Blogging Guidelines

Purpose of the Blog

This semester, I am asking you to set up a blog as a forum for theorizing rhetoric, writing, and sustainable public discourse. My definition of "theorizing" comes from Sidney Dobrin's Constructing Knowledges, in which Patricia Bizzell sets up a critical distinction between Theory and theory: "Whereas 'Theory' tends to be thought of as something static, like a table of laws, 'theory' is better thought of as a process or an activity" (Bizzell 2). Theory with a little "t" is a "framework within which one can operate, ask questions, even alter or refine principles of that theory based on new experience, new observation" (Dobrin 9). This blog is your opportunity to inspire discussion of class-related topics; to apply concepts from the course to what you read, hear, or experience out in the world; and to hone your abilities to write clearly and respond confidently. By the beginning of Week 12, your "Writing Theory Blog" should consist of at least 6 high-quality posts:

• 4 short assignments (graded upon submission)
• 2 additional and substantial posts (done on your own throughout the semester).

Blogging Guidelines

Please remember that this blog space is public. Fellow class members will be reading and commenting on your posts, as you will theirs, and other Internet users may encounter your posts and read what you have to say. While I want you to feel comfortable to have great discussions on it, the blog is a performance space where we still need to be committed to good communal practices.

1. Title your posts to give your readers context. Titles should reflect what you have thought or written or are trying to argue (rather than merely restate the name of the article or assignment you are responding to).

2. Aim for substance and quality. I’m not interested in seeing how much space you can fill; I am interested in seeing you genuinely communicate your thoughts, ideas, arguments, and responses to your readers. If you are responding to an article we have read, explain what issues are raised for you, why those issues are interesting or important, how they align with or challenge what you’re learning in class so far.

3. Aim for critical depth. It doesn’t take much skill or expertise to spout opinion or to demonstrate bias; the real skill is in engaging with an idea and considering it empathetically and objectively, as well as sympathetically and subjectively.

4. Aim for clarity and specificity. Consider stating your main early on as a way of helping your readers to follow your thought process. Provide context details to remind us of what article or assignment you are addressing. If you are commenting on one portion of someone else’s post, please copy/paste that portion for others to see.

5. Follow good civil/civic discussion practices. We will spend the semester discovering what these are, but for now please remember that the aim of our discussions is to exchange ideas and help others understand why we think the way we do. In one sense, what we do is like diplomacy. Flaming, aggression, hate speech, inside jokes, or tactics that cause others to feel marginalized or excluded will not only not be tolerated by me, they will also shut down conversation and undermine your discussions.

6. Follow good attribution practices (i.e., if you refer to something we haven’t read, please provide us with either the full citation so we can find it ourselves, or with a hyperlink allowing us to access the document). Please sign your name (or your pseudonym) to every post and every comment so that other readers and writers know who left it.