academic vs non academic blogs

We live in a world of impact and engagement. Academics are encouraged to embrace social media and communicate in new and different ways to broader audiences. More academics should be getting acquainted with Word Press or Blogger, or Tumbler. The world needs to know what’s happening within the academy. If the world is going to grasp what’s happening then our writing needs to be digestible. 

Blogs provide an excellent forum, when used well, for informal writing and feedback from peers and teachers. There has been an increasing number of professional using blogs to share specialised news and ideas that they want to share. However more and more students and young people are turning to blogs in order to describe and share there feelings about certain issues or topics.

The problem which arises when thinking of using blogs as a tool of research or for conveying emotions, feelings or suggestions is the problem with ethics. Ethics are often a topic that is hard but essential to try and use when looking at research or even looking at other peoples blogs. Blogs often contain personal and private information that has only been given to one person or sight by consent, however when looking on the internet and finding such work to either cite or use within work often opens up a can of worms. Should it be used? and does it break any Ethical codes of practices?.

Some people would argue that if It is visible for all to see then it should be used, otherwise it wouldn't be out there on the web and once it is placed on there the act of consent has already been undertaken, however sometimes this arises the problem of if someone has written something at a time of distress,being under the influence of alcohol, or if someone has put it on about someone else as a joke or a form of bullying. Once it is written and put on to a site it is extremely hard to remove it.

Others would argue that although it can be seen by a wide variety of society, when thinking of using it within your work without asking permission it could be construed that your are not using correct ethics and should seek permission form the original resource. This would however would use up a lot of your time when you could find other ways of getting similar information which you are looking for or wanting to use.

Ethics are a big part of our lives no matter whether its from using information for an essays, to writing a blog or conducting research these should always be respected and correctly used. Some ethical issues raise more questions than others and are needed with more emotional and very sensitive matters such as researching abuse.