Blog ass

Blog Post 1 (max 1,000 words)

In the first blog post (due by end of Unit 4) you should reflect on an experience or critical incident related to the management of an individual or a group, using Gibbs reflective cycle (1988). You should explain the management process that took place and contextualise the situation within the healthcare organisation. You should explain the organisational factors and wider context (for example, ethical or sustainability concerns) relevant to the situation.

Please remember that this is to be written as a blog post which is visible to all students. It is therefore paramount that you write in a sensitive and confidential manner. For example, do not use organisation or people’s names in your posts.

You may wish to signpost to resources which have been useful to you

How to structure your blog post
Most traditional academic writing follows a pyramid format, for example essays and journal articles. This means that a piece of text is structured around: an introduction that lays the scene and poses a problem or debate that needs answering; then gives details/evidence about the problem or debate, and expands on any arguments presented; and finally reaches some type of conclusion based on the debate, evidence and details given earlier. This often involves coming down on one side of a debate or argument.
Figure 1: Pyramid format
But when writing for an online audience, it is recommended that you adopt the inverted pyramid technique. When writing for an online audience, you should assume that your typical reader will not read your blog exhaustively – the most you can hope for is a quick reading of the first two paragraphs followed by a skim read of the remainder. So when writing in the inverted pyramid format, you start by boldly stating the main conclusion, often in the form of a short headline, which you then reinforce and expand in the opening paragraph.
This opening paragraph is followed by a brief explanation (often found in the second paragraph) that justifies your opening conclusion. After this, in the rest of the blog post, you give the supporting details that led to your opening statement. Any evidence to back up the main conclusion can also now be given. In other words, the blog article should move from the most important, through to less important and finally to the least important points.

Some tips on writing your blog
If you know that after the first two paragraphs your readers will be scanning vertically down your blog, then make it easy for them to notice things that will catch their eye:
• think carefully about how you start paragraphs and make the first few words count
• keep paragraphs short and use short sentences
• break text up by using subheadings, bullet points and still images. But remember, you are trying
to break text up and not completely replace it – if your article is mostly subheadings, bullet points and images then it will not be very appealing for someone reading it.
You should spend some time thinking about a catchy title for your blog post. It should be short and preferably fit on one line. The title should feed directly into your opening paragraph and it is a good idea to have a first sentence that is also short (you should be able to say it in one breath – typically 20–25 words at most).
Your whole blog article should be quite short. Being concise is good. Remember that you are expected to produce an article with a maximum limit of 1000 words.
Always avoid using jargon. Many academic disciplines use a lot of specialist vocabulary in order to be precise. But this use of language can slip into an overuse of jargon, which by its very nature is difficult for others to understand and can be elitist/exclusionary. When writing a blog, you should be aiming for as wide an audience as possible. Here is an example of a jargon-ridden phrase, which borders on the meaningless, and how it can be improved:
Before
High-quality learning environments are a necessary precondition for facilitation and enhancement of the ongoing learning process.
After
Children need good schools if they are to learn properly
This example was taken from the ‘Plain English Campaign’ website where you can find an online dictionary of plain English alternatives to annoying jargon