I am scurrying to compose a paper to present for the 2013 Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature’s “Blogging and Online Publication” section. I have discussed my paper idea with Robert Cargill and James McGrath (current and soon chairing members of this section), and both are favorable to it, but since I have not presented at a national meeting I have to have a completed version ready to submit at the deadline. My paper will discuss the pros and cons of blogging as a student (thankfully, something that can be written from experience as much as research). Today I will lists the “pros” I have included. I’d appreciate your thoughts on the ones I’ve listed or recommendations to any pros I may have overlooked. (Tomorrow I will do the same for cons.)

Pros:

- Broadened Learning Circles (i.e., a student can interact with students and faculty outside the confines of the institution where the student studies)

- Networking

- Feedback (i.e., people can find proof-readers or conversation partners online to inform, support, or challenge ideas that may have gone into one’s paper unrefined)

- The Discipline of Writing (i.e., good writers write frequently, and blogging motivates a student to write something even when papers aren’t due)

- Educating Religious Communities (e.g., a blogger may be concerned with the education of people in their local church or synagogue, as well as other people who share their religious tradition, who do not have access to the latest journals or books, but who through bloggers can stay connected to the academy)