Student Blog Posts of Note

Who blogs and why do they feel compelled to do it?

So you've been blogging for a couple weeks now.  You're starting to get the hang of this blog thing.  Below are posts of particular note that each group nominated.  As with any form of writing, it's important to look at models to examine what works and what doesn't.  Academic blogging is a strange beast, one we will continue to tame in the coming weeks, and you'll develop your own style for the very particular audience for whom you're writing.  Next to each post, I've noted what I feel the strengths of the post is.  Drumroll please....

From New Media Blog

• My Brain on Blog - Rachel's post and Eddie's response to typifies the kind of intellectual exchange that good academic blogging can inspire.  Rachel's inclusion of Sullivan's post also immediately creates readerly interest.
• Short and Sweet, We Love the Tweet - Matt's post starts with a clever title, and what reader doesn't love a clever title?  It's always a good way to begin.  This post looks at why new media is happening, jetting through various developments in communication and how they've changed over the centuries, bringing us up to the current moment.  The voice and language are bright and keep us interested.  The post makes multiple claims about this one subject and prompted significant response from the group.

From Media Jamss

• Academic Blogs -  Allie develops a series of interesting observations and claims about academic blogs, uses plenty of quotes from the blogs to support her points, employs hyperlinks readily, and includes some interesting images that reinforce her ideas.
• Can Our Blogs Really Express Who We Are - Sydney's questions about blogging that follow a summary of key points in Sullivan's article prompted some really interesting responses from member of her blog group.

 From The Go Blue Crew

• Look What I've Stumble(d) Upon  - This post by Brandon asks us to consider if a "smart" website that learns what your interests are and present you with sites to look at is new media.  It's an important question to return to given the focus of the course. 
• Academic Blogging, What's Your Definition?- Rian starts out with some strong questions and she continues to pose questions throughout her post, while intertwining them with a couple conclusions.  This prompted responses to questions from her commenters.  She includes hyperlinks to each blog, which allows for easy access to the blogs she's discussing.

Image from: http://www.innosight.com/blog/archives/2007-07.html