Read the blog.

Read the comments to the blog.

Make a comment:

If you disagree or are concerned about something, write in an overly positive way so as not to offend anyone who can't see your face or hear your tone.

So you may start sentences with:

I wonder if...

When I read the words, " ---", I thought....

Do you think maybe that....?

I like....., and I disagree with.....   I think .... . How about you?

For example, a student commented, "You don't make any sense."

The person to whom it was written suggested this as a way to be more positive, 

"When you said, "------" I was confused. Did you mean?"  

That would be nicer in tone and words, and more clear in what didn't make sense to the commenter.

 

More detailed info:
 

Are you anxious to blog? Are you wondering how to start?

Think about it: you blog so others will learn from and share your ideas. Someone might add to your ideas. This happens through commenting. Think how excited you were when our mentors commented on our wiki. Just like everything else we do, if we want something, we need to give something. So our challenge as beginning bloggers is to give comments to those blogs we read. If we want comments, we've got to give some. But what is a good comment?

A blog comment is your footprint…

a path back to you…

prepare your path wisely.

A great blog comment ? How to write one:

• What’s the best part of blogging? • Comments !

Let’s practice the best strategies for blogging by writing great comments.

1. Be safe. Be kind. Provide no personal information and always be overly positive and kind. Remember our Netiquette.

2. Read a post. Make a connection. While reading a blog and its comments, think about what you like, what you connect with. What idea most interested you? Be sure to read the other comments so you don't repeat what someone has already said or asked. What was well-written and what ideas did you like? On what can you compliment the author? And, what can you add (see Number 4).

3. Write a comment. Write it like a letter.

Example:

Hi ___[author name]___.

[Your Content-- see next tip--4.]

Thank you.

4. Share a compliment. Share a connection. Appreciate something specific. Compliment the idea, image, or other part you liked. Put it in quotes. Add new ideas with your connection (agree, disagree, experience, idea, link, question). Add the idea you considered -- your connection, agreement, disagreement (Although your idea is interesting, I'd like to add another side...). Do you have a link to share? an image? a question? How will you say it kindly?

5. Check your ideas. Make them flow. Read your comment aloud to yourself; do the ideas flow one to another? Does it make sense?

6. State your ideas and opinions only. Write nothing personal. Review our Internet safety rules for keeping private and personal information off the internet. Netiquette

7. Check spelling. Check punctuation. Edit your writing for spelling, punctuation, grammar, format so you are readable and believable, BEFORE you submit.

8. Give one. Get one. If you get a comment, be sure to comment back.

Remember: like handwriting, your comment represents you!

---

What path will you take to write great comments? Which step to commenting do you think is the most important? Write a comment explaining the step or steps to commenting you think are most important. Have we forgotten anything?

---

Comment Poster