Blog Guidelines
As a student blogger...you are expected to follow these blogging guidelines below. Use the questions in italics to help you decide what is appropriate to post on your blog.
1. Only post things that you would want everyone (in school, at home, in other countries) to know.Ask yourself: Is this something I want everyone to see?
2. Do not share personal information.Ask yourself: Could someone find me (in real life) based on this information?
3. Think before you post.Ask yourself: What could be the consequences of this post?
4. Know who you’re communicating with.Ask yourself: Who is going to look at this, and how are they going to interpret my words?
5. Consider your audience and that you’re representing [your school].Ask yourself: Do I have a good reason/purpose to do this?
6. Know how to give constructive feedback.Ask yourself: What will I cause by writing this post?
7. Treat other people the way you want to be treated.Ask yourself: Would I want someone to say this to me?
8. Use appropriate language and proper grammar and spelling.Ask yourself: Would I want this post to be graded for proper grammar and spelling?
9. Only post information that you can verify is true (no gossiping).Ask yourself: Is this inappropriate, immature or bullying?
10. Anytime you use media from another source, be sure to properly cite the creator of the original work.Ask yourself: Who is the original creator of this work?
Commenting Guidelines
As a blogger, you will be commenting on other people’s work regularly. Good comments:
NOTE: This content was originally obtained from the ISB Student Blogs Website.
How to Write Posts & Comments
Creating quality blog content and responding thoughtfully and critically to others is key to making the most of your blogging experience, not to mention critical to getting a good grade. Here are some guidelines for creating posts and responding to peers.
How to Write Quality Blog Posts
How to Write Quality Comments
Post & Comment Examples
Below are excerpts of both good and bad posts and comments. Ensuring your blog content looks like the good content will not only make your work shine, but it will provide quality content on which your peers may comment and respond.
Pretend you are asked to write a blog post in response to the following prompt: Introduce yourself to the teacher and your classmates in one of the following ways:
Excerpt of a good post in response to this prompt:
Grand Blanc, Mich -- A six-year-old girl remains in critical condition at St. Joseph Hospital in Flint, MI after suffering a severe dog attack, hospital staff report.
According to a neighbor, Laura Sauer sustained severe trauma to the head, neck, and shoulders when a neighbor's Airedale attacked her without warning as she played in her friend's sandbox.
"One minute, all was normal," the neighbor told reporters. "The next, it was mass chaos out there -- kids screaming and throwing things at the dog, blood everywhere. It was terrible."
Though the girl's condition is touchy, doctors say the quick thinking of the victim's grandfather may be just the factor that keeps her alive.
"The child's grandfather acted quickly, immersing her head in running bath water and washing the dirt and saliva from her wounds almost immediately," a nurse told reporters. "Had he not done that, she could be facing a far worse prognosis."
Doctors are awaiting a negative rabies result before releasing the girl to the custody of her family. In the long run, doctors expect the victim's greatest lifelong challenges will be hair loss and an unnatural fear of dogs provided she is able to dodge infection.
"With over 100 stitches in her head, neck, and shoulders, the girl is lucky to be alive," said a surgical nurse [...]
So why does this post excerpt earn a passing grade? Several key reasons:
Here is an excerpt of a bad post in response to the same writing prompt:
My name is Laura Sauer. I was attacked by a dog when I was six. I had to have over 100 stitches in my head, neck, and shoulders. My grandpa cleaned my wounds before I went to the hospital so that I wouldn't get an infection.
Why does this post excerpt earn a failing grade? Where should we start?
Writing quality blog posts is only one of your challenges as a blogger. You must also carefully read and respond to the blog posts of your classmates. Below is an example of a good comment in response to the dog bite post:
Wow! You were actually mauled by a dog when you were six? That must have been terrible. The worst thing that happened to me when I was a kid was breaking my arm. I was playing on the monkey bars at recess, and being a careless child, I ignored the playground monitor's advice to take a break. Apparently, my arms and hands had gotten so tired, I was unable to hang on halfway across them. I fell and heard my arm snap. My parents had to pick me up and take me to the hospital where they fitted me for a cast. It was definitely not fun, but it sounds better than your experience. I have to ask, though: Did your hair grow back, or did you have to have a hair transplant? Whatever happened to the dog?
Why does this comment earn a passing grade?
