Reflection

This blog had brought up different types of issues in the field of publication and design. While writing and designing this blog, I had come across with several theoretical theories. As Walsh (2006) stated, readers tend to use different senses to interpret multimodal texts. Multimodal texts involve more visual images which stress on the arrangement on colours, frames, hyperlinks, medium and menu board (Walsh, 2006). While designing this blog, I have to be concerned about the arrangement of each element and texts. Hyperlinks for further information should also be considered to fulfill readers who want to know further information.

As a blogger, I think that attribution plays an important role. Lack of acknowledgement of others’ work can be seen as a form of plagiarism (Digikev, n.d.). Providing sufficient credits is important to avoid plagiarism online. Besides that, appropriate usage of words is also important. As blogs can be viewed globally, appropriate usage of words should be applied to respect other cultural values and norms.

Blogging is not just about the design and layout, content and context is also an important element. I hope that this blog had achieved its purpose in issuing publication and design’s issues.

References

1. Digikev n.d., Blog etiquette, viewed on 14/11/2010, retrieved from http://digikev.co.uk/articles/blog-etiquette/

2. Walsh, M 2006 ‘The ‘textual shift’: examining the reading process with print, visual and multimodal texts,’ Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, vol. 29, no. 1, pp. 24-37.

Blogging Etiquette

Source: Lindsaycabildo.com, 2009

The article ‘Blogger held over insulting posting’ had issued blogging etiquette and ethical issue among bloggers and readers.

As blogs having an important and large control in the mainstream media, many aspects in the blogosphere had become an issue (Perlmutter & Schoen, 2007). Blogging etiquette is one of the main concern among bloggers and readers. As Perlmutter & Schoen (2007) stated, problems such as plagiarizing, misrepresenting and editing history to cover up mistakes are common problems among bloggers nowadays. a blogger has the power to write whatever he want as he acts as an independent journalist (Cablido, 2009). Therefore, blogging etiquette serves an important role in the blogosphere to ensure ethical problems do not exists in the blogging world. Not only for bloggers, but also for readers who read blogs and comment on them. Their comments are as important as the content of blogs.

There is actually no official blogging etiquette that serves the use for the blogging community (Digikev, n.d.). However, there are many sites and bloggers who gave their own blogging etiquette as a guidance for bloggers and readers. For example, Digikev, Zona Marie Tan, Pete Babb, Deborah Ng and Melanie Nelson had given their own comments on blogging etiquette. Here, I will discuss some reminders of blogging etiquette for both bloggers and readers which I summarize from the above blogging etiquette guidance I mentioned.

For bloggers:

Speak the truth. Opinions and truth should not be confused or misinterpret by your readers. State clearly whether it is your opinion or the truth. Use permalinks to link back to your source if needed.

Respect for others. Do not involve personal attacks. Even if your blog is a personal blog but remember that it is on the Internet, readers from worldwide are reading it.

Attribution. If you are using other else’s work, remember to cite their credits, you do not want to be accused plagiarizing others’ work.

For readers:

Post relative comments. Comments should be related with each entry. If you have other enquiries about the blogger you can just email him.

Do not promote yourself in comments. You can leave your blog link in comments but not in inappropriate entries or leaving contacts blindly in every post’s comments.

Blogging etiquette should be followed by every blogger and reader for the harmony of blogger community.

References

1. Babb, P 2007, Blog etiquette: top 10 dos & don’ts, viewed on 14/11/2010, retrieved from http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/index.cfm?newsId=9550

2. Cabildo, C 2009, Etiquette vs. blogging etiquette, viewed on 14/11/2010, retrieved from http://www.lyndsaycabildo.com/etiquette-vs-blogging-etiquette/

3. Digikev n.d., Blog etiquette, viewed on 14/11/2010, retrieved from http://digikev.co.uk/articles/blog-etiquette/

4. Nelson, M 2009, 5 blogging etiquette tips for beginning bloggers, viewed on 14/11/2010, retrieved from http://www.bloggingbasics101.com/2009/08/1639/

5. Ng, D 2007, Blog etiquette: the rules are quite simple, viewed on 14/11/2010, retrieved from http://www.bloggingtips.com/2007/11/25/blog-etiquette-the-rules-are-quite-simple/

6. Perlmutter, DD & Schoen, M 2007, ‘“If I break a rule, what do I do, fire myself?” ethics codes of independent blogs,’ Journal of Mass Media Ethics, vol. 27, no. 1, pp. 37-48, viewed on 14/11/2010, retrieved from http://students.jmc.ksu.edu/classes/mc720/pdfs/ethics.pdf

7. Tan, ZM 2007, Blogging etiquette: for bloggers and readers, viewed on 14/11/2010, retrieved form http://www.suite101.com/content/blogging-etiquette-a22222