Meta-Blog Post

   When I was first introduced to the idea of blogging back in September I was a little skeptical towards the benefits of writing posts. After reading through my blogs I now see why it is worth it to write posts and read/comment on other peoples as well. The point of blogging is to connect your interests and ideas to American themes both inside and outside of class. It is to get your ideas out and also comment on others. The point of blogging is not to blog because you have to for class to get a good grade, it is simply a way to look at your interests through different lenses. The first thing I noticed after rereading earlier posts is how much my posts have improved over time. I think a big reason why is similar to trying anything for the first time, you just don't know how to approach it. Some of my early posts like if you ain't first you're last touch on very broad American themes like speed in this case, and also provide a claim with no evidence to support it like articles, videos, and quotes. One aspect of writing pieces like blogs I have learned this year is to tie claims to evidence, and most importantly analyzing that evidence. This is something I did not fully understand till the second quarter in early November. My first quarter blog posts consisted of broad claims with a lack of evidence. After gaining a better understanding of what makes an effective blog post through reading other's posts and Mr. Bolos and Mr. O'Connor's, I started to produce more well done blogs. In my blog entitled Islamaphobia, I crafted the post around a video from a documentary I saw on American views of Islamic practice in the United States 10 years after 9/11. I started my blog with a quote from the video (a tactic I learned Mr. O'Connor's Troy Davis post) and analyzed language from another quote as well. The use of evidence to back up your claim is one "golden rule" of blogging I have learned, and helps give merit to my claims.

    A common theme I have noticed in many of my blogs in the past few months is education (college in particular). I think this is due to the fact that I am a junior and it is something that is now always on my mind. It has always fascinated me the difference between New Trier and other schools, and also the difference among colleges. I also think that because it is a topic that I am interested in, they are some of my most well done blogs. I touched on specific themes like how college rankings effect New Trier students college search, the divide between wealthy and poor school districts and the causes behind it, and more recently how musicians have made an impact on education. An aspect of my blogs I can definitely improve on would be including more than just one piece of evidence linking to my claim, and also asking more in depth questions. An example of this would from my blog U.S. News College Rankings Make Life Simple? Where I ask a closing question, "Could [the list] be of some use to the confused college bound student?". This question is a yes no question and does not give the reader much to think about. I could have rephrased it as,"In what ways could this list be of some use to college bound students? Overall I think my blogs have improved since the start of the semester, and after analyzing them I have become aware of some things I need to change and add.