Welcome to BW 700, a class blog!

Hi, and welcome to this class blog! If you're reading this, you have already received the invitations and signed up to be authors of this blog. Don't worry: I won't make this blog private unless you specifically want to. There are advantages and disadvantages to keeping a blog private; on the plus side, we won't get any "uninvited" comments, no spam, and there will be no copyright issues since only invited members can view the blog. On the down side, we will not have the chance to engage in a bigger conversation within the blogosphere--at least not with this blog. We'll see how you feel about it as you become more familiar with this medium.

The purpose of this blog will be quite simply to get you writing and reflecting on your assignments in this class, on academic writing in general, and on the professions you are preparing to enter. A blog is an online diary in which we'll post text, images, and video (all of these are easy to embed, and I'll be happy to provide instructions if you need them), as well as links to useful and interesting websites, comments on what we read, RSS feeds, and others. By contributing to the conversations on the blog, you will get to know your colleagues and instructors, you will be exposed to a variety of news and developments in your field, and you will be, hopefully, stimulated to write, write, write in a stimulating and engaging fashion. Blog posts are informal and candid; I do not expect them to be polished or perfect, and not even 100% proofread (although I do expect a modicum of grammatical decency--after all, this is a writing class!).

I strongly encourage you not to use nicknames or handles, as it will be impossible for me to keep track of them, but your real names (so that entries will be clearly marked as written by Cristina Hanganu-Bresch, for example, as opposed to blondie7799). I expect you will learn this technology fairly quickly. Do look around at the settings, format, how to post, etc., and "learn the ropes," so to speak. You don't even have to be familiar with HTML, though if you are, it's a plus.

When you write a post, you'll see underneath the writing window a prompt to enter "Labels"; these are tags that organize the content of the blog into themes--such as grammar, writing, or whatever other topics you will decide to write about. I have also started a list of "Links" which is empty for now--but I do await your suggestions for it!

This brings us to the thorny issue of what to write about. Well, first of all, I encourage you to use this space as one of inquiry--where you can wonder out "loud" about assignments or grammar issues, or where you can write your arguments on current issue related to your field. I may post questions inspired by our readings or by any topics related to our class. You are supposed to respond with posts of your own, comment on each others' posts, etc. We'll brainstorm topics here, ask each other questions, comment on our work, and in general use this as a space to build community, knowledge, and, why not, have a little fun. The blog is part of your participation grade (5%), and will focus mainly on the last unit of the course (Scientific arguments; Responding to the arguments of others; Scientific Style). As such, you'll probably hear more from me than from other instructors in this class, though everybody is equally invited to participate.

Of course, you must use this space respectfully and fairly, which brings me to (drum roll, please!)...

THE BLOG COMMANDMENTS

1. Post frequently, Post well, Post haste. 
Blogging is a fast-moving medium. Currency is paramount. You can't make up for weeks of inactivity by posting heavily in the last two weeks of the semester.Monitor this blog (it's a good idea to bookmark it) and use it as a creative canvas for your ideas, a space to brainstorm, ask questions, express puzzlement (yes, it's allowed!) and, well, write.
2. Be nice :)

You know what I mean.
3. Blog unto others as you would unto you. 
When posting and commenting on the blog, treat other online class members as you would like to be treated.
4. Remember that your contribution is critical to the success of the class.

Ok. I think we understand each other. If you have any questions, post them in comments. Deal.

And now, for the first task of this week:

Tell us a little something about yourself.

I am leaving this wide open--tell us as much as you think we need to know in a New Post entitled "Introduction." I'm very excited to get to know all of you and to work with you this semester. Below you'll find my own introduction.
___________________
Hi! This is me, Cristina Hanganu-Bresch, hard at work in my office in Mayes College Building:

Yes, that's a copy of Statistics for Dummies on my desk. What of it?

I am originally from Romania, where I got my BA in Romanian and English and my MA in British Cultural Studies. In 1998 I moved to the US, first to Virginia for an MA in Technical and Scientific Communication, and then to Minnesota to do a Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Scientific and Technical Communication at the University of Minnesota. I love to travel, I love gardening, I adore my dog (a gorgeous, spirited miniature bull terrier) and I cautiously worship my cat (she tends to scratch when annoyed). My research is mainly in medical rhetoric and new media; I am interested in psychopharmaceuticals, medical marketing, and the way blogs and wikis change our public sphere. I've been teaching since 1997, with only a few breaks, and this is my second year at USP. I really enjoy living in Philly and exploring the city (in fact, I don't even own a car). In my spare time I also do translations (mostly medical) and I write.