Some Practical Tips for Using the Blogs

For many of you, this is your first time even using a blog. Using a blog to write and post entries and comment on other blogs is a new and different--and, at first, sometimes confusing--way of writing. As we begin our summer writing, I am seldom far from either my e-mail or my phone. Please contact me if you have any logon, password, or posting issues, and we can work through any technical problems that may arise. You can also simply post a comment on my blog and that comment will automatically e-mailed to me. I will check your blogs at least every other day to read and comment on your posts.

1. Use a Safe Way To Create Writing Pieces: I strongly advise you to write with a word processor and then cut and paste your work into your blog. (NOTE: if you do cut and paste, you may have to reformat your post so that it appears like you want it to appear--including bold fonts, links, etc.) I have “lost” too many valuable words by forgetting to hit “publish” after writing an entry, or the internet goes down, or one of kids sneaks up and taps the wrong key on my computer! I personally use a program called MacJournal on my mac that allows me to write offline and then post whenever I am ready, and it saves all of your formatting. (WinJournal for Windows is made by the same company as MacJournal) There are also a number of other programs out there that let you do the same thing. The bottom line for anybody writing on a computer is to save early and often. At school I advise my kids to save every writing piece as a document, as a blog entry, and as an e-mail to yourself or an a usb key.

2. Double Space Between Paragraphs: It is accepted practice when writing for the web to double space between paragraphs. The blogs don’t always recognize tabs, and so if you don’t double space between paragraphs, your post will come out looking like one big paragraph--and that is seldom a good first impression!

3. Punctuate To the Best of Your Ability: Punctuation is to the written word what the barb is to the hook. Without a barb the hook is not nearly as effective. The rules for punctuation have evolved out of the nature of speech. (Originally, wen few people actually could read, punctuation marks were symbols that told the reader how the sentence or phrase was meant to be “spoken!”) Punctuation marks help us mimic the power and effectiveness of our “spoken” language; moreover, they guide your readers to read your words in the way “you” want them to experience your writing. Effective and clear punctuation is one of the first things a critical reader (especially teachers and SAT graders) notice when first reviewing your writing piece. Spend time this summer delving deeper into the hows and whys of the world of punctuation. I don’t expect you to be masters of punctuation, but I do want you to do your best to practice and perfect this essential skill! On the sidebar of your blog is a whole list of links to websites that can help you become a skilled practitioner of all those cool little marks.Those sites all include both explanations and fun quizzes to test your proficiency. If I notice a challenge you have with punctuation, I will no doubt point you to one of those sites.

4. Learn To Use the Tools on the Posting Page: Above your entry writing box is a row of icons that help you format your writing to look and act the way you want. You do not have a lot of options as a blog is a web page, not a document. But, to a limited degree, you can resize fonts and colors; add bold, italics or underlined; you can create a link to a wed page by highlighting text and clicking on the chain icon and then adding the url of the web page; you can make a bulleted list; you can (and should) spell check, and you can add pictures and files--including videos, podcasts and links to word files. The best way to figure the icons out is to experiment with them and use the help section when you need help.

I hope this helps. I will continue to add to this page by adding more specific and detailed tutorials. Let me know what you need help on, and I will try to provide that help!

Fitz

1. Use a Safe Way To Create Writing Pieces: I strongly advise you to write with a word processor and then cut and paste your work into your blog. (NOTE: if you do cut and paste, you may have to reformat your post so that it appears like you want it to appear--including bold fonts, links, etc.) I have “lost” too many valuable words by forgetting to hit “publish” after writing an entry, or the internet goes down, or one of kids sneaks up and taps the wrong key on my computer! I personally use a program called MacJournal on my mac that allows me to write offline and then post whenever I am ready, and it saves all of your formatting. (WinJournal for Windows is made by the same company as MacJournal) There are also a number of other programs out there that let you do the same thing. The bottom line for anybody writing on a computer is to save early and often. At school I advise my kids to save every writing piece as a document, as a blog entry, and as an e-mail to yourself or an a usb key.

2. Double Space Between Paragraphs: It is accepted practice when writing for the web to double space between paragraphs. The blogs don’t always recognize tabs, and so if you don’t double space between paragraphs, your post will come out looking like one big paragraph--and that is seldom a good first impression!

3. Punctuate To the Best of Your Ability: Punctuation is to the written word what the barb is to the hook. Without a barb the hook is not nearly as effective. The rules for punctuation have evolved out of the nature of speech. (Originally, wen few people actually could read, punctuation marks were symbols that told the reader how the sentence or phrase was meant to be “spoken!”) Punctuation marks help us mimic the power and effectiveness of our “spoken” language; moreover, they guide your readers to read your words in the way “you” want them to experience your writing. Effective and clear punctuation is one of the first things a critical reader (especially teachers and SAT graders) notice when first reviewing your writing piece. Spend time this summer delving deeper into the hows and whys of the world of punctuation. I don’t expect you to be masters of punctuation, but I do want you to do your best to practice and perfect this essential skill! On the sidebar of your blog is a whole list of links to websites that can help you become a skilled practitioner of all those cool little marks.Those sites all include both explanations and fun quizzes to test your proficiency. If I notice a challenge you have with punctuation, I will no doubt point you to one of those sites.

4. Learn To Use the Tools on the Posting Page: Above your entry writing box is a row of icons that help you format your writing to look and act the way you want. You do not have a lot of options as a blog is a web page, not a document. But, to a limited degree, you can resize fonts and colors; add bold, italics or underlined; you can create a link to a wed page by highlighting text and clicking on the chain icon and then adding the url of the web page; you can make a bulleted list; you can (and should) spell check, and you can add pictures and files--including videos, podcasts and links to word files. The best way to figure the icons out is to experiment with them and use the help section when you need help.

I hope this helps. I will continue to add to this page by adding more specific and detailed tutorials. Let me know what you need help on, and I will try to provide that help!

Fitz

Comments

[benjamin wright]

Hey fitz sorry about the punctuation. oh I am reading Of Men and Mice with Mrs. Vanorman. do want to play golf some time?