Write a Blog Post

Much like the content of blogs, which can vary, the length of a blog post will depend on both the blogger and the topic of discussion. However, because blog posts tend to be more conversational, many blog sites tend to publish shorter, more frequent posts.

For course blogs, a limited word count is usually provided, so be sure to check assignment instructions.

• There is no one correct way to construct a blog or blog post.
• Because the number of blogs and bloggers has rapidly increased since the early 2000s, bloggers are increasingly using online tools to make their posts stand out to readers and be easier to find on search engines.
• One example of such a tool is a headline analyzer. This particular tool allows bloggers to construct emotionally captivating headlines with optimal character length in an attempt to drive users to click on their blog.

A blog post may use informal writing instead of the traditional academic writing that is found in essays or reports. Be sure to check with your assignment guidelines for further clarification.

Informal writing doesn’t mean improper writing. It is simply a way of writing to connect with a reader in a more conversational tone.

Informal writing may include the following:

1. Use of the first person (I, me) in order to convey your own opinions and thoughts
2. Use of contractions (I’m, can’t, won’t) to make sentences more concise
3. Short and simple sentences to illustrate complex points
4. Figures of speech, exaggerations, or asides to get information or emotions across more quickly

Here is an example of a blog post that a student completed for a course:

Hi readers!

In grocery stores today, the organic food market is thriving. When I look in the produce section, I can clearly identify which products are labelled “organic” and which ones are not. But the most notable difference between these products is the price. The organic version of a product often looks identical to the conventional one beside it, so why is it so much more expensive? Well, according to my research on the evolution of organic food and consumer opinions, consumers may believe that organic food is healthier, and therefore better, than conventional food.

From an article written by Catherine Carstairs – a University of Guelph professor – I learned that the organic food craze started to really take off in the 1970s (2012).

People were starting to fear the relationship between cancer and certain processed foods. In particular, books written by Adelle Davis sparked the interest of almost everyone in America, from mothers to athletes. Davis, one of the most prominent nutritionists in the mid-20 century, introduces the concept of nutrition, including the importance of vitamins and minerals. The idea of supplements became popular as a convenient way to receive nutrients for those with “no time to cook” (Carstairs 2012). Although not all of her claims were true, consumers everywhere were convinced to change their diets to fit what Davis thought was healthy.

In response to this new literature, consumers became persuaded to follow certain health trends given the information they believed to be true. However, the 2002 USDA certification of organic products stresses the fact that organic doesn’t necessarily mean healthier (Guilabert and Wood 2012). Despite this claim, research has shown that one of the main reasons consumers purchase organic products is because they believe they have more nutritional value than their conventional counterparts. In fact, the only way a product can be certified as “organic” by the USDA is if it contains 95-100% ingredients grown according to certain USDA standards (Guilabert and Wood 2012). Many retailers understand that some individuals still consider organic to mean more nutritious or safer, and they have capitalized on the appeal of the organic food trend (Bezawada and Pauwels 2013). Product labelling as well as certification labels have been shown to stimulate consumer appeal, thus allowing the assumption that a higher price results in a higher quality product (Bezawada and Pauwels 2013).

Overall, I believe that the organic food industry is thriving, but perhaps for the wrong reasons. From reading the other discussion posts, I gather that there are benefits to eating organic foods such as the lack of pesticides and the humane treatment of cattle, although little is said about the actual nutritional content of these products. Perhaps more research ought to be carried out to determine if the benefits of eating organic outweigh the consequences.

Sources:

Bezawada, R. and Pauwels, K. (2013). What is special about marketing organic products? How organic assortment, price, and promotions drive retailer performance. Journal of marketing, 77, 31-51. http://journals.ama.org.subzero.lib.uoguelph.ca/doi/pdf/10.1509/jm.10.0229

Carstairs, Catherine. (2012). “Our sickness record is a national disgrace”: Adelle Davis, nutritional determinism, and the anxious 1970s. Journal of the history of medicine and allied sciences, 69(3), 461-491. Doi:10.1093/jhmas/jrs057