Year End Post

There are three tenets, as I see it, to every blog post that I write. I have developed them over the year, and at this time they are still a work in progress, just like I am, and this post itself will attempt to describe this.

I hope that kids in the class next year can also see this end of the year post as a somewhat guide to blogging, from the eyes of an amateur himself.

The three tenets are:
I - Assume nothing; nothing about who you are writing too, link all of the warrants you use, etc.
II - Have empathy; make sure that every sentence you write is understandable, and that the overall point is communicated effectively.
III - Further the discussion - a lot of blog posts focus on articles that people have read, or things that happen to them, without extending a point and adding something unique, and in every blog post, you should strive to add something to the ongoing academic conversation.

I have had most trouble with the first one.

Assuming nothing is extremely difficult, because an individual's writing is influenced by so many things. I have taken courses in philosophy, psychology, sociology, I have researched countless wars, social events and revolutions, and I have delved deep into studies of formal science and mathematics, but the communication of these lessons is the only thing that matters.

So how do you effectively communicate a lesson that you have learned to someone that has not?

My way of doing this focuses on setting the stage for the reader to understand how I get from point A to point B, I try not to imply anything. In my May 6th blog post, Global Local, I address the issue of class from the perspective of someone who is upper class. I try to communicate using "data from the New York Times" and corroborating that with information from my own families income to provide an example of how the New York Times might get the statistics that they do.

Another way in which I have tried to do this, is by stating a point at the beginning of the blog post, and then proving that in somewhat the way I am doing right now. In my most recent post, Extremism, Nuanced?, I state that the purpose of the post is to explain the extreme nature of the G.O.P. and then provide my evidence in subsequent sections.

These are ways that I have attempted to assume nothing of my reader, and of myself, and I have drastically improved in that regard.

I started the SEMESTER off with a sentence such as "the structural bondage of racism that forced her hand in negligence towards the fact that slave labor was used in it's creation. " and I can tell you that it really did not mean anything in the end (Used in Plausible Deniability).

In the regard of assuming nothing, I have then assumed less and less every post.

Having empathy is also quite challenging, yet it is easier, and quicker to explain, as all that is required is that you make sure that anyone can understand your writing.

You must make conclusions for your reader, and then leave them with a spark to conclude on their own. Try to make sentences short. Real short.

And don't overflow them with evidence - the above paragraphs prove the point enough that organization and connected arguments make a readable post.

The last tenet is somewhat arbitrary, as it definitely depends on the person, but for the subjects of our class, a focus on Class, Race, War, and American themes alike is probably a comfortable area to stay.

Instead of simply citing a source, you need to explain it and talk about what it means to you, do not assume that the reader will do any legwork, because they won't, they will simply get bored.

Along with this, you simply cannot, CANNOT, quote something and not explain the quote. Whether you are making a point, or explaining how ludicrous something is, you must explain WHY that is, or HOW it works.

I have grown this year to learn these things, and will keep them with me as I further my blogging development this summer and in years to come,

May the force be with you, all ye who dare to take AIS,

Jon S.