This document outlines the requirements and structure for blog posts about student research reflections. Students are required to post one weekly reflection on their blog by specified due dates. Each post must be a minimum of 250 words and organized in Google Docs. Posts should have three paragraphs: the first discusses a writing prompt for reflection; the second discusses a used research skill; the third evaluates a resource found that week. Topics are provided for the first paragraph on evaluating resources, search strategies, challenges, successes, skills learned, or interesting findings. Due dates for the posts are also listed.

1. Name:_________________________________________________________ 9/28/10
ResearchReflections,Hamilton/Lester
The Research Reflections Blog Posts
10th
Honors Literature/Composition/Learning 21
Requirements
One weekly reflection posted on your blog about your research (see due dates and
topics below)
Compose, spellcheck, and save in Google Docs before posting. Please organize in a
folder in Google Docs called “Research Reflections”
Please create a category on your blog called “Africa Issues Research Reflections 2010”
Create a thorough discussion in your blog post with specific examples and details. The
reader of your blog entry should be able to easily see the purpose and significance of
your chosen research reflection, “conversation”, in your writing.
Minimum of 250 words
Due Dates/Deadlines for the Research Reflection Blog Entries
(should be completed by the beginning of class):
10/4/10
10/12/10
10/18/10
10/25/10
Blog Post Structure
 Paragraph 1:choose any of the writing prompts for reflection (see below)
 Paragraph 2: discuss a research skill you’ve used (we’ll collaborate as a class to create an
ongoing list)
 Paragraph 3:“resource” or “Find” of the week in which you discuss the information you learned
and how you evaluated the authority/credibility/value of the source
Topics for Conversation (Paragraph 1)
Evaluation of resources or a particular resource you discovered---its value to your research, the
source’s authority and credibility, and how you went about determining its use in your research
Discussion about a search strategy you tried and how it worked out for you
Discussion about a particular research challenge you are encountering; this may also include
writing/organizational challenges as well
Discussion about a specific research “victory” or something you did well
Discussion about a research skill you significantly improved or learned
Discussion about a particularly interesting or significant piece (or more than one) that you
learned and its importance to your overall research project
How you are using a particular research tool (Google News alerts, RSS feeds, Google Reader,
social bookmarking tools)
Discussion about how you are approaching a particular research question and your findings
Other? If you have an idea, please run it by Ms. Hamilton for approval—I am open to suggestion
suggestions!