Here is an example of a bad comment in response to the dog bite post:
Dislike! Sounds terrible. I'm sorry.
Why does this comment earn a failing grade?
Commenting on others' posts and responding to people's comments on your own are just as important to blogging as writing the posts themselves. Make sure you leave quality comments on others' work -- they'll be more likely to do the same for you.
1. Only post things that you would want everyone (in school, at home, in other countries) to know.Ask yourself: Is this something I want everyone to see?
2. Do not share personal information.Ask yourself: Could someone find me (in real life) based on this information?
3. Think before you post.Ask yourself: What could be the consequences of this post?
4. Know who you’re communicating with.Ask yourself: Who is going to look at this, and how are they going to interpret my words?
5. Consider your audience and that you’re representing [your school].Ask yourself: Do I have a good reason/purpose to do this?
6. Know how to give constructive feedback.Ask yourself: What will I cause by writing this post?
7. Treat other people the way you want to be treated.Ask yourself: Would I want someone to say this to me?
8. Use appropriate language and proper grammar and spelling.Ask yourself: Would I want this post to be graded for proper grammar and spelling?
9. Only post information that you can verify is true (no gossiping).Ask yourself: Is this inappropriate, immature or bullying?
10. Anytime you use media from another source, be sure to properly cite the creator of the original work.Ask yourself: Who is the original creator of this work?
Commenting Guidelines
As a blogger, you will be commenting on other people’s work regularly. Good comments:
- are constructive, but not hurtful;
- consider the author and the purpose of the post;
- are always related to the content of the post;
- include personal connections to what the author wrote;
- answer a question, or add meaningful information to the content topic;
- follow the writing process. Comments are a published piece of writing.
NOTE: This content was originally obtained from the ISB Student Blogs Website.
How to Write Posts & Comments
Creating quality blog content and responding thoughtfully and critically to others is key to making the most of your blogging experience, not to mention critical to getting a good grade. Here are some guidelines for creating posts and responding to peers.
How to Write Quality Blog Posts
- Answer/address all parts of the writing prompt (if there is one)
- Consider the rhetorical situation of the communication. Would an informal, humorous tone be acceptable? Or should you keep it formal? Are you expected to demonstrate your understanding of a text or concept? Or is the purpose to create an original piece of your own?
- Use outside source information to support your ideas, where appropriate
- Credit all outside source information using in-text and/or parenthetical citations, where appropriate
- Link to external sources whenever possible
- Let your voice be heard. Your personality is unique to you. Your writing should be, too.
- Be creative! (This one corresponds to letting your voice be heard.) Be your very own brand of superstar. There are many writers and artists doing the same things, and eventually, they start to blend together. Don't be that writer or artist. Be bold and brave. Be YOU!
- Write for the Web (short paragraphs, images with credits whenever possible, links to outside information, etc.). Internet audiences dislike long, uninterrupted chunks of text. So unlike a paper essay, your Web content must be appealing with short, to-the-point paragraphs; boldface headings; and attractive links or media.
How to Write Quality Comments
- Reference something specific in the blogger's post
- Ask questions about the blogger's ideas -- for clarification, to challenge an idea, to extend the conversation to a related topic
- Challenge the blogger's ideas. Offer a new perspective or respectfully disagree with his/her viewpoint. (If you disagree, though, you'd better be prepared to provide support for your own ideas, or you're likely to drown in the exchange.)
- Connect to the blogger's ideas by sharing a personal experience or example
- Be specific and prove your critical thinking skills in your remarks. DO NOT say how much you love the blogger's theme or make general, sweeping statements -- such as, "You are so informed on the topic" or "Like!" -- about the content.
Post & Comment Examples
Below are excerpts of both good and bad posts and comments. Ensuring your blog content looks like the good content will not only make your work shine, but it will provide quality content on which your peers may comment and respond.
Pretend you are asked to write a blog post in response to the following prompt: Introduce yourself to the teacher and your classmates in one of the following ways:
- by writing a letter about yourself to a distant relative, friend you will meet in the future, or current acquaintance
- by writing a poem about yourself
- by writing a song about yourself
- by writing a movie synopsis or advertisement for a movie starring you
- by writing a news story about an event involving you
Excerpt of a good post in response to this prompt:
Grand Blanc, Mich -- A six-year-old girl remains in critical condition at St. Joseph Hospital in Flint, MI after suffering a severe dog attack, hospital staff report.
