Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content. 

Getting Started

So, what do you call it when a scholarly approach is used for a popular genre blog? Well, for better or worse, this author calls it Pop-Scholar. I am not sure if that is already a word or a new-fangled word you are reading here for the first time. No matter, you likely catch my drift. Or, maybe not, so I should probably explain what is meant by pop-scholar blog. And even better, provide a few examples.

The DeVoe Report Digest was established a few years ago to provide a current, relevant, and faith-integrated voice in the business and higher education communities. The popular blogs with a scholarly twist to them were written by full-time faculty, adjunct faculty, administrative faculty and administrators, and guest authors. Although not peer reviewed, they were edited and scrutinized prior to publication. The DeVoe Report Digest also served as a supplier of rich content wherein select blogs were upcycled into articles for The DeVoe Report, a journal publication no longer being actively published. Possibly, one day, both will once again be entering into circulation.

In this assignment, you will write a popular blog for ‘publication’ with The DeVoe Report Digest. The specific focus of the writing should be one that will support the unique research requirements of your applied doctoral project.

Upon successful completion of this assignment, you will be able to:

• Demonstrate the ability to write for industry and practitioner journals and websites.

Background Information

Who cares about writing anymore? In a time-challenged world dominated by short and snappy, by click-bait headlines and Twitter streams and Instagram feeds and gifs and video and Snapchat and YOLO and LOL and #tbt…does the idea of focusing on writing seem pedantic and ordinary?

Actually, writing matters more now, not less. Our online words are our emissaries…

Our writing can make us look smart or it can make us look stupid. It can make us seem fun, or warm, or competent, or trustworthy. But it can also make us seem humdrum or discombobulated or flat-out boring. That’s true whether you’re writing a listicle or the words on a SlideShare deck or the words you’re reading right now…

So, you’ve got to choose your words well—and write with economy and style and honest empathy… Being able to communicate well in writing isn’t just nice; it’s necessary. (Handley, 2014, Inside Cover Jacket, para. 1–3, 4, 5)

This writing exercise further introduces you to the text written by Ann Handley (2014), titled Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content. As Nancy Duarte says about the book, “Be prepared to be delighted and to write better!” (as cited in Handley, 2014, Foreward).

Words are indeed our emissaries and ambassadors, carrying important messages for us. ‘Words are a proxy . . . a stand-in for the things that we people and we as companies want to convey to the world,’ Beth Dunn says. (as cited in Handley, 2014, p. 3)

So, the question becomes: Are you telling your story from your unique perspective, with a voice and style that’s clearly all you?

For businesses, good writing isn’t merely any tool. It’s the power tool they should be able to wield expertly, just as every respectable building contractor can use the Skilsaw he keeps in his truck.

Words matter. Your words (what you say) and style (how you say it) are the most cherished (and yet undervalued) assets. (Handley, 2014, pp. 3–4; italics added for emphasis)

Are you ready to EXPRESS YOURSELF in blogging words? This brief writing exercise provides you with a practical opportunity to advance your wordsmithing and writing style skills. Oh, and did we mention advancing APA 7e formatting skills, too?

Enjoy the exercise. Fully engage. A blog provides a wonderful platform for your writing voice—and the stage is all yours.

Instructions

1. Review the rubric to make sure you understand the criteria for earning your grade.
2. Access and review How to Write a Successful Blog Post(new tab).
3. Read chapters 15–20 and 73 (pp. 56–71 and 254–256) in Everybody Writes.
4. Access and review some of the articles contained in The DeVoe Report(PDF document) archive, a journal formerly published by the DeVoe School of Business to become more familiar with the journal. A total of five journal issues were released before ceasing publication:
   1. Spring/Summer 2017(PDF document)
   2. Fall/Winter 2017(PDF document)
   3. Spring/Summer 2018(PDF document)
   4. Fall/Winter 2018(PDF document)
   5. Spring/Summer 2019(PDF document)
5. Access and review The DeVoe Report Digest(new tab) website.
   1. Click on a few blogs to gain familiarity with the website and the blog content, formatting, tone, and style in anticipation of writing a blog for this assignment.
   2. Important Note: Keep in mind that the blog you write for this assignment will be used in a later workshop when writing an article suitable for publication in The DeVoe Report. (The journal is not currently being published, however.)
6. Download the DeVoe Report Digest blogs and link to The DeVoe Report journal articles listed below, and study how each blog was turned into a corresponding article for publication.
   1. Blog: Corporate Social Responsibility Comes Home(PDF document) by D. Kendall
   2. Article: Corporate Social Responsibility Turns Inward by D. Kendall, Fall/Winter 2017(PDF document), pp. 50–53
   3. Blog: Are You Set for Your Next Batch of Leaders?(PDF document) by M. Chase
   4. Article: How are You Set for Your Next Batch of Leaders? by M. Chase, Spring/Summer 2017(PDF document), pp. 41–42
   5. Blog: Influencing Managers in Higher-Level Positions to Avoid Discriminatory Comments(PDF document) by D. Philpott
   6. Article: Something Different is Needed: Influencing Managers to Avoid Discriminatory Practices, by D Philpott, Spring/Summer 2017(PDF document), pp. 24–27
7. An additional blog is shared in support of the Background information on the topic of ‘words’ but also to show a distinction of tone and style when comparing it to those listed above.
   1. Download the blog titled Eat These Words(PDF document) by D. Philpott.
   2. Notably, the above blogs are more scholarly when imagining a continuum ranging from more popular blog writing (appealing to the general public) to more scholarly blog writing:

      Popular Blog Writing  ———– Scholarly Blog Writing

8. Develop and or revise an author tagline for use in your written publications.
9. Complete the written assignment per the following prompts:
   1. The blog topic selection ideally will support your ADP research focus.
   2. Write the blog in keeping with the general rules identified in How to Write a Successful Blog Post.
   3. The body of the blog should be 600–650 words in length.
   4. Format the blog similar to the examples provided while noting that best practices for blogging are always encouraged.
   5. Research how to write catchy headlines and blog titles that capture readers’ attention and draft a working title.
   6. Include a well-developed author tag line. Inclusion of a photo is optional.
10. Use single line space with double-spacing between paragraphs and graphics. Format per APA for all else.
11. Edit, edit, edit using Word spelling and Grammar checker, Grammarly, and other helpful means.
12. Submit your assignment as a Word document by the end of the workshop.