Blogging @ writingandlearning.

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This assignment provides you with a space and forum to analyze and work through course readings; relate these readings to current issues related to the changing nature of literacy; navigate and re ect on practices of online writing and representation; write in an emerging and increasingly culturally powerful genre and medium; and interact with each others ideas and representations through peer commenting.

Each comment must take a position and provide justi cation for it. For example, a comment stating, I like this or I disagree is insuf cient. If you agree, say why. If you disagree, say why. If youve had similar experiences, explain them. If you feel that the blogger misinterpreted the reading, provide clari cation. Note that commenting on another users comment is an entirely valid form of commenting.

How to blog and what to blog about...

Beginning week two of the quarter (the week of January 9 and 11) you are required to post a blog entry at least twice each week, for a minimum of 16 posts throughout the quarter. You need to have at least least eight posts by the Midterm Exam, Monday, February 6, 2012. There are two main genres of blog posts Ive identi ed as particularly helpful for engaging with the ideas of this course. They are: Reading focus. Authors of blog posts in this genre will analyze, synthesize, and apply course readings. The value of a blog with a reading focus is that it allows you to try on an authors argument, question an authors claims, bring that author into dialogue with other course authors, or see if the authors claims hold up when applied to a contemporary example. A post with a reading focus must discuss at least 1 course author, and must be a minimum of 200 words long. Personal focus. Authors of blog posts in this genre will re ect on a personal literacy memory or experience. The value of this genre is that it lets you explore and deeply examine something familiar and taken-for-granted. A post with a personal focus must describe and analyze something personal to you about writing and reading, and must be a minimum of 200 words long. Overall, take risks in your blog poststry on ideas, struggle with terms youre not familiar with, and make connections that may seem initially odd. You may create new genres other than the two above, as long as they are 200 words long.

Criteria for assessment

Each required post is worth one point and you will be credited with a point for each blog post, provided it meets the following criteria: Originality: Words you claim to be your own must, in fact, be your own. The Internet makes it really easy to cut and paste. Cutting and pasting into your own blog is great, as long as you clearly communicate to the reader that these words are cut and pasted. Even in the postmodern sphere of blogging, we need to be mindful of the risk of plagiarism. Citations: Always give author attribution when citing an authors work by putting her or his words in quotation marks and either linking directly to a website that clearly indicates the source or writing a citation in MLA style if theres no other way of citing. Citations for texts other than course readings should take the form of either MLA citations or links to websites where you found the material. For example, in a blog post responding to a New York Times editorial about texting and the decline of grammar, you should offer a direct link to the piece in the Times. Lacking links is failing to cite. Post length and links: Each post should conform to the minimum word length and other parameters indicated in the genre descriptions above. Intertextuality: Whenever applicable, all blog posts should take advantage of the intertextual nature of blogging by including links to other blogs, links to relevant examples, photos, and/or videos, along with the text you write. Tags: Each post should include tags that function as an index of your writing. Importantly, each blog post must have its genre identi ed though tagging. Create tags when necessary and use already-established tags that your peers have already created. Timeliness. Each post and comment should be published by the deadlines indicated on the course syllabus.

Commenting on your peers posts

You are required to comment on your peers blogs throughout the term at least 8 times. Each comment is worth .5 point, for 4 points total. A comment will get full credit if it meets the following criteria: Each comment must be at least 1 sentence long.