Resource: Teaching Students How NOT to Comment

Sunday, 27 December 2009 Clay Burell Print This Post

I was going to delete this spam, but upon reading it realized it could have been written by so many students new to commenting on blogs.

So students, if your comments sound like this, consider them an epic fail:

Easily, this article is really the most informative on this deserving topic. I agree with your conclusions and am eagerly look forward to your future updates. Just saying thanks will not just be enough, for the extraordinary clarity in your views and writing.

And thanks to the spammer for the inspiration. It’s a perfect example of how words can add nothing to a text.

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The entry 'Resource: Teaching Students How NOT to Comment' was posted on December 27th, 2009 at 9:39 pm and is filed under blogging, fluff and fun, lessons, social networking, teaching, writing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

2 Responses to “Resource: Teaching Students How NOT to Comment”

Derrick Kwa writes:
No. 1 — December 28th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
I think this is a great lesson, but I think it’s a useful lesson for more than just students, and about more than just blogs.

1) Lots of people make those kind of comments on blogs. Look around, there are tons of blind parroting of agreement with no additional value, by everyone, not just students. Lots of people could gain from learning not to do that.

2) Students should also learn not to do this in class. At least here in Singapore, I’ve seen lots of classroom “discussions” which seem to go that way. Blind agreement which adds nothing to the discussion.

Great point, definitely, but I think it’s much more applicable than you let on. .
.-= Derrick Kwa´s last blog ..What Are You Hiding? =-.

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Clay Burell writes:
No. 2 — December 28th, 2009 at 4:55 pm
Hi Derrick,

Fair points all. The post was a lark and a whim, and I’m glad you took it where you did. Gave it value.

I checked your blog, wondering if you were a student at SAS, where I’m teaching now, but seems that’s not the case. Too bad.

But fyi, I’m in Singapore now if you’re up for a meetup of any sort. I’d like a geeky group to play with film, audio, TED-type stuff, whatever, locally. Live in Chinatown, if you’re interested.

I’m trying to place you. Did you give me the comment feed plug-in a year or two ago? Or did you do the viral Top Twitter Users by Country post? How do I know you?

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