Blogs

Why a Blog

We're asking you to use a blog to document your plans, your accomplishments and your thoughts throughout this term for several reasons:

• It is cumulative and thus a fine record of what you've done and learned throughout the term - an electronic lab notebook
• Using it forces you to be visually organized, which tends to lead to clarity of thought
• It's readily shared with others - which we'll be asking you to do
• It, or tools like it, are highly likely to be important throughout your career.

Blog Requirements

• Use Google Blogger or an equivalent in which all team members can act as authors.
• Follow the naming conventions defined for the course as a whole (if they exist).
• Share one blog with the team authors
• Submit the URL of each blog post (NOT the overall blog URL) to the relevant assignment in VistaBB by the due date
• Sign each blog entry so we know who is responsible for it - put all three names for team posts.
• Use Labels for each post so it's easy to find them
  • Create a label for each team member
  • Create a label for "Assignment"

Blog Contents

Each week's blog post will have several components. Each will be graded. They are:

1. Individual weekly blog Post for accomplishments and planning document addressing the following each week
   1. What you did in the prior week
   2. What you and your teammates have agreed you'll do in the coming week
   3. Major accomplishments of the week for the team
   4. Issues that the team or you as an individual faces
   5. Individual response to the blog question of the week (see below for the questions)
2. Individual Blog Page for Individual Assignments
   1. You may need to attach files to the blog via a link, but ideally you'll be able to use images (screen captures often are fine)
3. Team Blog Page for Team Projects
   1. Like the individual Assignment posts, but one per team

Weekly Blog Questions

The following are the questions that we're asking you to individually address for each week. We'll note any changes via an official blog post. We expect each post to be at least 200 words.

Week DUE	Topic	Details and Comment
2	Teamwork	Read Prof. Mitchell's site on Teamwork. Discuss it with your teammates. Identify the issues that you think you'll face through the term and how you'll face them.
3	Research Questions	Mr. Jay Bhatt, our research librarian will visit us in class this week. Prepare at least three questions for Mr. Bhatt that are specific to bridges for which you think he may provide assistance finding useful resources.
4	WPBD	You've now used the West Point Bridge Designer for several weeks. Address the question of how realistic you think it is (or is not) in terms of what's necessary to design a real bridge. Hint: the program help file has some very good material.
5	WPBD vs. Knex	You're now transitioning from using WPBD to designing for a "real" bridge using Knex. Write about what you think are the similarities and differences between the products of these designs.
6	Knex Process	After working with Knex for a week reread your entry of last week and state how your views of the similarities and differences have changed - if at all. If they haven't changed address the question of what you think would be the difference between working with Knex and designing a "real" bridge made of steel spanning 20'
7	Analysis Desires	Up to now the software you've used (WPBD) has provided "block box" answers, but you haven't really had any numbers associated with the Knex project. What numbers would you like to know for your Knex designs? If you have ideas about how to calculate them please give them.
8	Analysis Process	You have now experienced one form of analysis. Address the following questions about it considering your Knex bridge: Is that method of analysis sufficient for a real bridge? If not, why not? What further would you like to analyze and what knowledge or tools might assist you?
9	Bridge Process	You've now almost completed the bridge design process for the term. What have you learned about bridge design specifically.
10	Term Review	You've now completed a term focused on the design of large objects. Look back over the course (our section) goals and your posts for the term and identify the following: Did you learn something worthwhile about each of the topics identified in the course goals? What was least beneficial for you? We won't reduce your grade if you're critical, but remember this is a public page so avoid criticizing any individual by name. What was most beneficial for you? Make any suggestions you think would help us improve the this section's operation next time.

Grading Criteria for Each Blog Post

Criteria	Points	Comment
Grammar & Spelling	1
Overall Completeness & Quality	1
Weekly Plan & Accomplishments	2
Response to Weekly Question	2
Total	6