Student Blog Guidelines

Each of our posts will be different. You should always follow the guidelines given by Mrs. McNally on each assignment. Assignments will be posted on Edmodo or on Mrs. McNally’s blog.

 

General Blogging Guidelines

1. Think about your digital footprint

A digital footprint is a snapshot of everything you post online. Consider how you look to others viewing your post. Be sure what you’re putting out into the world is the snapshot of yourself you want to put forward. Spelling, grammar, and academic vocabulary help you create a credible footprint. Proofread and double check your work before you publish.

Be sure to THINK before you post.

thinkbefore

2. Keep your personal information private

Keep your posts free from last names, phone numbers, screen names, and personal email addresses. Although many people will want to read your blog for positive reasons, there are bad people in the world. Stick to your first name and last initial. Your blog is PUBLIC, so stick to information you are comfortable with the world knowing.

3. Be kind and constructive

Anytime you post about your opinion, you are taking a risk in sharing your thoughts and feelings. You will not always agree with what your peers post. You will come across topics you are passionate about. Be sure you are being kind and compassionate in your posts. Although it is always your right to have an opinion, you should refrain from sharing opinions that may make a peer feel marginalized or hurt. When commenting the work of classmates, be positive and constructive. Focus on the good things in their post and help them be the best they can be.

4. Write about peers only with their permission

Ask for permission to talk about a peer or classmate. If you do not have their permission, do not share their name! Be wise when sharing stories about peers and classmates. If the story will make the subject uncomfortable to know it has been shared publicly, do not share it.

5. Check, double check, and then check again

Your blog posts are public once you click publish. Check your spelling and grammar before posting. It is helpful to copy and paste your post into a word processor to check for spelling mistakes before posting. You will establish credibility with your audience if your posts are well written and free from mistakes. Again, think about the digital footprint you’re portraying. Make sure you put your best foot forward.

6. Cite your sources

You should always give credit where credit is due. If you obtained any facts or even just ideas from another post or article, you MUST cite the source. If you do not give credit to the original author, you are plagiarizing. Plagiarizing will always result in falling the assignment. Please cite your sources. Standard citation form for this class is MLA format. You can brush up on your formatting by checking out the link below.

Purdue Online Writing Lab, MLA Format

7. Make sure you’re only reporting facts

Now that you know how to cite your sources, please make sure you’re using them! Be careful to not report any misconceptions. Make sure you totally understand the topics you’re talking about. This will also help with your author credibility. Be sure to use reliable sources which are free from bias.

8. Keep it on task

You will always have an educational based assignment for blogging. You may be tempted to add your own ideas and posts of your own creation to your blog. That is fine, but please keep the posts educationally centered and class appropriate. You should avoid linking a personal blog to your class blog, as it may inadvertently reveal information you didn’t want to share.

 

*** Teachers, feel free to use and adapt these to your own needs for your own classes! No need to ask for permission, but please give credit. ***

 

47 thoughts on “Student Blog Guidelines

  1. Your guidelines for both posts and comments are great (….and the Be More Dog video). I’d appreciate being able to adapt them for my class of students with autism. Is that OK?

  2. I am using your guidelines for my classroom! Thank you for such a stellar example of what one can do with a blog!

    1. Thank you! SO glad you have found something you can use as a resource! Good Luck on your blogging journey!

  3. Thank you – this is excellent! I would love to use these with my class blog, if that’s OK with you? (And your commenting guidelines as well!) I will give you credit! 🙂

  4. These are great! May I use your guidelines with my students if I decide to start a blog as a final project?

  5. I would love to use your student guidelines. I am going to try blogging with my English 10 & 11’s in September but am new to blogging so your blog is amazing! I love the set up, it is easy to navigate, easy to understand, and informative! Great job!

    Cindy

  6. Your Blogging Guidelines are great! I was wondering if I may use these. I also like the way your students replied that they read and understood the guidelines.

  7. I love your guidelines and would like to use them with my Year 8 class. I will acknowledge the source.

  8. Your Guidelines are great! Giving credit to you, I will also use them in my classroom blog as well. Thanks for your great work and ideas.

  9. Ms. McNally,
    Hi, I’m just getting started with this whole blogging business and planning to start using one for my EFL class. Your blogging guidelines are excellent and I was wondering if I could use them? Also hope you don’t mind if I browse around your blog to get some ideas as well?
    Thanks so much!

  10. I would LOVE to use your guidelines in my new blog as others are doing! This is great! Props to you! It is so specific and detailed, but kid friendly! I am starting my first class site and online digital portfolio! Thank you! YOU ROCK!

    Cant wait to see what other wonderful concepts your blog has to offer!

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