Rules

Blog Rules and Guidelines

1.        Treat Mr. O’s Blog as a “classroom area” – Please use appropriate language and be sure that anything you write you will be proud of and be prepared to take responsibility for!  Your blog is a public space on the internet.  Whenever you place something on the internet, odd are really good that it will always stay on the internet.  If you are not careful about what you write, what you write now could come back to haunt you in the future.  So think carefully before you write!

2.       Never ever give out or record personal information on your blog!  Please – no last names, phone numbers, home addresses, IM screen names, etc. (it is probably not wise to give out personal email addresses either.)  Please use your first name and last initial for all correspondence.   Again, I remind you that your blog is public space on the internet and anyone, anywhere, could possibly read it.  So don’t share anything that you don’t want the world to know.

3.       Never ever disrespect anyone or anything in your blog posts.  It doesn't matter whether it’s a person, an organization, or just a general idea.  When you write your opinion on a topic, you don’t want someone making a stab at what you are passionate about.  So, don’t do it to someone else.  Try your best to make sure you’re not going to offend anyone in your posts.

4.       Feel free to disagree with a classmate or even the teacher’s opinion on any topic.  This is encouraged by me.  Try the phrase “I respectfully disagree” or “You make a great point, but” and be sure to tell why specifically.

5.       Don’t write about other people without permission; if you can’t get their permission, use first names or initials only.  Never share someone else’s last name.

6.       Always check over your posts for spelling errors, grammar errors, and your use of words.  I would probably write my posts in a Word Processor and then paste it on your blog.

7.       Make sure things you write about are factual.  Be sure link your sources.  But neverlink to something you haven’t read and understood completely.  When you link to something, make sure it is something that you really want to be associated with.  If a link contains material that might be in poor taste or make some people uncomfortable, you should probably warn readers by using a parenthetical note or some other word of caution.

8.       If you have a personal blog, please do not link it to our class blog.  Doing so may inadvertently reveal information that you don’t want to reveal.

9.       Be aware of copyright – especially with sounds and images.  Make sure what you use is COPYRIGHT FREE!!! (Just because you find it on the internet does not mean that it is free to use without permission!)

10.   Keep it education-oriented.  Stick to tasks set in the class.  Unless it pertains to the assignment, stay away from discussing plans for the weekend, general rambling, or Diary Entries about nothing.  Chances are your responses to class tasks will usually be far MORE interesting!

PLEASE reply to this post to let me know you have read it and agree to abide by it! 

Thanks, Mr. Oliger