Tips on the Blog Post Assignments

Tips for Blog Posts This Week

This week (week1) marks the first of your substantive blogs posts on the course materials and content.  Some of you have sent questions about how best to structure your posts via google chat. I also got a chance to take a look over a few of the initial blog posts and wanted to bring a few things to your attention for the posts this coming week as well as to give you some pointers so you can revise your posts before the deadline (Monday, June 6, 2011 at 11:59 PM)  if necessary.

Many of you who have already written some fo your posts this week did a good job of explaining the points in the piece that stuck out to you and why they are important for examining Chapelle's questions using the triangle, square, circle rubric. Here are some things I'd like to bring to your attention in order to help make sure students are able to earn the maximum amount of points for blog posts in the course.

• Be sure that you are addressing each of the criteria listed in the triangle, square, circle method.  While many of you did an excellent job of explaining the first three points that stuck out to you in the triangle, the square and circle points need to be more clearly identified and explained in your post.  Be sure you're specifically discussing the point you agree with in the "square" portion of the triangle, square, circle method as well as discussing the course materials in terms of "circling"  what you found to be problematic in the piece, if anything.  The circle part of the blog post can also be a place where you bring up questions you have on the course materials you are discussing.  Feel free to use labels for each of the points in the rubric in your post as if that is helpful for you.
• Creating a thorough, well-cited posts that draws examples from the materials directly will be one of the most helpful study guides you can have for the quizzes.  For example, in your posts, I would highly suggest defining key terms and ideas within your posts. This will save you time while studying for the quizzes as you will be able to draw on your notes in your blogs. 
• Make sure you are using examples from each of the course materials for  the week.  While I appreciate bringing in your own ideas, reflections, and experiences, it's important to ground your posts in the course materials as this is your chance to demonstrate your understanding of the readings and films.  
• You must use proper APA or MLA citation in your posts.  This includes BOTH end references and in-text parenthetical citations of all materials you reference including the course readings, films, and websites! Please see the Start Here menu and check the Resources for Writing APA & MLA Citations, Writing Style, & Writing Center folder for tutorials. I've provided many of the citations for the class directly in the course materials folder for each day. If they are not present, the resources such as Son of Citation Machine will generate a citation for you when you input the details (ex: author, date of publication or release, title, etc.)

I would encourage you to read your classmate's blogs for ideas about how to structure your posts as well. Bethany's blog on the Stuart Brown materials about uses an excellent format for the blog posts and includes APA-formatted citations.  Please read her post as well as my comments for guidelines on how to better structure your posts. http://youthandjustice47001.blogspot.com/2011/06/play-is-more-than-fun-week-1-blog-2.html

Please read her post as well as my comments for guidelines on how to structure your posts. 

I hope to chat with some of you during office hours Tuesday (due to a meeting I have to attend Monday, I will not be holding office hours at my usual day - instead, office hours for week 2 will be held Tuesday from 2:30 - 4:30 PM). If you cannot make the regular office hours, please email me for an appointment.  You can also post any questions on blog posts and structure ideas in the Cyberspace Cafe.

See you in cyberspace and have a great weekend!