Blog Guidelines and Policies

Hollywood Shuffle: Exploring Power and Privilege in Cinema History

Instructions:
Each student will host his or her own blog on Blogspot.com (AKA Blogger). You will need to post:
One blog entry per week (approximately the equivalent of 2 4 pages each, double-spaced and in a 12-point font).
The general format of the blog is as follows: choose a topic from the past 2 weeks of course content, define that topic in your
own words, and then connect that topic to an artifact from the media of your choice.
The entries must present your point of view and you must use evidence from our class material and your media artifact to
back up your point of view. This means they cannot just be informative in nature (i.e. a biography of a director you like).
Essay styles that would be appropriate for this class include critical, persuasive, and narrative (although there are others you
might be able to use as well please talk to one of your professors if you need further clarification).
For more information on what a critical essay looks like click here:
http://www.essaywritinghelp.com/critical.htm
For more information on what a persuasive essay should look like click here:
http://www.essaywritinghelp.com/persuasive.htm
For more information about what a narrative essay looks like click here:
http://www.essaywritinghelp.com/narrative.htm
You need to properly cite your sources. Please note that we check carefully for plagiarism in this class, and, especially, in this
assignment. For more information about plagiarism and the class policy on plagiarism please see the syllabus. If you need
help with citation please see one of us or talk to one of the librarians. A virtual handout about citation is here:
http://shoreline.libguides.com/citation
Blogs, in the context of this class, should be thought of as virtual papers. Do not include slang, vulgar words, icons like , or
text-message talk - *smile* LOL - in your blogs unless you are commenting on the use of one of the above in media. This is
also not a place to just rant. You need to develop a clear point of view and present evidence to prove your point in your blog.
You may rewrite up to 3 of your blog entries for up to a 50% boost in your original grade at the end of the quarter.


To set up your blog:
1. Go to http://www.blogspot.com and follow the directions. You will need a Google account. If you already have a blog using
your Google account, you will want to set up a fresh one for this class. We will run through the process of setting up blogs
during class, but if you need further help please dont hesitate to visit one of us during our office hours.
2. You must use some form of your actual name for your Display Name. For your instructor, Ruth Gregory, OK options would
include Ruth or RGregory.
3. Once you have set-up your blog then please email us the URL at rgregory@shoreline.edu and rdavid@shoreline.edu. You will
need to do this before your first blogs is due on Thursday April 19
th
.

You are more likely to be successful in this assignment if you:
Make sure that you are writing about the media in your entries as well as concepts from gender and womens studies.
Make sure that your entries are about what we are currently covering in class.
Take a clear position in your entry.
Give specific examples from your media artifact and the class material to prove your point.
Research! Linking and citing other work that backs-up your position.
Correctly cite your sources.
Often successful students have used an interdisciplinary approach to their blogs looking at how what were talking about in
this class links to their psychology or multicultural or arts or other classes.
Put effort into organization, paragraphing, proofreading.
Correctly using the vocabulary presented in the textbook and other literature for the course.
Get it done on time.

Here are some examples of some past student blogs that were successful in reaching the standards set for this assignment:
http://taketwo-beckerginn.blogspot.com/
http://sookisstilldreaming.blogspot.com/
http://gaymovieblog.blogspot.com/


Blog Assignment Rubric
Criteria Outstanding
10 points
Commendable
8 points
Satisfactory
7 points
Developing
6 points
Substandard
0 points
Presenting A
Position
(20%)
Concretely states a position
that ties their media artifact to
material covered in the last
two weeks of the class.


Acceptably states a position
that ties their media artifact
to the material covered in
the last two weeks of the
class.
Adequately states a position
that ties their media artifact
to material covered in the
last two weeks of the class.


May not take a clear position or
tie their media artifact to the
material covered in the last two
weeks of the class.
May not state a position and/or
their media artifact does not relate
to the material covered in the last
two weeks of the class.
Supporting
that Position
(40%)
Artifact(s) strongly support the
thesis of the blog. References
the class material and at least
one out-of-class artifact.
Properly ties their media
artifact to the course material
in at least two different ways
or places.
Artifact(s) support the thesis
of the blog. References the
class material and at least
one outside of class artifact.
Properly ties their media
artifact to the course
material in at least one way
or place.
Artifacts may not support
the opinion in the blog
wholeheartedly. References
the class material. Properly
ties their media artifact to
the course material in at
least one way or place.
Artifacts may not completely tie
to the opinion stated in the blog.
Does not reference the class
material or does not do so
properly. References at least one
outside of class artifact. May not
completely tie their media
artifact to the course material in
at least one way or place.
May not have an artifact or it may
not be relevant to the topic and/or
course material. Does not
reference the class material or
does not do so properly or one
relevant outside of class artifact.
Does not correctly tie their media
artifact to the course material in at
least one way or place.
Use of
Appropriate
Class
Terminology
(20%)
Uses multiple terms correctly
from the past two weeks of
course material. Correctly
defines these terms using
students own wording.
Applies these terms to their
chosen media artifact.
Uses multiple terms
correctly from the past two
weeks of course material.
Applies these terms to their
chosen piece of media.
Uses at least one term
correctly from the past two
weeks of course material.
Applies this term to their
chosen piece of media.
Uses at least one term correctly
from the past two weeks of
course material.
Does not use a term from the past
two weeks of course material in
their blog or does not use the
term(s) correctly.
Citation
Style
(5%)
Properly uses an established
citation method (APA, MLA
Chicago, etc). Few to no
errors in citation.
Mostly follows an
established citation method
(APA, MLA Chicago, etc).
More errors (2 4) in
citation.
Somewhat follows an
established citation method
(APA, MLA Chicago, etc) or
more than 4 errors in
citation.
Does not clearly follow an
established citation method
(APA, MLA Chicago, etc), but
citations are present.
There are no citations.
Length &
Formatting
(5%)
Is the equivalent of 2 4 typed
double-spaced pages in a 12
point font.
Is slightly over or under the
equivalent of 2 4 typed
double-spaced pages with a
12 point font.
Is over or under (1 page in
either direction) the
equivalent of 2 4 typed
double-spaced pages with a
12 point font.
Is excessively over or under (1.5
pages in either direction) the
equivalent of 2 4 typed double-
spaced pages with a 12 point
font.
Is less than 1 page typed double-
spaced pages with a 12 point font
or over 6 pages typed double-
spaced in a 12 point font.
Grammar,
Spelling, &
Punctuation
(10%)
Properly uses English
grammar, spelling, and
punctuation conventions. Few
to no errors in this area.
Mostly follows English
grammar, spelling, and
punctuation conventions.
More errors (2 4) in this
area.
Somewhat follows English
grammar, spelling, and
punctuation conventions.
More than 4 errors in this
area.
Has consistent grammar, spelling,
and/or punctuation errors. Piece
is hard to read and understand in
areas.
Does not clearly follow English
grammar, spelling, and
punctuation conventions and has
consistent errors that make it
difficult to read the piece.