SNEAK PEAK: YOUR FINAL (now with Grand Prize!)

Hey folks. Here's your final, due Tuesday January 25th at 4pm.

Create your own blog using Blogger. It must have:
- a catchy name and background that encapsulates its content,
- a blogroll listing at least three of your favorite blogs, and
- a pageview counter.

On this blog you must create three posts:

1) An introductory post with all of the following:
- a dominant visual element
- at least one link
- a short article explaining what your topic is, why it matters to you, and why it might matter to other people. As always, specificity, voice, and cultural relevance all matter most in telling your story. Introduce yourself cleverly the way you might at a party when trying to get someone interested in you.

This introductory post must also contain ONLY ONE of the following three options:
- a well-composed, original and visually interesting photograph that you took relating to your blog's theme
- a well-produced 10- to 30-second podcast advertising your blog.
- a well-produced 10- to 30-second video advertising your blog.

2) A short article about a contemporary news article similar in structure to the last blogging assignment
- Include a dominant visual element and a link to the news article.
- Quickly summarize the news story, indicate why it matters to you, and why it should matter to other people.
- Keep your paragraphs short and try to do it in 150-300 words.

3) Your third post must be one of the following:
- a quickie (either a Caption This! a famous quotation, a viral video, a caption this, an advice column, a game, or whatever you like). Be sure to include a brief sentence or two on this feature and its purpose or relation to your blog. Or…
- a short news summary of the 1-2 punch variety. That is, first you summarize the story in one sentence or two (remembering to link to the material), then provide some very brief witty comment, quip, or assessment of the story.

PLEASE DO NOT POST MORE THAN THESE THREE ITEMS, as I would like all students to be on an equal playing field for judging.

When you are done, post the link on your group's blog, e-mail me the URL and you are done! Deadline is Tuesday at 4pm and you can begin work whenever you please.

Though I will grade your finals independently, a 3-person panel will choose the best blog of the class. First place will receive a 1st Generation 8GB iPod Touch (slightly used and scuffed but otherwise fully functional). I am currently looking into prizes for 2nd and 3rd place and will announce them soon.