TExt type: BLOG (Personal And professional - Mass media)
PERSONAL BLOG
**General characteristics
A personal blog is usually directed toward friends or peers or mass-audience readers who are interested in following the writer's public musings, commentaries, opinions, or personal experiences. A blog may document a person’s struggles or accomplishments and may sometimes be emotional or reflective. (Blog posts can be similar to a "personal diary" text with the difference being that a blog is read by others—and it does not start with “Dear Diary.”)
Consider starting with a vivid example, detail, or anecdote to capture your reader's/readers' attention before going into the "meat" of your topic—you want eyeballs on your blog. If your blog is about an issue, present both sides of the story before you reflect on the topic and present your own opinion. If you ask the reader proverbial questions, be sure to answer them.
**Tone
As the word “personal” suggests, personal texts are informal in nature because they are directed toward familiar audiences such as friends, family, peers, or people who share the writer's interests. Thus, when writing them, you would use the “tú” or “vosotros” forms. If you are not using Spanish from Spain, you could use the “ustedes” form. However, you would NOT use the “usted” form. In the first paragraph consider mentioning your audience specifically—this way you're sure to demonstrate an awareness of your audience.
BE SURE TO DEFINE YOUR AUDIENCE in the first few sentences.
Because this is a blog, parts of it will be in the first person—but not all of it because you'll be including examples and facts (3rd person) and maybe questions for and statements about your reader (second person—tú/vosotros/ustedes—and maybe even first person plural (nosotros/as). See example below for the right mix.
BUT BE CAREFUL: An informal tone doesn't mean that "anything goes." Your blog should be clearly organized into paragraphs that effectively demonstrate your purpose. In addition, the language should NOT be basic and or lacking in "big" words: you score the most points for combining colloquial language and idioms with complex sentences and expressions—and also making intelligent, thought-provoking observations.
**Conventions
PROFESSIONAL BLOG
**General characteristics
Professional texts are directed toward groups of people or toward a person that is not one’s friend or family member. They are usually written for business reasons or to inform a number of readers, as in the case of a professional blog. These texts have a very clear purpose and facts to support any opinion/statement.
As above: Consider starting with a vivid example, detail, or anecdote to capture your reader's/readers' attention before going into the "meat" of your topic—you want eyeballs on your blog. If your blog is about an issue, present both sides of the story before you reflect on the topic and present your own opinion. If you ask the reader proverbial questions, be sure to answer them.
**Tone
As the word “professional” suggests, professional texts are formal in nature. Thus, when writing them, you would use the “usted” or “ustedes” forms ONLY. You would NEVER use the “tú” or “vosotros” form. TONO: informal y familiar. Even more so than for a "blog - personal text," a professional blog should use sophisticated language, complex sentences, and sound authoritative.
Again, as for the personal blog, you will have a mix of first person singular (and perhaps plural), third person (facts, observations) and second person (i.e., asking questions of your audience, making statements about your audience—USTED only for professional).
BE SURE TO DEFINE YOUR AUDIENCE in the first few sentences.
**Conventions
Same as for “blog: personal text.”
BELOW YOU'LL FIND...
* "¡Qué bien escribes!"—a great summary in Spanish of the conventions needed to write a blog
* ¿Qué hacer con los "sin papeles"?—a stellar example of a personal blog
* Advice on formatting your blog to spice it up for points on Criteria C)!
**General characteristics
A personal blog is usually directed toward friends or peers or mass-audience readers who are interested in following the writer's public musings, commentaries, opinions, or personal experiences. A blog may document a person’s struggles or accomplishments and may sometimes be emotional or reflective. (Blog posts can be similar to a "personal diary" text with the difference being that a blog is read by others—and it does not start with “Dear Diary.”)
Consider starting with a vivid example, detail, or anecdote to capture your reader's/readers' attention before going into the "meat" of your topic—you want eyeballs on your blog. If your blog is about an issue, present both sides of the story before you reflect on the topic and present your own opinion. If you ask the reader proverbial questions, be sure to answer them.
**Tone
As the word “personal” suggests, personal texts are informal in nature because they are directed toward familiar audiences such as friends, family, peers, or people who share the writer's interests. Thus, when writing them, you would use the “tú” or “vosotros” forms. If you are not using Spanish from Spain, you could use the “ustedes” form. However, you would NOT use the “usted” form. In the first paragraph consider mentioning your audience specifically—this way you're sure to demonstrate an awareness of your audience.
BE SURE TO DEFINE YOUR AUDIENCE in the first few sentences.
Because this is a blog, parts of it will be in the first person—but not all of it because you'll be including examples and facts (3rd person) and maybe questions for and statements about your reader (second person—tú/vosotros/ustedes—and maybe even first person plural (nosotros/as). See example below for the right mix.
BUT BE CAREFUL: An informal tone doesn't mean that "anything goes." Your blog should be clearly organized into paragraphs that effectively demonstrate your purpose. In addition, the language should NOT be basic and or lacking in "big" words: you score the most points for combining colloquial language and idioms with complex sentences and expressions—and also making intelligent, thought-provoking observations.
**Conventions
- Date (day/month/year) and Time stamp (lunes, 20 de noviembre 22:00)
- Title that sums up the topics/content of the blog (ONLY the first word capitalized, and the rest in lower case unless there’s a proper noun—THIS IS DIFFERENT FROM ENGLISH! But while "Por qué es tan sana la dieta mediterránea" is fine, strive to draw the reader in with something clever or attention-getting. You want eyeballs on your blog!
- Author’s name “Por Jaime Palacios” and email
- URL
- Organized body that has information relevant to the topic of the blog. Consider giving each section a subhead.
- Links to older posts (enlaces)
- “Like/share” symbols, invitations to follow you, etc.
- A place for readers to leave "Comentarios" (very important!!)
PROFESSIONAL BLOG
**General characteristics
Professional texts are directed toward groups of people or toward a person that is not one’s friend or family member. They are usually written for business reasons or to inform a number of readers, as in the case of a professional blog. These texts have a very clear purpose and facts to support any opinion/statement.
As above: Consider starting with a vivid example, detail, or anecdote to capture your reader's/readers' attention before going into the "meat" of your topic—you want eyeballs on your blog. If your blog is about an issue, present both sides of the story before you reflect on the topic and present your own opinion. If you ask the reader proverbial questions, be sure to answer them.
**Tone
As the word “professional” suggests, professional texts are formal in nature. Thus, when writing them, you would use the “usted” or “ustedes” forms ONLY. You would NEVER use the “tú” or “vosotros” form. TONO: informal y familiar. Even more so than for a "blog - personal text," a professional blog should use sophisticated language, complex sentences, and sound authoritative.
Again, as for the personal blog, you will have a mix of first person singular (and perhaps plural), third person (facts, observations) and second person (i.e., asking questions of your audience, making statements about your audience—USTED only for professional).
BE SURE TO DEFINE YOUR AUDIENCE in the first few sentences.
**Conventions
Same as for “blog: personal text.”
BELOW YOU'LL FIND...
* "¡Qué bien escribes!"—a great summary in Spanish of the conventions needed to write a blog
* ¿Qué hacer con los "sin papeles"?—a stellar example of a personal blog
* Advice on formatting your blog to spice it up for points on Criteria C)!