Blog Assignments (RCLII)

Blogs to maintain:

Passion (400-500 words per week)

Civic Issues (700 words every other week)

RCL (as assigned on course schedule)

Official blogging runs for a 10-week period.
50% of your blog grade is participation; the other 50% is reserved for the quality of blog entries and commenting.

For the Spring semester of Rhetoric and Civic Life, you will maintain two regular blogs: the Passion Blog and the Civic Issues Blog. A third category, RCL, may be used occasionally to post drafts for commentary and review or for other similar purposes. The due dates for blogs are more complicated this semester, so you will need to check the course schedule regularly. We will spend most of our Friday blogging classes reading and responding to one another’s blog posts. Indeed, thoughtful commenting on others’ blogs will be a significant component of your final blog grade.

  • Regarding completion:
    Was it submitted by the deadline?
    Where there is an expectation for sources, was that expectation met?
  • Regarding Quality:
    Did you achieve the expected word count?
    Is the content substantive?
    Is it written in a way that engages its intended audience?
    Is it well-written, visually appealing, and free from mistakes?

Thoughtful commenting:

  • furthers the discussion prompted by the post in thoughtful and meaningful ways
  • responsibly and responsively critiques working drafts, offering thoughtful suggestions that help the writer improve his or her work
  • adheres to the Penn State Principles, especially when disagreeing with the writer

More about: Passion Blog

More about Civic Issues Blog