Blogging Guru Chris Abrabam

Chris is coming to class tonight to talk about blogs, social networks, and new media. According to Chris, "the medium is the message."

Blog This readings

Blogs: A Short History
http://www.unc.edu/~zuiker/blogging101/

Where There Blog Enough Time: http://www.historians.org/Perspectives/Issues/2005/0505/0505tec1.cfm

Where Have All the Footnotes Gone
http://www.msa.md.gov/ecp/10/214/html/0003.html

Old Media, Meet New Media
http://www.nytimes.com/library/review/071600footnotes-review.html

Community Standards
http://www.fastcompany.com/online/38/ideazone.html

Chronicle of Higher Education articles (on Blackboard):

“Do Not Fear the Blog” by Rebecca Anne Goetz, 18 November 2005

“Bloggers Need Not Apply,” by Ivan Tribble, 8 July 2005.

“Blogosphere as a Carnival of Ideas,” by Henry Farrell, 7 October 2005.

Assignment #1: Blog This

Pick and blog and follow it for one week, then write a review of the blog. Grad students should write 500 words and undergrads should write 300 words. Some questions to keep in mind: Who is the audience? Is it informative? Is it easy to follow? It is updated frequently? Is it part of a larger brand, e.g. a newspaper, a network, etc.? Is it intended to push a particular point or agenda? Does it use pictures? What kinds of websites does it link to? Is it well written?