Blog language: Tone

A lot of blogs are informally written, which makes them what they are — smart, snarky and a great read. (Perezhilton and Wonkette come to mind.) But for this course, we’re asking you to err toward formal language. As every grizzled newspaper editor tells his cub reporters, learn the basics first, then break the rules. We may not be old or grizzled, but we’ll carry on tradition and impart that wisdom.

That doesn’t mean using convoluted language, however. As Prof. Werner said in class yesterday, keep your sentences simple to get your point across more succinctly. And make sure you’re using language correctly. Reading your pieces aloud is a great way to catch problems. Or ask an honest friend to read over your entries, and don’t be afraid to visit a tutor in the Teaching and Learning Center Writing Lab.

Examples of more formal language include: Children instead of kids, police instead of cops.