Course Blog Assignment #4
Review three of your classmates’ blogs. What have you learned from your peers’ work about strategies for blogging and/or strategies for writing about a public issue? What strategies do you see yourself trying to incorporate into your own writing about your particular issue? Post your 200-word response using the "Comment" function below.
1.) The first blog I looked at was Andrew Holbrook's again. I viewed his blog the first time we did this assignment and I wanted to see what changes he has made since then. After reading over some of his new posts, I really found that his voice in his blogs was really prevalent. As I was reading, I could literally see him reading or speaking these words. I want to try and incorporate more of my voice into my blogs. I can really feel the knowledge and investment he has put into his blog and I would like for people to feel the same way about mine.
ReplyDelete2.) The second blog I looked at was Bridget Feeney's blog. What I like about her blog is the entire look of it and the posts themselves. Her blog looks great and is easily manageable. I found it really easy to navigate my way through her blog and I could easily find everything. I sometimes feel my blog is cluttered and my readers may have a hard time finding my added pages or reading the actual blog posts themselves. What I liked most is that some of her posts are short but link to an article she things her readers should check out that is related to her topic. I could use this in my blog to link readers to some of the emotional articles I've found recently so that they can see some of the same things I've been viewing.
3.) The final blog that I looked at was Jared's blog. He does a great job at incorporating videos and links in his blog that really help portray the main focus behind it. But what I liked most how one of his posts pretty much called himself out saying that he has been talking mainly of harassment to LGBT and not to everyone else. This post focused on how harassment can happen to anyone not just the people he had talked about previously. He even mentioned how the title of his blog is I Stop Harassment which eluded to the fact that he was talking about all harassment not just LGBT in general. This made me think of how I could incorporate something like this into my blog. I have been talking about players that have suffered hard hits and research of what brain damage can do. But I haven't really talked about the other side. Of how some people thing its necessary to have these hits or even the players that argue how the game has become so competitive that these "hard hits" are necessary to play the game.
1. I like Andrew Strittmater's blog style because he voices his opinion, which is what the blog outlet allows authors to do, but at the same time the language he uses and the facts he chooses to offer his audience allows us to instantly know his credibility and knowledge of the subject. I also like his technique of covering all aspects of the subject, by categorizing his posts into current issues, preventative measures, etc.
ReplyDelete2.Joe Rinaldi's blog dedicated to Facebook is effective because it acts as a consistent newsletter concerning his topic. Each post englightens his audience on what Facebook can do and is doing and with each post, he asks readers to dig deeper and think critically. His blog lets audiences know that this is an urgent issue that should be addressed, and he is working towards that goal.
3.I like Danny's blog about "Medicine Gone Green" because through his posts he is able to take a subject that is often taken as lightly, or even as offensive, and turn it into a professional, important issue with a legitimate following and reasoning. He has taken into consideration the controversy of the issue and has used it to his advantage by offering his audience statistics and facts, in a down-to-earth and readable manner.
1.) The first English 301 Blog that I reviewed today was Peter Rondy. The one feature of Peter's blog that I enjoy is how he is able to localize the issue here at WVU. I've had trouble doing that outside of my personal experience. I like that he wrote a blog about the approaching FAFASA deadlines, Gov Financial Aid cuts, and what he has learned from students in his sociology class. I think that students can connect with this blog as they currently deal with the affects of undergraduate debt, I know that I do.
ReplyDelete2.) I then reviewed Kate Everly's blog about Social Media in PR. This is also my major and I never really realized, until reading her blog, the issues that social media presents to us. Then I remembered how some students in my PR 324 course didnt/still dont know how to use Twitter or Flickr. However, I really liked her post about the disney internship experience. I recently went through that same experirence here at WVU, saying that my "PR major and backround" didn't suit as well as other canidates. I really felt connected with her because it is so vital to have good internships in PR and getting turned down from one is such a negative experience at times. Good luck on finding more opprotunities!
3.) Lastly I reviewed Rachel Mort's blog about pancreatic cancer. Although, I am not very familiar with this type of cancer, as a cancer survivor myself as well as having a grandmother recently diagnosed it is really near to my heart.
What I really like about Mort's posts is the information she gets. She wrote a complete post about the cosponsors of Pancreative Cancer Research and Education Act. I love that she gets some rock solid information and relies more on facts and news than personal information then I do. It makes me want to post more with facts than just my personal stories that I use.
The first blog I read was Francesca’s “To eat, or not to eat.” I found the whole thing very informative and at the same time it was easy to tell that she cared about the subject she was writing about just be paying attention to words, phrases, and pictures. She used pictures that she knew would probably offend or disgust some people who viewed her blog, but did it anyways because she thought it was necessary.
ReplyDeleteThe second blog I read was Jocelyn’s “Foreign language in elementary schools.” What really caught my attention was how she connected bilingualism to understanding some difficult to grasp events, such as terrorist attacks. With a war against terrorism raging on, I can see how important it would be for the younger generation to be prepared to comprehend and hopefully better deal with terrorism.