According to a neighbor, Laura Sauer sustained severe trauma to the head, neck, and shoulders when a neighbor's Airedale attacked her without warning as she played in her friend's sandbox.
"One minute, all was normal," the neighbor told reporters. "The next, it was mass chaos out there -- kids screaming and throwing things at the dog, blood everywhere. It was terrible."
Though the girl's condition is touchy, doctors say the quick thinking of the victim's grandfather may be just the factor that keeps her alive.
"The child's grandfather acted quickly, immersing her head in running bath water and washing the dirt and saliva from her wounds almost immediately," a nurse told reporters. "Had he not done that, she could be facing a far worse prognosis."
Doctors are awaiting a negative rabies result before releasing the girl to the custody of her family. In the long run, doctors expect the victim's greatest lifelong challenges will be hair loss and an unnatural fear of dogs provided she is able to dodge infection.
"With over 100 stitches in her head, neck, and shoulders, the girl is lucky to be alive," said a surgical nurse [...]
So why does this post excerpt earn a passing grade? Several key reasons:
- It adheres to one of the specific prompt choices (to write a news story featuring the student)
- It is creative, employing the conventions of journalism
- It highlights a specific and unique experience in the student's life
- It provides stimulating content on which peers may comment
Here is an excerpt of a bad post in response to the same writing prompt:
My name is Laura Sauer. I was attacked by a dog when I was six. I had to have over 100 stitches in my head, neck, and shoulders. My grandpa cleaned my wounds before I went to the hospital so that I wouldn't get an infection.
Why does this post excerpt earn a failing grade? Where should we start?
- It doesn't adhere to one of the assignment options for answering the prompt. Instead, it merely mentions something that happened to the writer with a few general details.
- It lacks depth and thoughtfulness
- It's not interesting
- It does not leave much for classmates to comment on
- It conveys laziness and a lack of attention to detail
Writing quality blog posts is only one of your challenges as a blogger. You must also carefully read and respond to the blog posts of your classmates. Below is an example of a good comment in response to the dog bite post:
Wow! You were actually mauled by a dog when you were six? That must have been terrible. The worst thing that happened to me when I was a kid was breaking my arm. I was playing on the monkey bars at recess, and being a careless child, I ignored the playground monitor's advice to take a break. Apparently, my arms and hands had gotten so tired, I was unable to hang on halfway across them. I fell and heard my arm snap. My parents had to pick me up and take me to the hospital where they fitted me for a cast. It was definitely not fun, but it sounds better than your experience. I have to ask, though: Did your hair grow back, or did you have to have a hair transplant? Whatever happened to the dog?
Why does this comment earn a passing grade?
- It references specific things in the blogger's post (the dog attack)
- The commenter connects to the content of the post by sharing a related experience (the broken arm)
- The commenter asks clarifying and extension questions (questions about the blogger's hair and the dog)
- It invites conversation, giving the blogger something to respond to
Here is an example of a bad comment in response to the dog bite post:
Dislike! Sounds terrible. I'm sorry.
Why does this comment earn a failing grade?
- It does not reference anything specific from the post
- The commenter only provides generic feedback instead of sharing a connection, asking a question, or challenging an idea
- It's not evident of close reading. The commenter might have only read the first sentence as opposed to the whole thing and would have been able to produce this. There's nothing here to suggest s/he took time to understand what the blogger said.
- It does not invite conversation. What's left for the blogger to say except, "Yep. Thanks."?
Commenting on others' posts and responding to people's comments on your own are just as important to blogging as writing the posts themselves. Make sure you leave quality comments on others' work -- they'll be more likely to do the same for you.
How To Format Blog Posts
This post is to give you ideas for formatting your blog posts. Remember, Web audiences are very different from audiences of "paper" texts. Below you'll find tips for making your posts stand out.
Web-Friendly Writing
Blog audiences are impatient. They want to consume their information as quickly as possible and are turned off by essay-formatted writing and long, uninterrupted chunks of text. It's important to do the following to attract and hold their attention:
Where To Find Media
There are several places you can find media to incorporate into your blog posts.
MorgueFile and Pixabay
MorgueFile and Pixabay are photo databases of images that are copyright labeled for reuse. You can save any image you find on those sites to your computer and upload into your posts.
