The document defines what a blog is, explaining that it is a publicly posted log of thoughts and writing on the World Wide Web. It distinguishes blogs from diaries and news articles. Blogs have a broader audience than diaries and allow interaction through links, while news articles are peer-reviewed and aim to inform rather than express personal views. The document provides guidance on writing effective blog posts, recommending establishing a clear purpose, making topics universal, and including links, images and citations.

1. What’s a Blog?
ENR4 Writing Project

2. What’s a blog?
 “Blogs in Plain English”

3. Defining “Blog”
 A blog or “web log” is “a log of thoughts and
writing posted publicly on the World Wide Web”
(Sullivan).
 Blog ≠ journal
 Blog ≠ news article

4. What does a diary look like?
 Diary (journal)
 Audience = self
 Topics = private, your life
 Purpose = to record, vent, contemplate
 Contains personal details
 Words may be accompanied by pictures
 No peer review
 Not published!

5. What does a news story look
like?
 News story
 Audience = paying subscribers
 Topics = universal
 Purpose = inform, entertain, educate, evaluate,
analyze, produce conversation
 NO personal details
 Words are supported by pictures (and videos
&links if online)
 Competes with other news sources (may link to
other sources if online)
 Peer edited
 Published by news company

6. What does a blog look like?
 Blog
 Audience = others, specifically your peers
 Topics = universal
 Purpose = to respond, entertain, educate, evaluate,
judge, produce conversation
 Avoids personal details unless they serve a greater
purpose
 Words are supported by pictures, videos, &links
 Interacts (through links, discussion) with the
digital world
 No peer review
 Published by author

7. Your turn
 What’s the difference between a news story and
blog?
 Why would it be a bad idea to rely on blogs for
information?
 What do blogs do very well? (Better than
newspapers?)

8. Go Pro
 A blog is NOT a digital essay:
 Have a goal: What are you trying to accomplish?
 What do you want your audience to do as a result of
reading your blog?
 Make it universal
 Link, link, link to other relevant information that you
reader might want to check out
 Include visuals
 Cite your sources

9. Broadcast Alert
We’ll return to the previously scheduled
program after this important
announcement

10. What is Plagiarism?
 http://www.commoncraft.com/video/plagiarism
http://edforum.adventist.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Plagiarism.gif

11. Academic Integrity
 Be honest and responsible:
 Use your own words.
 Cite those ideas and words
you utilize to support your
own.
 Do not use one paper for two
(or more) assignments.
http://www.pyrczak.com/antiplagiarism/images/Roomie.gif

12. We now return to our regularly
scheduled lesson…

13. Grading Standards
 100 = You’ve met the expectations.
 85 = You’ve met most of the expectations, but are
still working toward complete mastery of the
writing task.
 65 = Two days late / sloppy writing
 0 = Incomplete blog that does not fulfill
assignment requirements / blog that is more than
two days late.
 ? = Mrs. Skotnicki reserves the right to assign
other grades.

14. Your Assignment
 Write a blog post about satire!
 Establish a purpose.
 Decide what you want your audience to do as a
result of reading your blog.
 Write a post that expresses your unique
perspective, but also reflects the wider discussion of
your topic.
 Choose your sources wisely; the Web is host to A
LOT of misinformation. Use peer reviewed
sources.
 Make it look like a blog. Include links, images,
videos and cite your sources.

15. Works Cited
 LeFever, Lee. "Blogs in Plain English." YouTube. YouTube, 29
Nov. 2007. Web. 12 Nov. 2012.
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN2I1pWXjXI>.
 LeFever, Lee. "Plagiarism." Commoncraft.com. Common Craft.
Web. 19 Jan. 2012.
<http://www.commoncraft.com/video/plagiarism>.
 Sullivan, Andrew. "Why I Blog." The Atlantic – TheAtlantic.com.
The Atlantic, Nov. 2008. Web. 19 Jan. 2012.
<http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2008/11/why-i-
blog/7060/>.
 Warlick, David. Classroom Blogging: A Teacher's Guide to Blogs,
Wikis, & Other Tools That Are Shaping a New Information
Landscape. Raleigh, NC: Landmark Project, 2007. Print.