The third blog I read was Joe’s “Accessible info on facebook.” I think this blog is a good example of good organization as well as reader appeal. It combines interesting, if not frightening, topics of discussion with a visual design that is appealing.
I read Joe, Melissa, and Rosemarry's blogs for this assignment.
ReplyDeleteI liked how much information Joe managed to pack into each blog. I felt like I actually learned something new about facebook, a website we all feel pretty familiar with as it is.
I thought that Melissa's use of famous quotes for the title of her blogs was a smart choice. The quotes tie into the topic of her blog post perfectly, and using famous authors to discuss book banning is inventive.
Rosemarry's blog about teaching foreign language covers the issue from several different sides, starting at the local level and branching out from there.
While I was reviewing several of my classmates’ blogs, it never ceased to amaze me at how intelligent and passionate these individuals are about their given topics. Throughout this semester we have all grown and learned different techniques from each other and I’m actually sad that this semester is coming to an end so quickly.
ReplyDeleteBridget Feeney’s Obesity Epidemic blog is one that caught my attention right away because obesity is rapidly becoming a major concern nationally and globally. I like how in her blog post titled “Eat Alternatively” she included a chart of some of the more common junk food items that people initially grab for alternatives that are healthier as well as give the person the same sweet tooth fix. She also presents factual information in a way that her readers can identify with but in a non accusatory tone. In addition, she uses powerful statistics throughout her blog to help to convince her readers that this issue is not one to be taken lightly.
Jared Lathrop’s iStop Harassment blog is probably one of my favorite blogs that I have been following this semester. I like that Jared puts his entire personality into his blog, and no I don’t think that it’s too personal. He uses raw emotions, various videos, and personal experiences to show his readers that he is truly invested in the idea and actions towards everyone being accepted for who they truly are. After all, we are who we are and Jared strongly embraces exactly who he is even through ridicule and harassment. Stay strong Jared.
Chris Kees’ the Real Costs of Wal-Mart blog is one that I agree with on different levels. Ever since Wal-Mart has moved into my hometown around 5 or so years ago, a numerous amount of small town stores that have probably been around since my mother was my age were forced to close their doors due to lack of business. Chris uses a video to help explain to his readers that even though Wal-Mart is a company that employees a lot of people, the employees are barely able to make ends meet because of their low wages. He also talks briefly about the negative effects that big box stores like Wal-Mart have on the environment. I could easily relate my topic of Overpopulation to his and to Fran’s Food Production blogs.
I reviewed Kate, Peter, and Rosemarry’s blogs.
ReplyDeleteI could relate to Kate’s topic since my issue is based on Facebook. Strategically, she uses current events to urge awareness of the issue. Posts stay interesting because they contain a news story/information with a twist of her opinion. Readers find this easier to read because it differs from traditional news articles. Kate uses quotes from various individuals to prepare readers for the post they are about to read. I found that the integrated images within her posts, like the Cairo tweet, is helpful and makes her more credible.
Peter’s topic applies to almost every college student. This blog certainly applies to me. He uses personal experiences, like his sociology class, to draw readers’ attention in. I like how he questions the so-called “expert,” this allows people to think deeper and teaches his audience to never settle for one opinion even if they are considered an expert in the field. Awareness of programs and resources for students transforms his blog into a useful tool. One thing I would like to add in my blog is local news. Peter does this by calling out WVU students in need to go ahead and reach for help, seen in his “Stepping Up For Students” post.
Rosemarry’s topic is suitable for any college student. She specifically points out the lack of foreign languages with WVU, creating a local awareness. Her blog contains statistics and URLs to support her arguments. Her blog challenges WVU’s weak foreign language variety with the fact that the world is going “global.” I liked how she spaced out the statistical information in her “Speakers by the Millions” post. I want to try to incorporate data in my future posts since it provides readers with hard facts.
The first blog I looked at was Allison Wright-George's blog about the population crisis. I thought that the way she manages to link numerous different problems to the same source (overpopulation) is engaging. The variety of issues that she looks at makes readers want to continue searching through her posts to see what the next one is about. It doesn't feel like the same thing is being read multiple times. She also includes easy-to-read bulleted lists of facts about each issue, something that I'd like to try incorporating into my own posts.
ReplyDeleteThe second blog I looked at was Andrew Holbrook's, about term limits in Congress. I enjoyed reading this blog because it's nice to know that people are still interested in politics. He makes some really good arguments for having term limits and provides great statistics to back up his arguments. I especially like that he includes statistics comparing the U.S. to other countries. This is something that I haven't had a chance to use in my blog yet, but I'll definitely do so in the future.
The last blog I reviewed was Rosemarry Curfman's blog about American Sign Language. Her blog design is visually appealing and specific to her topic, and she formats her information in interesting ways. I especially like the table of statistics about how many people in the world speak each language. I also like that she localizes the issue, making it specific to WVU--it's something that I would like to do more in my blog.