Zemanta
Zemanta is an add-on you can download to your browser. If you download it, it will show you pictures and links to outside sources related to the content of your post right in your Blogger dashboard. Almost everything it yields is copyright labeled for free use. It also automatically provides a photo credit to any images you select to use in your post. It's very convenient.
Creative Commons
Creative Commons allows you to search all over the Web for images and video copyright labeled for reuse. Images obtained through a CC search require you to save the image to your computer and upload it to your post. They also require you to provide a photo credit in the caption of the image. Here's what an image obtained from a CC search might look like in a blog post:
Web-Friendly Writing
Blog audiences are impatient. They want to consume their information as quickly as possible and are turned off by essay-formatted writing and long, uninterrupted chunks of text. It's important to do the following to attract and hold their attention:
- Have a catchy but content-specific title
- Write using short paragraphs, headings and subheadings, and bulleted or numbered lists, where applicable
- Integrate images (copyright labeled for reuse and properly credited, of course), video, and hyperlinks to outside sources
- Use headings and subheadings, where applicable
- Ask questions or invite conversation at the end
Where To Find Media
There are several places you can find media to incorporate into your blog posts.
MorgueFile and Pixabay
MorgueFile and Pixabay are photo databases of images that are copyright labeled for reuse. You can save any image you find on those sites to your computer and upload into your posts.
Zemanta
Zemanta is an add-on you can download to your browser. If you download it, it will show you pictures and links to outside sources related to the content of your post right in your Blogger dashboard. Almost everything it yields is copyright labeled for free use. It also automatically provides a photo credit to any images you select to use in your post. It's very convenient.
Creative Commons
Creative Commons allows you to search all over the Web for images and video copyright labeled for reuse. Images obtained through a CC search require you to save the image to your computer and upload it to your post. They also require you to provide a photo credit in the caption of the image. Here's what an image obtained from a CC search might look like in a blog post:
NOTE: It is very important to recognize that copying and pasting an image from an external website is a HUGE no-no in the blogging world. It slows down the external site's server and lands you on fellow bloggers' bad lists. Always save the image to your computer and upload to your post.
Personal Images and Video
You are, of course, free to use personal photos and video if you own the copyright to those items. I caution you NOT to use images and video with identifying personal information (including your face or that of your family/friends without their consent, your house, your car, etc.), as this will be published to the Web, and once something is out there, it is out there forever. (There's a very real and very important aspect of digital citizenship to consider: Web permanence.)
Crediting Outside Sources
Just like in essay and forum writing, it is important to credit outside sources referenced in your blog posts. For print sources, use standard MLA in-text and parenthetical citations. As for a Works Cited, you only need to include one at the end of your post if you reference a print text that the whole class isn't using (such as your history or sociology textbook, for example).
For online sources, an acceptable way to credit the original source in a blog post is to hyperlink back to it in the text of your post. Embedding a YouTube video, for example, suffices as well because readers can click on the video itself to be taken to the original site. If, however, you download something from the Internet and upload it to your post (such as an image), you must provide a credit (and link whenever possible) back to the original site (like I did with Kate Middleton up there).
And there you have it. The only thing left to do in your blog posts is to end with an intriguing exit strategy. Happy blogging!
Personal Images and Video
You are, of course, free to use personal photos and video if you own the copyright to those items. I caution you NOT to use images and video with identifying personal information (including your face or that of your family/friends without their consent, your house, your car, etc.), as this will be published to the Web, and once something is out there, it is out there forever. (There's a very real and very important aspect of digital citizenship to consider: Web permanence.)
Crediting Outside Sources
Just like in essay and forum writing, it is important to credit outside sources referenced in your blog posts. For print sources, use standard MLA in-text and parenthetical citations. As for a Works Cited, you only need to include one at the end of your post if you reference a print text that the whole class isn't using (such as your history or sociology textbook, for example).
For online sources, an acceptable way to credit the original source in a blog post is to hyperlink back to it in the text of your post. Embedding a YouTube video, for example, suffices as well because readers can click on the video itself to be taken to the original site. If, however, you download something from the Internet and upload it to your post (such as an image), you must provide a credit (and link whenever possible) back to the original site (like I did with Kate Middleton up there).
And there you have it. The only thing left to do in your blog posts is to end with an intriguing exit strategy. Happy blogging!