Some feedback on your 1st blog posts

Dear students,

Your tutors have taken a look at your first blog posts and here are some comments and reminders:

- do have a blog title that relates to your blog focus/topic; if a tagline is allowed, do make sure that your blog tagline also enhances the blog and adds to the meaning of the blog

- prior to your first blog post, you may wish to have a brief introduction to let your readers know what your blog is about; that could also be done in your first post - the thing is not to jump into your topic abruptly; also, do not over use jargon

- while you write in a personal and conversational style, it does not mean using ungrammatical structures and SMS language - you could be a less formal and still be grammatical (the same goes for people leaving comments on the blogs)

-make sure that you use your own pictures as far as possible, and if you need to use others' images, please ask for permission and cite your sources - do not infringe on copyright laws

-a number of you don't have a blogroll - please ensure that your blogroll is up and that the external links are credible and relate to the blog focus/topic too; your individual blog posts should also have external links to relevant and credible sites

-do provide your personal commentary and reflections on the topic - do not simply list or describe but comment and reflect - a few of you need to be more original - you may include links to others' info/views but you should not pass them off as your own - DO NOT PLAGIARISE

-while blogs may not necessarily need to reflect all the web writing principles we have talked about iin class, they could still be applied to make your blog more reader-friendly

Remember to think about why your readers would want to read your blog. If it's a rip-off of another blog, they would rather go to the original blog and by-pass yours. So, think carefully about the added value they will get when they read your blog. Your personal voice is an important dimension of the blog too.

Please read your classmates' blogs. You will learn more about their areas of interests and learn new knowledge as well. Do leave constructive feedback for them and keep that online conversation going.

Finally, your tutors would have given more specific feedback/comments on your first post. If you have further things you would like to clarify, please check the assignment specs available in OLE again and contact your tutor.

Regards,
Mrs Low