Amit Agarwal offered some good suggestions for bloggers back in December 2005 in his post, “How a Blogger can become a good journalist.” His suggestions include:
- Identify your sources (I would add, LINK YOUR SOURCES when possible)
- Respect the value of people’s time (AKA KISS: Keep It Simple Silly, people generally want to read short chunks of information, not a mini-novel when they are blog reading.)
- Use plain speech, and talk like a real person.
- Reputable pro media outlets use professional fact checkers. (So bloggers should check multiple sources too.)
- Opinions are not facts, even your opinions.
In my presentation session notes I have been in the habit of using all caps to differentiate my ideas and responses from those of the speaker, sometimes with the antecedent text: MY RESPONSE or MY THOUGHTS. I don’t think people need to necessarily follow this format, but I agree it is important to find a way to set your ideas and opinions apart.
These are good guidelines to share with students who are blogging, I think. I would add that personal reflections and connections are also very important. One of the things that distinguishes a blog from a more impersonal news source is the personal lens. We all look through the world with a unique set of lenses, and sometimes in formal writing we try to completely depersonalize our prose. There is a time and a place for that, but I think with blogs the personal aspect is generally welcome and a positive.