Blogging Assignments
I encourage you to post to your blog at least ONCE PER WEEK as a record for yourself and also as a record you can show to other people (outside this class) to demonstrate what you have learned.
WordPress.com tips appear below, at the end of the Blogging 1 assignment.
Blogging 1
- Set up a new blog at WordPress.com (we will start this during class in Week 3).
- Apply a new WP theme to your blog.
- Modify the sidebar of the blog.
- Write an "About" page, and link it in your sidebar.
- Write and publish an introductory blog post explaining your personal goals for this course (what you hope to learn and why).
- E-mail the complete URL for the blog to Mindy by the deadline (use the e-mail address at left on this page).
This blog is a record of your work and your learning in this course. It is a personal blog, but it must be (relatively) professional in tone so that you can show it to potential employers as evidence of your skills.
Grading
- 1 point: A new WP theme is in place, it looks okay, and nothing is broken.
- 1 point: The sidebar has been personalized.
- 1 point: An acceptable "About" page is in place (and linked in the sidebar).
- 1 point: An acceptable first post is in place (and the dummy post has been deleted).
- 1 point: There are no errors in spelling, grammar or punctuation; no fact errors; no broken links.
Total: 5 points
Note: Your first photo post (Week 4) is NOT part of this grade.
WordPress.com Tips
- New here? How to get started
- I’m new to blogging. Where do I start?
- How do I upload pictures?
- What is a widget?
- How can I post buttons and images links in my sidebar?
- How do I make a link to another site?
Find answers to many more questions at the WordPress.com FAQ.
Blogging 2
You will post to your blog about the assigned readings in weeks 4, 5 and 6. You will also post and write about two of your edited photos (in Week 7). The two photos should be in one post; you may also link to the folder containing your own Photo 1 assignment.
In addition, you will post brief, meaningful comments on the blogs of at least three (3) other students in this class. We will discuss this further in class, but in general, a comment should add something. It doesn't need to be long, but it should have substance. ("I agree," or "This is good," does NOT count!)
These comments can be made earlier than Week 7, but don't just lump them all together. I'm looking for real comments that prove you are reading the other students' blogs.
Grading
- 3 points: At least four acceptable posts in your blog (not including the introductory post, which was part of Blogging 1). See weeks 4 (1 post), 5 (1 post), 6 (1 post) and 7 (1 post).
- 2 points: Acceptable comments on three different blogs by other students in this class.
Total: 5 points
Blogging 3
At the end of the semester, you will make (a) one post about your final package, and (b) one post about the whole course.
The post about your final story package must include a screenshot (image) that links to your package.
The post about the whole course should assess what you learned. Note: "assess" is different from "list."
You are also expected to blog in weeks 12 and 13, as explained on the pages for those two weeks.
Grading
- 2 points: An acceptable post about your final story package.
- 2 points: An acceptable post assessing what you have learned in this class.
- 4 points: Two acceptable posts about the material from weeks 12 and 13.
- 2 points: Correct and functional use of Feedburner, Technorati and either Google Analytics or Site Meter on your own blog (see Week 12).
Total: 10 points
