For my PRCA 3339 PR Publications class:
So, you signed up for an account at WordPress, and you added an About page. Now what’s next?
FIRST: Let me know your blog address by replying to this post with a comment, sharing your name and blog address.
NEXT: How do you go about learning more to create a blog that reflects your personality and style?
Fortunately, WordPress offers many FAQ screencasts to help you with the step-by-step instructions. Here are a few of the best ones to help you get started on the right foot:
- What should I do first?
- General settings
- Where’s my dashboard (and what’s it for)?
- Writing & publishing your posts
- and dozens more
And though you may have a good handle on the technical aspects of blogging, remember that the technical side is only part of the blogging equation. Corinne Weisgerber, a professor at St. Edward’s University and fellow PROpenMic member, created this presentation for her Social Media for PR class. The emphasis? How blogging can help you create your personal brand online. Take a look. It’s worth the time.
In our PRCA 3339 (Public Relations Publications) course this fall, blogs are now a part of our curriculum. Below you will discover what components will make up your blog:
Your “About” Page
- Write a short bio and post it on your blog’s About page (see some great tips)
- Due: September 11, before class
Blog Post #1 :: CRAP: Contrast, Repetition, Alignment, Proximity
- Pick any one of these four elements of good design. Define it, and explain its importance to good design. Remember to give credit to Robin Williams (the writer and graphic designer, not the comedian).
- Due: September 14, before class
Blog Post #2 :: Segmenting Publics
- Thinking about your client for your brochure, how would you segment the client’s publics? How will your brochure design be impacted by how the publics are segmented?
- Due: September 21, before class
Blog Post #3 :: Typography
- What factors go into a designer’s decision of which typefaces (fonts) to use? What sizes are considered best for business cards? For brochures? Where can beginning designers go to find legal, free fonts to use? Also, post a link to directions (written by someone else) for installing a font.
- Due: September 28, before class
Blog Post #4 :: Photography
- After completing the Poynter NewsU course “The Language of the Image,” respond to the following:
- What did you learn?
- What surprised you?
- What do you want to know more about?
- Due: October 26, before class
Four Additional Blog Posts
- Write four additional blog posts about topics related to the content of PRCA 3339. We’ll discuss potential topics in class.
Final Blog Post :: Top Ten List
- Using PowerPoint and SlideShare, post the top ten things you learned about public relations publications this semester. (More details will be shared on this post as we near the end of the semester.)
- NOTE: This blog post will be graded separately from the rest of your blog. It will count in with your participation points. This blog post will be worth 50 points, and take the place of your flyer (which we did not create this semester).
- Due: TBA Wednesday, December 2, before classtime.
Each blog post should contain:
- At least 250 words
- Hyperlinks to relevant websites
- The category or tag of Assignment PRCA 3339 (so that I can easily find the posts that you specifically wrote for this class)
- Relevant tags
Blog posts can be written informally and in the first person; that is, they don’t need to sound like a term paper. However, there’s still an expectation for proper grammar, spelling and capitalization. If you have questions about how informal is “too informal,” please let me know.
When I evaluate your blog at the end of the semester, I’ll be looking for:
- professionalism: clear, correct, thoughtful writing
- frequency: sufficient posts
- linking: identify other PR blogs (use PR Open Mic or my blogroll in my Delicious bookmarks as starting points) and link to them. Respond to others’ posts. Become a part of the blogosphere. Blogging should not be lonely.
- readability: brief & concise writing style, use of white space, bold characters, images, bullet points
Questions? Just let me know.
NOTE: Many thanks to Dr. V at Clemson University, who allowed me to use her blogging guidelines from her PRinciples class. They were so well-written that I made just a few tweaks for my own class. Dr. V knows that Blogs Matter.
Photo Credit: http://www.aoddesign.com/blog/resources/xmas-wordpress-logo-icons/
An Open Note to All of Prof. Nixon’s Students at Georgia Southern University:
We’re almost off and running in our Fall Semester classes at GSU. This semester, I’m teaching six (yes, six) courses. The syllabi will be have been e-mailed to all my enrolled students, and I’ll also post links to them (on Scribd) here.
- Public Relations Publications (2 sections)
- Public Relations Research
- Public Relations Practicum
- Principles of Public Speaking
- Making Connections: Facebook & Beyond
So that we can make the most of this semester, please (Please, PLEASE) take some time to read through the blog posts I’ve included here. I promise you, it will be well worth your time. (How often do professors let you get inside their heads, letting you know their tips for success and their pet peeves?)
- Prof. Nixon’s Teaching & Learning Philosophy
- How to Fail a Class (WIthout Really Trying)
- Ten Ways NOT to Prepare for College Advising
- My End of Semester Rant, Kinda
Additionally, here are a few more tips:
- When communicating with me via e-mail (or Facebook), always put your course number (such as PRCA 3339) in the subject line to help me immediately identify who you are and frame your questions or comments. Do your best to write in full sentences, paying attention to standard English grammar and spelling. Always sign your e-mails with your first and last name, as your GSU e-mail address will not make that readily apparent to me.
- When submiting an assignment in GeorgiaVIEW, always put your last name as part of the file name, and also include your name in the document itself. Papers submitted without your last name as part of the file name cannot earn full credit.
- If an assignment is due in GeorgiaVIEW, the only way to get full credit for the assignment is to submit it in GeorgiaVIEW. (E-mailing an assignment to me can be risky; I receive 250+ e-mails a day, and there’s a chance I will not see it in my inbox.)
- Follow me on Twitter, if you really want to get inside my head. (What’s Twitter?)
Let’s make this a great semester together!