I reviewed Allison’s blog because her topic really interests me. I like the layout of her blog in general and it is really easy to navigate. I really like how she includes factual laws pertaining to the food production because most people are unfamiliar with those laws. The bullet points are also a nice touch because it highlights the most important facts of her blog post without pushing it in your face, to say it in layman’s terms. I also like the repetition of the “an increase” or “a decrease” again to stress the importance of the fact.
ReplyDeleteI also reviewed Will’s blog. I like Will’s blog a lot because it’s completely opposite from mine. I like how he uses the links within his texts rather than just posting the web addresses themselves. I also like the fact that he posts a picture or a video before every post that enhances or connects with every post as well. Lastly, I like the tabs at the top of the blog that are easy to navigate your documents (can you show me how you did that!!).
I also looked at Erin’s blog. Erin’s blog is a personal subject because she writes about something she is passionate about. I like that she has little blogs in between the scheduled, required blogs that she thinks her readers may want to look at or be curious to read. Her background picture is also really cute, which portrays and connects to her readers emotionally. I also enjoy the funny cat pictures.
1. I read Francesca Gaglianello's blog about factory farms and the farming industry. I personally also care about this topic and her use of pictures, facts and stories made for an emotional and very interesting blog that I wanted to continue reading. I especially liked the post about when her friends said they didn't want to talk or hear about the slaughterhouses and she said that they really did.
ReplyDelete2. I read Danny Kelleher's blog as well, and his theme along with the topic of marijuana and cannabis made sense and gave me a little chuckle. He explains a bunch about what medicinal marijuana is, who it can help and why it should be legalized and regulated. He gives plenty of information, and especially since it has been in the national news, I feel it is relevant.
3. Chris Kees's blog about Walmart definitely caught my attention. As a Ford employee, my father simply refuses to shop at Walmart, based on his membership with the UAW and their stance with the kind of labor Walmart utilizes. So I was obviously very intrigued in this blog and the basic problems with the company clearly laid out for someone to better understand was fantastic. His use of video's to explain his points were a great part.
The first blog I looked at this week was Francesca’s blog about factory farming and its effects on the food industry and food consumption. I really like the detail she puts into each of her posts, and while I only skimmed I could tell that they were packed with a ton of information. I also liked her use of images, particularly in the “EXPLICIT” section, as I felt they conveyed the message more thoroughly than simply reading would. From a design perspective I think everything is organized well and It wasn’t difficult to find what I was looking for.
ReplyDeleteThe second blog I looked at was Jared’s blog on harassment. Again, I liked the layout and thought everything was easy to find. However, this blog does differ from many of the others that I’ve looked at in its informality, since it reads very much like a personal blog would. Overall I feel like this works for the blog and the argument, especially because of the unique perspective readers are given about the issue.
The last blog I looked at was Jocelyn’s blog on Foreign Languages in Elementary schools. I think that she presents many good points about why we need to begin to incorporate languages into early development, and her use of images is effective when it happens. From a design perspective, I would recommend making the comment section larger, since everything feels squished together and there is a lot of empty space on the page which wan be utilized.
Overall, what I’ve learned from looking at my classmate’s blogs is that there are many different approaches and techniques to use when presenting an argument through this medium. I will probably start to use more visuals in my posts to make the message clearer. I will also play around with the tone of my posts, and the level of formality I have with my audience.
The first blog I looked at this week was Rachel's blog on pancreatic cancer. Knowing about her personal experiences with the disease, I was really interested in how she might incorporate some of that into her blog. Rachel does a very good job at mixing up her posts between very informative ones and some that are more personal. I think that gives the blog a much more powerful feel.
ReplyDeletePeter's blog about undergraduate debt at WVU was the second one I read. His topic is very important, but I was weary about it because I imagined something very numbers oriented and that doesn't appeal to me. After reading his blog, I saw that Peter has taken a subject that has the potential to be very dry and boring and found ways to keep it interesting each week with extremely interesting topics.
Will's blog about net neutrality was one that I was immediately intested in because it's a topic I'm also passionate about. Will's approach to his posts each week is usually pretty different. Some of his posts are extremely informative and some also include a bit of his opinion. When Will includes his opinion, it shows how much he knows about the topic and how passionate he is which adds to the credibility of his blog overall.
Once again I checked out Jared's blog. His blog as become one in which I frequent during these assignments because his blog has such a powerful feel to it. Each blog post of his gets better and more powerful. I need to create posts of similar advancement in skill and power. I find that each blog post is getting more difficult to make entertaining or compelling so that readers will want to follow and become involved like Jared’s posts.
ReplyDeleteBridget Feeney’s blog has a personal appeal to it as well. The way she talks in her blog engages the reader more because the reader feels like they are listening to you talk to them directly. She also effectively uses hyperlinks in her posts so that the reader has the ability to engage more in the conversation and her topic of obesity. She also puts in things like her suggests sheets where she gives an example of an unhealthy food or ingredient and then gives a suggestion for something healthier. This allows more interaction of the reader.
The blog of Chris Kees has a great design relevant to his topic of Wal-Mart. His background is a picture of a Wal-Mart store with people going in and out of it. My blog could use some sort of relevancy in its design.
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