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Blogger have done their best to make the process of creating a web log as easy to follow as possible.

Once you've made your way through the login, name and title process you'll find yourself at the Posting tab where you can add content and Publish. It is recommended, though, that you take a few moments first to make a few adjustments to what goes on behind the scenes.

Settings

You will need to adjust the default settings to UK times and date formats. The Archive Index is the list of contents that will appear on your blog, enabling people to access particular items quickly. After you have built up more than the number indicated to be displayed, older items will be stored under time related headings, usually in months.

Site feed

This is where you can set the 'site feed' which provides the tools for your entries to be picked up by other web sites - such as the one suggested for the project. If you have long entries, likely if you are using the web log for notes / handout information, then you may prefer to set Description to Short. In most browsers, the description will be visible in a tooltip when someone mouses over the headline on a site. Depending on the options available on your web page where the feed appears, you can have the description appear under the heading on your site too.

Other blog tools

Most of the default settings can stay as they are. It is worth looking through each of the tabs to familiarise yourself with what can be changed. Blogger includes links to help files for many of the items.

Briefly, of the main tabs, you would only use Template to change the style of your pages (unless you are well-versed in making changes to the code that this tab reveals!) View Blog does what is says.

In the sub menu, Comments provides the facility to restrict who can add comments to your entries. Generally you should encourage students to add comments and you can always add your own too in response. In the rare event of abuse then there is an option to stop comments being displayed.

Email provides an option for you to be advised of comments on your entries (and you can also have a setting that enables you to approve them before they are published).

The members tab provides a facility for you to invite individuals to share the blog - they would then be able to add entries independently. This can be very useful for group work but, of course, you should be cautious about who is able to edit your entries and you may prefer to create another blog for such purpose - or better, suggest that students do this themselves and invite you!