Paper 1: Blog/Webcomics

Session 1 Paper: Blog & Webcomic: Community Analysis
For this paper, you will be studying an online community as a foreigner.  Study all aspects of a digital community that you believe to be an audience for your chosen web comic or blog.  I will expect you to discuss how language is used between the community and your comic/blog.

In this paper you should include:
• Analysis of the visual aspects of the blog/comic
• Analysis of the language choices and content of the blog/comic
• Any additional analysis that you see as pertinent to a hypothesis of the readership/goals of the blog (Hint: use the "tools we've discussed in class!)
• A claim for why your community works as an audience for your blog/comic
• Analysis of the language choices and content that the community discusses
• Any other information you believe is necessary to discuss the above points

The paper should be four to five pages double spaced with 12 point Times New Roman font, and should have one inch margins.  I expect you to be able to make a claim about what kind of people are speaking in these communities (using markers such as age, profession, interest, etc.).   I also expect you to be able to make a claim about why these people would be interested in the blog/comic that you’ve chosen.  You will use not only our discussions in class, but your own curiosity and opinions to tie together the blog/comic and a community of potential readers.  For this paper I am less worried about you being absolutely correct, so don’t feel like you have to be absolutely certain of your claims.  I am more interested in your argument, your critical analysis and how you have gone about your research.

Remember: I am not interested in you passing judgment on what you don’t like about either the community or the comic/blog.  I simply want you to assess their ties.

This toolbox contains ideas for how you may think about your blog or comic. Keep in mind, what you choose to focus on in your paper has to be relevant to your ideas/claims/arguments.

You may consider:
Ethos/logos/pathos
Rhetorical situation

The topic or theme of your blog/comic
(Ideologies/philosophies informing blog/comic)
The genre of writing used
Organization of topic/theme
How often the site is updated
Ease of access to site
Continuity of blog/comic (or variety of blog/comic)
How the blog changes or evolves over time
Whether (and how) the writer involves himself in the blog/comic
Author's background

The colors used
Page Layout
Art style
Facial expressions/ emotions of characters

Comments made by audience ("wow this is cool" would be a poor comment, but if you find more interesting ones, they may be important for you!)
How much the community/audience participates
Interaction between writer and community
What the audience discusses, enjoys, dislikes, etc.

Grammar usage
Text font/format
Writing style
Complexity of language
Length of comic/text
Use of external media like links, pictures, and video
Use of humor/sarcasm
Use of emoticons or other non alphabetical text