connect with others who have similar interests (distant places, share results) Develop writing skills Act as language bridge Self-expression

For “cv” (potential employers, writing archive, “getting known”)

Education (the public, your students/users)

Issue-based (evolution, careers)

Connect with others who have similar interests (distant places, share results)

Develop writing skills

Act as language bridge

Self-expression

Popular blogging platforms Blogger (free, no e-help) http://www.blogger.com Wordpress (free, can host yourself, e-help) http://wordpress.org Typepad (small fee, e-help (better?), some community elements) http://www.typepad.com

First steps Think of a title (and related URL) The rest is automatic: Layout Colours Font Settings Create bookmark for dashboard and for blog

Think of a title (and related URL)

The rest is automatic:

Layout

Colours

Font

Settings

Create bookmark for dashboard and for blog

Customize Petrona – http://petrona.typepad.com Sidebar features: About you, contact link (inst. website) Blogroll (include websites, sample posts) Display latest posts, comments Archives by date, subject RSS feeds Search feature/traffic meter Lots of widgets available: access speeds

Petrona – http://petrona.typepad.com

Sidebar features:

About you, contact link (inst. website)

Blogroll (include websites, sample posts)

Display latest posts, comments

Archives by date, subject

RSS feeds

Search feature/traffic meter

Lots of widgets available: access speeds

Choosing where to blog Standalone : + independence, custom, showcase (c.v.) - harder to find/keep audience Network : (eg network.nature.com, scienceblogs.com. EyeonDNA.com) + existing community (welcome and support), audience, tech work done. – lack of individuality, can’t customize, community rules (behaviour, frequency)

Standalone :

+ independence, custom, showcase (c.v.)

- harder to find/keep audience

Network : (eg network.nature.com, scienceblogs.com. EyeonDNA.com)

+ existing community (welcome and support), audience, tech work done.

– lack of individuality, can’t customize, community rules (behaviour, frequency)

How many authors? Single-author + control, clearly you, like a publication - harder work to keep up posting, maintain blog Group author + share posting load (Sceptical Chymist), mutual support (realclimate.org), each can specialise but blog as whole can be general - Less individuality, less “personal” to readers

Single-author

+ control, clearly you, like a publication

- harder work to keep up posting, maintain blog

Group author

+ share posting load (Sceptical Chymist), mutual support (realclimate.org), each can specialise but blog as whole can be general

- Less individuality, less “personal” to readers

Rights to content Your content . People will copy it whatever you do. Make any specific conditions (eg Creative Commons licence) clear on blog. Other people’s content. Check publisher’s rights policy if you want to copy a lot. Most (non- CC) publishers are happy for a paragraph or so to be copied, but cite the source. Other blogs – provide trackback if you can, state in post the source blog and provide link.

Your content . People will copy it whatever you do. Make any specific conditions (eg Creative Commons licence) clear on blog.

Other people’s content. Check publisher’s rights policy if you want to copy a lot. Most (non- CC) publishers are happy for a paragraph or so to be copied, but cite the source. Other blogs – provide trackback if you can, state in post the source blog and provide link.

Building a community Write fairly regularly but better to have something to say than always be frequent Open-ended posts but beware direct questions Manage comments – respond, encourage: don’t be afraid to close an abusive thread (with a comment yourself if you like) Comment on other blogs – track your comments and who is commenting on you (trackback) Participate in carnivals, memes, theme days, awards (within reason!)

Write fairly regularly but better to have something to say than always be frequent

Open-ended posts but beware direct questions

Manage comments – respond, encourage: don’t be afraid to close an abusive thread (with a comment yourself if you like)

Comment on other blogs – track your comments and who is commenting on you (trackback)

Participate in carnivals, memes, theme days, awards (within reason!)

