Sunday, January 22, 2012

Blog Example #1

I came across this article "Blogs vs. Term Papers" by Matt Ritchel in the New York Times. Ritchel is addressing the worst part of college: writing term papers. He says for many people, term papers feel like technical exercises that do not allow for much expression or creativity, but he also notes that many professors are starting to rethink the traditional term paper and move towards blogging. This approach has been spearheaded by Dr. Cathy Davidson from Duke University. Students who write blogs tend to write shorter posts more frequently. Ritchel mentions that some benefits of blogging are "the immediacy of an audience, a feeling of relevancy, instant feedback from classmates or readers, and a practical connection to contemporary communication," and that blogs are now being used in all levels of education.

I'm somewhat torn about this issue. I like blogs because they are generally freer than term papers. Most of the time term papers come with a lengthy assignment description, and there is a specific formula the instructor wants students to follow in order to get an A. Blogs encourage independent thinking, asking questions, and are generally more relevant to student interests. Plus having other students respond to blog posts opens up more of a dialogue; instead of just writing to a teacher, there is more of an exchange with 20 other people with various backgrounds. At the same time, I also recognize the benefits of a traditional term paper. In upper level classes or future careers, students will be expected to write critically and at length about a specific topic. It's hard to write a 25+ page paper if a writer has never attempted a 10 page paper because writing long pieces requires an extended thought process, which like most skills requires practice. I think teachers shouldn't eliminate term paper, but they should also include more blogging opportunities.

If you want to check out Dr. Davidson's rebuttal to the article, check it out here. She claims she was misquoted and gives a more in-depth explanation of her position.

What do you think about this issue? Would you rather write weekly blog posts, and why? What are some of the positives or negatives about using either blogs or term papers?

19 comments:

  1. I prefer to write weekly blogs, I find writing multiple short pieces is easier than writing one long piece. However, I feel that practicing how to write long term papers is probably the more useful of the two skills. In most of the jobs I have worked at employees have had to write bi-annual progress reports which are lengthy papers detailing how well they are doing their jobs. In almost any field we are going to have to work in we’re going to have to communicate to others in the work place and this is usually done in a professional and lengthy paper rather than a short blurb.

    So that is one positive point of writing long term papers, they prepare us for future writing assignments. One negative aspect of writing long term papers is that they can often make the writing process frustrating and turn potential writers off of writing. The alternative of writing a seemingly impossible 20 page paper is to write a small blog post, which might entice writers to produce more pieces of work of shorter length. However, in past implementations of blogs and forum post in classes, I have noticed that students often post the bare minimum to meet the class’ requirements and often don’t engage in a true dialogue.

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  2. I think that this is a very good issue and that both sides have valid points. I would rather write weekly blog posts because they are informal and shorter in length. Although I would enjoy writing blog posts more, being able to write quality term papers would benefit me in the long run, both in my education and career.

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  3. When asking a group of students whether they prefer term papers or blog posts I think it is safe to assume that most students would prefer blog posts. They can be much shorter, are less structured, and more open to personal opinion. With that being said, producing term papers and participating in blogs presents good opportunities to sharpen different forms of communication skills.

    James and Sayed have said that they think term papers will benefit them more in the long run. But is this true? Yes and no. Term papers ensure that we understand how to follow guidelines and structure, gather research, and present valuable content. However, does the content stay with us in the long run? If we are simply researching the information and regurgitating it into a paper will that stay with us in the long run? Perhaps, but blogs are more interactive and more stimulating than term papers and more likely to resonate with us.

    The value in blogs comes from communicating with other participants. They point out aspects that we may not have noticed before. The more stimulating the debate or discussion the more impact it has on our understanding and our ability to retain the content. Blogs are a great tool for large lectures where class discussion is harder to come by. In addition, blogs refine social interactions. As reported by New York Times, psychologists are asserting that teenagers are more prone to anxiety, depression, etc. as a result of texting and technology. Blogging, while still a technological resource, is more refined and teaches individuals to construct formal arguments and discussions rather than communicating in texting lingo. This sort of interaction can benefit us in the long run when we are participating in work place discussions. Individuals will know how to construct a formal argument or proposal in front of an audience because they had a safe haven to practice.

