COM499

 PDF of assignment

COM499: Content Creation for Media
“About Me” and Blog Topic Introduction
Due Date: Aug. 29, 5pm

Overview & Background

You will be using WordPress to display your media designs throughout the quarter. WordPress is a highly customizable content management system allowing you to frame your design assets online. This week you will set up your blog and begin to post content online. First, you will setup an “About” page introducing yourself to readers. Nearly all blogs have an “About” page that describes the author or organization that manages the blog. Here are some examples from popular blogs:

Doc Searls: http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/about/ (technology & communication)
Talking Points Memo: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/about.php (Liberal News Blog)
Michelle Malkin: http://michellemalkin.com/about/ (Conservative Pundit)
Bleacher Report: http://bleacherreport.com/about (Sports blog)
this isn’t happiness: http://thisisnthappiness.com/#topofthepage (graphic design blog)

Next, you will post about the topic you will cover this semester. You should think carefully about this topic because you will cover it across all the assignments: graphic collage, logo design, audio slideshow, & video project. You are encouraged to choose “About Me” as your topic. You can use the semester to build a baseline portfolio describing yourself.

Tips:

Good blog posts share a number of attributes:

• Short in length (300 to 500 words)
• Short, direct, complete, and easy-to-read sentences
• Short paragraphs (don’t have more than 4 or 5 sentences in one paragraph)
• Written in the first-person (i.e., “I think”)
• Express personal opinions
• Link to other websites
• Include photos and images

Instructions

1. Create a free blog account at WordPress.com. You are welcome to upgrade to a paid account of you’d prefer to have your own domain name. WordPress is also available as a free package if you have your own web hosting space already. The free account will be sufficient for what we are doing in COM499.

2. Log in to the administrative panel (usually at http://domain.wordpress.com/wp-admin/) and choose “Appearance.” Here, you will be able to select a template and customize the look of your blog.

3. Edit the “About” page (located in the administrative panel under “Pages”). Include:

• Your name. You are not required to use your real name if you have privacy concerns, but please e-mail me so I can attach your real name to your blog.
•  Some demographic and background information about yourself
• The purpose of the blog (e.g., to post the media content you have created about your topic for COM499)
• Some interests and/or hobbies
• Your career goals
• A picture of yourself (optional)

3. Lastly, create a post about the topic you will be covering in class (under “Posts->Add New” in the administrative panel). Think very carefully about this topic because you will be spending 3 months with it! You should describe why you’ve chosen this topic and give some background on your topic. Your post should be between 300-500 words.

4. E-mail me (michael.beam@wsu.edu) the URL so I can link it to the course blog.

 

Grading Rubric 

Grade	Characteristics
A	Post is between 300-500 words. Provides thorough background about you and your topic. Post thoroughly describes why you have chosen your topic. Follows all tips listed above (including the tips about having links and photos/images in your post). Well-written, interesting, and engaging to read. No spelling and grammar errors. Displays excellent organization of ideas and opinions.
B	Post is between 300-500 words. Provides some background about you and your topic. Post at least touches on why you have chosen your topic. Follows most tips listed above. Well-written, interesting, and engaging to read. One to three spelling and grammar errors. Displays good organization of ideas and opinions.
C	Post is not between 300 and 500 words. Does not give much detail about you and your topic. Justification for why you have chosen your topic is unclear. Does an inadequate job at following tips listed above. More than four spelling and grammar errors. Displays inadequate organization of ideas and opinions.
D	Post is not between 300 and 500 words. Does not cover background about you or your topic. Does a poor job at following tips listed above. More than seven spelling and grammar errors. Displays poor organization of ideas and opinions.
F	Incomplete work that is missing nearly all of the required information. More than ten spelling and grammar errors. Displays no organization of ideas and opinions.