As this is your first blog post, I'd like to offer suggestions for how to respond to our readings.
- Read the material slowly and carefully. The last thing you want to do is make an argument about the article that illustrates that you did not fully understand (or finish) the essay.
- Take time after reading to think about your blog post before you begin typing. Your blogs should not be stream-of-consciousness journals about your feelings-- they should be tightly-constructed essays with a few main points.
- Your blogs should perform two main functions: first, they should offer a summary of the central argument the author is making; second, they should offer your response to some element of the article (it can be the central argument, but it does not have to be).
- For the central argument, you should focus on deconstructing the entire essay into a sentence. What point is the author trying to make? What tells you this is his or her main argument? Can you pull a quote that illustrates this main point? This section need only be brief and to-the-point.
- The personal reaction section should be much longer than the summary section. How did you respond to the author's argument? To his or her writing style? Did the use of media play any part for you? Here, avoid simple inarticulate statements such as "I didn't like it" or "it was boring." Imagine that the article was not assignment for your entertain, but for you to learn something about your world or about argumentative writing. Respond with those ideals in mind.
- Finally, think about how you might use media in your response. Blogs are great because you can embed pictures and video or link to other articles or websites. Do not treat your blog like a piece of paper-- embrace and utilize it to its full potential.
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