Initial Publication Date: December 1, 2011

Blogs

By Meagen Pollock, The College of Wooster

Blogs are essentially web pages that consist of updated multimedia posts, usually related by a theme. Blogs can serve as valuable sources of information and as forums for the open exchange of ideas.

How blogs enhance undergraduate research

Resources - Many blogs highlight current events, share new data, or offer commentary on recent journal articles. Some blogs announce opportunities for funding and professional development. Read through the comments section at the end of each post to find supplementary information and links to related sites.

Communication - Successful blog experiences require effective communication between the author and the readers. For public blogs, authors develop the ability to convey scientific information to a general audience. Private blogs can be used to exchange ideas with collaborators or a select group of experts. In either scenario, authors learn to communicate through clearly written text and the effective use of illustrations and other media. Blogs also reflect the process of peer review in scientific discourse. A reader's comment may lead to a discussion thread and a follow-up post.

Connections - Most blog authors would agree that their posts reach a diverse audience. Collaborations can develop unexpectedly when experts read about another's scholarly work. Interested in recruiting research students? Summer programs and departments can advertise research opportunities. Students who may not consider research may read a blog that chronicles an undergraduate research experience and become inspired.

Where to start

Many institutions already support blogging platforms, so begin by contacting your information technology department. Alternatively, there are external blogging platforms that are freely available on the web, such as Blogger and WordPress ( This site may be offline. ) . Decide how your blog will be used and adjust the privacy settings to make the site private or publicly available. Create and publish your first post. Respond to comments and post on a regular basis.

Examples of geoscience blogs

Where to find more information