Complete 3 pages APA formatted article: Blogosphere. Your Main Characteristics, Features, and Uses of the Blogs Defining the Blogs The term blog is derived from the contraction of two words: Web and log. The idea of blog has been considerably developed when a website used the term “blog” in 1997.Right from its inception, primary idea of blog being some sort of a log which is maintained on web, is alive. The word log came from nautical navigation where it is used to refer chronological record of events during journey. Implicit transfer of navigational metaphor to the Web is evident from the use of expression, ‘navigating the Web” during nineties (Rettberg 18) and surfing the web in recent times. This paper briefly explores the main characteristics, features, and uses of blogs. 2. Common Features of Blogs There are several features of blogs which are common among them all. 2.1. Chronological Order of Entries One of the primary features of the blogs is main content area and post or entries listed in a chronological order with most recent appearing on the top. The posts are often classified in distinct categories in order to make it easier for readers to access the information based on their interests (Stock 3). 2.2. Archives Section Most of the blogs maintain an archive section based on specific topics of interests or for older entries. Organized by topic, these entries can be located by the readers according to their interested (Stock 4). 2.3. Blog Roll Another common feature is the links provided to other related blogs or the blogs that catch blogger’s attention, called blogroll (Stock 4).These links are shared in order to facilitate the reader with relevant material and for developing a blogging network. 2.4. Comment Section The most common and sought after feature of a blog is comment section. It provides readers a chance to give their opinion, discuss, or comment about the post they have just read(Stock 4).On the other hand, blogger gets the readers’ view point and feedback about their writing, point of view, or idea. 2.5. Feeds The most important feature of blog is syndication that implies that readers can subscribe to blog posts through RSS feed (Manning and Johnson ch.11).Bloggers often provides one or more “feeds”, such as, RSS, Atom, and RDF files. These feeds inform the active reader (subscriber) when the respective blog is updated. Feeds keep the readers free from the hassle of remembering and coming back to check the site of their interest for updates. Experts consider this feature to be the future modifications of blogging. The level of customization and personalization is going to be the defining future trend (Stock 4).Other features include, search tool, permalinks, trackback function, and blog support(Kim et al. 409). 3. Major Characteristics of Blogs Some of the major characteristics of blogs which distinguish them from other websites are: 3.1. Interactive nature Interactive nature of blog fed by discussion, opinion, and comments are the soul of blogging. It keeps the community of similar interests connected. Comments distinguish the blogs from other website and create a vibrant online community that works on attracting new patrons and encouraging more frequent visits simultaneously (Stock 4-5). 3.3. Network Through blogs, a closely knitted network of like-minded bloggers and readers is created which leads to professional enhancement of bloggers and extensive learning for readers. 3.4. Navigation (to other sites) Blogroll, hyperlinks, and guest posts enable the reader to dig deeper by navigating to other blogs,ideas, and relevant material. 3.5. Updated Unlike most of the websites which fairly static and outdated in most of the cases, blogs are frequently updated and keeps the readers connected. A productive blog is updated frequently, or in most of the cases daily. Therefore, when a patron visits a blog or receives feed, he expects something fresh. The idea behind frequent updates is reinforcement of frequent visits to the blog. If a reader visits a blog twice or thrice and fails to find new content, he is not likely to return in most of the cases. Nearly all the successful bloggers allow the readers to comment. In this way, readers must find something new in comments, if not in content itself. It is called the theory of intermittent reinforcement. When visitors find something new every time they visit the blog then they are rewarded for their efforts, therefore, it is highly likely that they will return in future (Stock 4-5). 3.6. Style and Language Blogs are identified by their unique and personal voice with the glimpses of the personality behind the blog, author. Unlike other websites, blogs are everyday interactions of readers and authors and therefore, they tend to have a personal flavor (Stock 5). 3.7. Widespread Distribution Blogs are far more widely distributed. Throughout the world, people from different backgrounds and specialties are involved in blogging. It leads to a diverse and high amount of traffic as compared to other websites. Comments, discussions, and updated content are the main reasons which lead to increased traffic (Stock 5). 4. Uses of Blogs Blogs are used to cater the topics that interests the bloggers (Gill).There is a diverse variety and styles of blogs which use blogging differently. It ranges from personal diaries to online journals, de facto news sites, learning, information, corporate, knowledge bases, community support, and sports (Burns and Jacobs 93).User intention of blogging may vary from social networking, public sharing of ideas, personal satisfaction, business, or inter-group distinctions (Kim et al. 409).Simply put, there are as many uses of the blog as there are people and their interests. Works Cited Bruns, Axel, and Jacobs, Joanne.Introduction.Uses of Blogs. By Bruns, Axel, & Jacobs, Joanne.New York: Peter Lang Publishing, Inc., 2006-2007.1-8.Print. Gill, E.Kathy. “How Can We Measure the Influence of Blogoshpere?”Department of Communication, University of Washington, (WWW2004).PDF files. Rettberg, J.Walker.Blogging: Digital Media and Society Series.UK: Polity Press, 2008.Print. Stock, J.Mark.The School Administrator’s guide to blogging: A New Way to Continue with the Community.UK: Rowma & Littlefield Educaation, 2009.Print. Kim, Namjoong, et al., “User-Specific Service Generation: A Morphological Approach to Customized Blog Creation.”Usability and Internalization: Global and Local User Interface.Ed.Nuray Aykin.New York: Springer, 2007.407-416.Print. Manning, Susan, and Johnson, Kevin.The Technology Toolbelt for Teaching. A Francisco: John Wiley & Sons, 2011.Print.
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