    NY Times article – “Texting May Be Taking a Toll” http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/26/health/26teen.html

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  4. I believe that most people would rather write a weekly blog post. This would eliminate the long writing process that usually comes from writing a term paper. I think that it would be good to write weekly blog posts because the writer would constantly be working on his or her writing skills. The problem with term papers is most people have trouble writing lengthy essays. A weekly blog post of about 250 to 500 words would add up to a couple of big term papers. Blog post would allow students to constantly work on improving their writing ability. However it would not teach students how to write long papers that they will need to write in other classes.

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  5. I am going to approach this issue as an engineering student who hates writing. I do believe a term paper is important for people going into English or into the liberal arts, but in my career I believe I may have to write papers, but these papers would be written from a scientific standpoint. So I think they should offer a course that is geared towards that. What I can tell from writing blog posts is that I feel I am being heard and getting my opinion out there without thinking about the criticism I may receive. I feel blogs give a better feeling of freedom and allow the creative flow to flourish whereas term papers are very structured and put more pressure on me when I am writing. In conclusion even though I hate everything the term paper stands for it cannot be abolished.

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  6. Each form of expressing thought whether through blog posts or long papers has its own efficiency. In a blog post you may be able to get the immediate honest perspective of your students. Many times in long term papers you will find that students think long and hard about presenting the information in a way that is academically acceptable to the professor. Blog posts will surely reflect current, modern, and recent issues. Although i prefer submitting a weekly blog post, long term papers provide writing skills that will prove to be practical in the "real world". Long term papers build an academic "muscle", which enables us as students to prepare logical arguments and sell those arguments to whoever our audience is. These skills could prove useful in something as simple as a job application. Most job applications require cover letter's in which you describe your reason seeking the job. In order to make a valid argument, your writing skills must be up to par. You have the option to either write freely or develop skills essential to your desired career

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  7. I think that the use of blogs is a more modern way of writing and so it will naturally appeal to present college students. However I also believe that the use of term papers is an essential part of the learning process because it teaches students how to write formally. Formal writing is a skill that students going into any profession must have not only to acquire a job but also to maintain a level of professionalism while at that particular job. The ideas of blogs are a good teaching innovation but I believe that term papers are what best prepare students for their future careers.

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  8. While I feel that writing lengthy, structured papers is a useful skill for anyone going into the workforce, most communication nowadays, whether verbal or non-verbal, is usually similar to blog posts in style and length. You probably won’t be writing 20-page papers to your boss every day, but you will be writing lots of emails and notes, and it is important to get your point across as efficiently as possible while staying within the constraints of the medium.

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  9. Personally, I enjoy writing blog posts more because it is way easier to write shorter posts than to write a long term paper. I stay focused when I write short blog posts, because it doesn't take me forever to finish writing. Writing a term paper takes a lot of time, and most people would get bored and would not be able to focus, causing their papers to not be so well towards the end. Yes, it is a good skill to learn how to write term papers, because many jobs now days want someone who can write detailed amounts of information. It is not essential though, and blog posts will improve student's writing just as well over a longer period of time. By writing blog posts, it keeps students focused and engaged. Students improve their writing on a weekly basis by writing little things, because they are more focused on figuring out what exactly it is they want to say.

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  10. I found this article to be very interesting; it brings up good points about both term papers and a blog. I feel as though that blogs are much underutilized and are a good resource to allow a “discussion” outside of the classroom. This being said I also think that term papers are needed in the classroom environment. Blog is a much more informal medium for writing; you can express yourself in a casual way and just get your idea out there. Term papers require a lot more thought and make the writer go into a lot of detail to support their thesis.

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  11. I don't mind writing papers, but eventually writing lengthy reports becomes mindless and monotonous. When students write long papers they intentionally stretch out their sentences and try to say the least amount of information in the most words. Instead of focusing on the topic, more focus is placed on simply meeting the length requirement and their writing quality is significantly reduced. Blogging allows people to get to the point and express their opinions in the most effective manner possible. In addition, blogging combines traditional writing with communication, and encourages intellectual debating pertaining to topics at hand. Instead of simply stating an opinion as one does in traditional writing, blogging allows one to engage in a worthwhile discussion to defend their point of view, a highly relevant skill in today’s society. Term papers are still quite effective at assessing a student’s writing proficiency, but overall, the benefits of blogging outweigh those of traditional writing.

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  12. Going against the crowd I would much rather prefer to write term papers rather than weekly blog posts. I think blogs are a way for teachers to check up whether or not students are reading or understanding class discussions. Therefore my outlook of blogs for school are more lectured base. Don't get me wrong I love to blog, but when there's a specific topic and it has to be structured my love turns to dislike.