Some community-builders Typepad featured blog http://featured.typepad.com/blogs Tangled bank (carnival), see for example http://scienceblogs/com/pharyngula/tangledbank.php Sunday Salon http://dhamel.typepad.com/sundaysalon NN mapping meme http://blogs.nature.com/london/news/blog/matt/2008/07/03/who-needs-google-maps (but often silly quizzes, polls, jokes etc get picked up the most) Regular feature, eg The week on Nature Network, http://blogs.nature.com/nautilus/categories/author_services/nature_network_roundup/ ; Cognitive Daily’s casual Friday http://scienceblogs.com/cognitivedaily/casual_fridays/

Typepad featured blog http://featured.typepad.com/blogs

Tangled bank (carnival), see for example

http://scienceblogs/com/pharyngula/tangledbank.php

Sunday Salon http://dhamel.typepad.com/sundaysalon

NN mapping meme http://blogs.nature.com/london/news/blog/matt/2008/07/03/who-needs-google-maps (but often silly quizzes, polls, jokes etc get picked up the most)

Regular feature, eg The week on Nature Network, http://blogs.nature.com/nautilus/categories/author_services/nature_network_roundup/ ;

Cognitive Daily’s casual Friday http://scienceblogs.com/cognitivedaily/casual_fridays/

Quality stamps Blogging for peer-reviewed research http://www.researchblogging.org/about.php (over to Euan)

Blogging for peer-reviewed research

http://www.researchblogging.org/about.php

(over to Euan)

Standard advice for bloggers Publish for the love of it Don't cast your net too broad. Pick a subject you know and can write about with authority. Allow comments and debate, turning your readers into contributors and building a community. Refer to and recommend other blogs that cover similar or related ground to you. Comment on those blogs. These are the bloggers who are most likely to be interested in your blog; your overlapping readerships and interests will benefit each other and your readers.

Publish for the love of it

Don't cast your net too broad. Pick a subject you know and can write about with authority.

Allow comments and debate, turning your readers into contributors and building a community.

Refer to and recommend other blogs that cover similar or related ground to you. Comment on those blogs. These are the bloggers who are most likely to be interested in your blog; your overlapping readerships and interests will benefit each other and your readers.

Resources What makes a good blog (from 43 folders): http://www.43folders.com/2008/08/19/good-blogs How to blog, get tenure and prosper (post one of four) http://johnhawks.net/weblog/topics/meta/tenure-blog-prosper-2008.html Collection of useful articles and resources on science blogging, ranging from how and why to do it to examples of good blogs*: http://www.ukrc4setwomen.org/html/raise-your-profile/blogging/ * don’t be put off by the “women”, applies to all!

What makes a good blog (from 43 folders):

http://www.43folders.com/2008/08/19/good-blogs

How to blog, get tenure and prosper (post one of four)

http://johnhawks.net/weblog/topics/meta/tenure-blog-prosper-2008.html

Collection of useful articles and resources on science blogging, ranging from how and why to do it to examples of good blogs*:

http://www.ukrc4setwomen.org/html/raise-your-profile/blogging/

* don’t be put off by the “women”, applies to all!

Resources: comments An article from Problogger: http://www.problogger.net/archives/2006/02/14/blogging-for-beginners-2/ Only 1 out of every 100 readers of this post are likely to interact with it by leaving a comment… 10 Ways to Increase Comment Numbers on Your Blog

An article from Problogger:

http://www.problogger.net/archives/2006/02/14/blogging-for-beginners-2/

Only 1 out of every 100 readers of this post are likely to interact with it by leaving a comment…

10 Ways to Increase Comment Numbers on Your Blog

Resources: RSS If I have learned one thing about blogging, it is that RSS is brilliant. Advantages of RSS and tutorials: http://cravingideas.blogs.com/backinskinnyjeans/2006/09/how_to_explain_.html http:// www.commoncraft.com/rss_plain_english (video)

If I have learned one thing about blogging, it is that RSS is brilliant.

Advantages of RSS and tutorials:

http://cravingideas.blogs.com/backinskinnyjeans/2006/09/how_to_explain_.html http:// www.commoncraft.com/rss_plain_english (video)

About me I am Maxine Clarke, an editor at Nature . [email_address] ; http://network.nature.com/profile/maxine Nautilus: http://blogs.nature.com/nautilus Peer-to-Peer: http://blogs.nature.com/peer-to-peer From the Blogosphere (archive of Nature column): http://network.nature.com/blogs/user/maxine Please contact me if you want any (low-tech) advice about blogging.

I am Maxine Clarke, an editor at Nature .

[email_address] ; http://network.nature.com/profile/maxine

Nautilus: http://blogs.nature.com/nautilus

Peer-to-Peer: http://blogs.nature.com/peer-to-peer

From the Blogosphere (archive of Nature column): http://network.nature.com/blogs/user/maxine

Please contact me if you want any (low-tech) advice about blogging.