Blogs - affordances

Blogs share many of the affordances of online journalling

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Introduction

Go to: LIBR 559M - Course Resources and Social media landscape

Blogs are a hybrid form of oral and written discourse. Even though they are textual, blogs have a casual, almost intimate, feel about them; often, their prose can read like informal communication. Perhaps this is part of their appeal; entries on some blogs can stand alone as written commentaries and encourage feedback from readers.

Blogs often fall into the categories of either monologues or dialogues. Technically, each individual blog entry is monologue of the blogger's ideas. When many bloggers discuss and comment on entries, blogposts become dialogues.

As a form of communication, blogs encourage others to express their ideas in more depth than email. However, their 'publicness' can be a deterrent to some. That said, bloggers can encourage debate within their network - as is the case with many library blogs. Consequently, their purpose is to provide a platform for debate and the exchange of ideas.

Affordances (a start)

• Blogs enable you to publish your ideas anywhere, anytime and at little or no cost
• Blogging is a form of participatory journalism and facilitates involvement in civic discourse
• Writing on a blog is straightforward for anyone with limited web skills
• Blogs provide a space for reflection and learning; over time, it helps to develop identity and brand
• Blogs are organized by topic, tags and date and can be syndicated
• Individual blogs are linked to other blogs which can constitute communities
• Everything on a blog is archived with an ongoing record of discussions and debate
• Blog platforms allow others to reply to posts, hyperlink to their own updated entries and create an ecosystem of information
• Friends, parents and other students can see blog entries from anywhere and comment, edit or add to conversation
• Blogs can be continued indefinitely as it does not necessarily need readers or advertising to survive
• Bloggers can upload photos and get to know other bloggers giving a feeling of being connected

Source

• Graves L. The affordances of blogging: a case study in culture and technological effects. J Communication Inquiry. 2007;31(4):331-346.

Pros and cons of the blog as medium

Pros

• Quick and easy to create a new interactive website; can publish instantly
• Public form of communication and encourages you to organize your thoughts more clearly before writing
• Easy way to practice writing and improve writing skills in a disciplined manner
• Once in the habit of blogging it is easy to continue
• Blogging can give you a sense of ownership and a platform for your opinions
• Encourages reticent speakers who may be shy about talking in public
• Blogs are places to express and share information
• Easy to find out what others think and feel about something
• A place to try out new ideas and find collaborators for projects

Cons

• It takes a lot of time to keep a blog updated
• Blogs are more casual than professional journal papers
• May encourage sloppy writing habits similar to email and instant messaging
• Not all conversations are appropriate for public sharing
• May be difficult for anyone with little computer skill
• Some people may not want to learn new technology
• Some people may not blog if they are not required to because it takes time
• May be difficult to keep blogging about subjects that are relevant
• Blogs do not lend feeling of a conversation because of the time delay
• Blogs are not good for questions that require a quick response
• Blogs are very public; do not offer confidentiality
• Blogs may create competition or flaming wars

See Why I Blog by Andrew Sullivan in the Atlantic

What makes good blogging?

I have been blogging since 2005. As an experienced blogger, I take responsibility for the teaching of good blog etiquette before other librarians start their blogging. I believe safe, responsible blogging in the library and information science (LIS) field involves building a readership around useful information and discussions. This is what I try to achieve in my own blogging. New bloggers should be cautioned about the pros/cons of blogging and being respectful of others. Do not feel shy, however, about engaging others in debate. All student bloggers should be encouraged to read other blogs and reply to them. They should be encouraged to proofread their entries before posting to ensure that they take this form of writing seriously. Students in LIBR559M are encouraged to post material relevant to our understanding of social media. I monitor your blogs and post relevant information as appropriate but feel students need some freedom to try out new things without interference. I will certainly give you ample freedom to explore the whole process of learning how to blog.