    Now, again I would much rather write the lengthy term papers because they give you experience for the workforce. Isn't that what high school and college are ultimately preparing us for? Also, there's no better satisfaction than to write a long paper and turn in the final copy to the professor. All of the work you did on that paper will show off and it feels like you basically ran a marathon. I personally hate writing, but I get a feeling of accomplishment after I turn one in.

    With blogs, you don't get that satisfaction. It's easy and we don't learn how to write the way that papers teach. Blogs do allow us to have the discussion like David said, but we have a 50 minute class period where we can talk face to face without technology. I'm super old school, so that affects my outlook a lot.

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  13. Most people are biased about term papers. The majority would rather write blog posts, as would I. In a blog post, you are expressing what your whole opinion is rather than simply filling a word count like you would for a term paper while losing your opinion somewhere amongst the pages you have written. I feel that unless a high school or college student is strongly opinionated about the subject, they are not really going to have a ton to say. By writing down how they feel in a blog post, they are getting straight to their point without adding in a bunch of extraneous information.

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  14. I would much rather prefer to write term papers as opposed to weekly blog posts. Don't get me wrong, I love blogs since you're not constrained and it is a great way for teachers to make sure that their students are actively involved in their class, but students might not take a "blog" as seriously as say a "term paper"

    When people write blogs, they usually just write what comes to mind without edits. A random stream of consciousness so to speak like I am right now whereas in a term paper, student really think and revise it to make them sound the best. On top of that, going off of what Carmen said, term papers are more likely what you will be writing in the future so writing blogs wouldn't really prepare us for the future.

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  15. As a student I would much rather write a casual blog post then write a ten page paper in a typical essay style format. A blog post doesn’t require hours and hours to formulate, and it seems to be a more direct way to share your ideas. Blogs also let students see what other students are thinking and their views on the topics. They also allow students to argue their opinions with those that view it differently which allows students to view subjects in a different way than they would have before.

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  16. Having read the article, I don’t necessarily understand why there is such an intense debate between which form of writing would have a greater impact on students’ writing skills as a whole. I believe that both blogging and writing term papers are essential for students learning how to write. Blogs are examples on how informal writing is essential part of Internet culture in which everyone has a chance to voice their opinions on certain issues that they are passionate about. Writing term papers gives students the opportunity to conduct writing in a formal, business-like manner.

    Creating blogs and term papers exercise different parts of the brain which is necessary for proper brain development. Discouraging either method of writing prohibits educational opportunities for students to think beyond their capabilities.

    The article seems to force people to choose sides on whether blogging or writing term papers is more efficient to education.

    Therefore due to my infallible logic, this article is a threat to future education.

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  17. I feel that term papers are outdated in a world of technology. The point of a term paper is to practice writing mechanics and to get your message across to the audience. Most of the time in a term paper the audience is just the professor, you tailor your paper to what the professor wants to hear. This is because in the end the only important thing is the grade on the paper. Blogs offer a new perspective on writing in a classroom setting. When writing in a classroom setting, the most important goal to accomplish is getting your message across. In a blog the writer has to appeal to many different audiences not just a teacher. This poses a harder ability to appeal to an broader range of people as well as get your point across. But with this challenge comes greater learning. One the best skills in today’s world where information travels fast is the ability to communicate. If you are able to communicate in a variety of formats like blogs, email, letters, then you will be more valuable to an employer. By using a blog in the classroom it opens a student up into a more informal setting of writing, which is where most writing will occur in the real world.

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  18. I find that 99% of students would rather write weekly blogs of about a hundred words than 2000 word essays every two months. In my particular experience with essays, I find myself writing in a zombie mode in which sometimes I write about things which are irrelevant to the topic. Blogs on the other hand are the fruit of instant inspiration. You think and then you write. The difference with essays is that you spend too much time thinking about the placements of words and what words to place. Blogs are a more honest form of writing, in which the reader gets the see inside the writers real way of thinking.

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  19. I have to disagree with most of you, I would rather write a few papers than a weekly blog. With blogs you can just copy someone else's thoughts and reword them into "your own." With a paper you can look into your own thoughts and expand on a single subject. Blogs make us even more short minded. In a few articles we read last year like, "Is Google making us stupid," it focused on how future generations are becoming short minded. We aren't capable of focusing on anything for an extensive amount of time and blogs are adding to that. Term papers help us concentrate on a certain subject, create a story, and find individually what our values and beliefs consume of.

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