- Due Sunday by 23:59
- Points 100
- Submitting a website url
Assessment Task 3: Digital Marketing BlogType: Series of written blogs Weighting: 40% Length: 300-400 per blog post (+/- 10%) Due date: Submit the URL to your blog homepage here before the end of week 3. Individual Blog posts are due Sundays at 23:59 (midnight) in weeks 1-6 & 8-10. "Peer Enrichments" are due the following Sunday. E.g., the blog post for Week 2 is due on Sunday, Week 1, and "Peer Enrichments" on these posts is due on Sunday, Week 2. You can choose which weeks/topics to write your posts on. Blog posts start from Week 2 and run until Week 11 (the last post is due at the end of Week 10). Individual posts must be written BEFORE Sunday at midnight on the incoming topic for the week in question. If blog posts are not submitted on time, late penalties will apply. We cannot give extensions on individual blog posts or "Peer Enrichments". If you miss the Sunday night deadline, continue with next week's topic. |
Overview |
You are required to write a series (minimum of 4) of blog posts based on the weekly topics and content throughout the semester. Your weekly blog posts must explicitly answer the blog topic for the week in question on the weekly modules.
You must also enrich the argument of your peers' blog posts by providing further resources. You will also promote your blog post through the weekly discussion boards on Canvas, allowing others to enrich your posts.
The purpose of this assessment is to improve your critical thinking skills by discussing central theories and concepts related to digital marketing. You will also enhance your skills in engaging with and enriching the arguments of your peers. Blogging and content creation are essential components of digital marketing, and you have the opportunity to build a resource for yourself that directly improves your employability.
Assignment ThreeLinks to an external site.
Assessment Criteria (40%) |
- Theoretical understanding (30%) • Meaningful and relevant discussion of the readings in the course that demonstrates depth and understanding. (CLO 1, 3)
- Practical application (10%): • The course theories have been applied to a recent example or case—no more than a year old (CLO 1, 2)
- Source transparency (15%) • Careful evaluation of the trustworthiness of sources used. • Explicitly acknowledging sources used in the text. (CLO 5)
- Professional Standard (15%) • Navigability of website. • The visual appeal of work. • Appropriate use of hyperlinks (CLO 1, 2, 3)
- Peer Enrichments (15%) • Timeliness. • Enriching learning through high-quality and relevant additional examples and resources. • Meaningful evaluation of sources provided. (CLO 1, 2, 3)
- In-class discussion lead (15%) • Generate and lead a class discussion. (CLO 1, 2, 3)
Assessment details |
This assessment requires you to write critically about Digital Marketing and provide peer feedback throughout the semester using a blog. You will blog at least four (4) times during the semester and enrich a post of your peers at least four times as well.
You are encouraged to use a publicly available blogging tool for this exercise. However, always remember that you should respect the rights of copyright owners while blogging publicly. We recommend WordPress.com because it is the most widely used platform. However, you are welcome to use any platform you like as long as you enable others to comment on your posts. Speak with the tutor if you are concerned about using a public blogging service.
Each contribution to your blog should be a well-considered and thought-provoking comment about a relevant aspect of Digital Marketing related to the respective workshop/seminar topics. The blogging topics are laid out in each weekly module, and your response must carefully consider these questions. You must use the course discussion board to share your blog post with your peers.
Excluding Weeks 1, 8, and 12, there are nine opportunities to write blog posts. You are welcome to write a maximum of nine blog posts; we will evaluate the best four for the assessment. However, multiple posts and/or rounds of enrichment on the same week/topic will not be assessed.
Need an example of a blog? Check out the Course coordinator's blog: MKTG1415 Digital Marketing @ RMIT University.Links to an external site.
Theoretical Understanding
In your post, you need to demonstrate theoretical understanding. This is done by showing depth in your discussion, as opposed to providing a bullet-point overview (breadth). You can only cover some things in 300-400 words. Quickly show you understand the whole, then go deep into a specific topic you want to amplify and explore.
Your weekly blog posts should have value-added perspectives, opinions and/or critiques that can engage with your audience. Here, we seek more advanced skills such as discussions, debates, critical evaluations, feedback, and commentary. Our colleagues at QUT outline how to write a critiqueLinks to an external site. on their website in simple terms.
Practical application
Each blog post must be applied to a recent case/example, showing that you can apply theory to practical examples. Finding (any) examples is easy; the internet is full of them. However, finding good and relevant examples is hard. We do not wish to dwell on outdated content. Please note that you will receive zero marks for examples that are more than one year old (e.g. Ice Bucket Challenge to illustrate viral marketing).
Source transparency
Given how readily available all sorts of information is on the internet, it is paramount that you consider the strength of the sources you use. You must explicitly acknowledge in the text the sources you use - trying to sway your audience that your content is believable by telling them where your sources are from. To be transparent, you need to answer four central questions about your sources: WHAT do I need the source for (e.g., provide authority/credibility, make factual claims, illustrate something, give an example?), WHERE is it published (journal article, book, website, blog, newspaper?); WHO am I citing (e.g., industry expert, academic researcher, a business, journalist?); WHEN was the source published (for your central example/case, the source must be less than one year old, for other older sources; are they still relevant? If there is no publication date, why is it appropriate to use?).
To be fully transparent, you must answer all these questions in the text. As a rule of thumb, you are not being completely transparent if the reader must click on the hyperlink you provide to understand the WHAT, WHERE, WHO and WHEN of the sources you use.
Finally, for each of your answers to these questions, you also need to ask yourself WHY this is a good answer. That’s why it’s called "source evaluation" and not "source description". The point is to demonstrate that you know how to find and use good sources and distinguish them from bad ones.
Professional Standard
Your blog needs to look professional. Keep in mind that you are building a valuable resource for yourself. Many past students have secured employment by promoting their blogs to future employers. After setting up the page, clean the template and leave only the information you use and find helpful. If you are new to this, watch a few YouTube videos about how to set up a blog on your chosen platform. The most important thing is that your blog can easily be navigated. You need menus so readers can easily access all your blog posts. Look at the course coordinator's blog as an example of a straightforward functional design.
Hyperlinks must be used appropriately. Firstly, they should be embedded in the text and never listed in a reference list at the end. Second, the source must open in a new tab to avoid directing your reader away from your site. The example below is an excerpt from one of the course coordinators' blog posts. It has embedded hyperlinks that open in a new tab, and the WHAT, WHERE, WHO and WHEN of the sources are acknowledged in the text:
"Jaron LanierLinks to an external site., one of Silicon Valley's sharpest critics, has long been an outspoken voice against digital marketers [WHAT: provide authority/credibility & WHO: industry expert]. In his recent book, Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right NowLinks to an external site. ..."[WHERE: a book & WHEN: recent*]. * I concur that it would have been more precise to write "in his 2018 book" rather than "recent."
Peer Enrichments
Enrichment of your peer's blog posts is about providing additional resources that add to what other students wrote about in their blog posts. After reading a blog post from one of your peers, your task is to find additional theories and/or examples to enhance their learning. You must explicitly state what you provide and how it fits their post. Cases or examples must be at most one year old. Older examples (e.g. Ice Bucket Challenge to illustrate viral marketing) will receive zero marks. Here as well, follow the WHAT, WHERE, WHO and WHEN approach to the sources you provide.
Enrichment of your peer's blog posts must be completed during the semester (due on Sundays), not in bulk at the end. This will allow all students to receive further resources from peers to improve their blog posts throughout the semester.
In-class discussion lead
You need to nominate a week to lead a discussion around one of your blog posts in class. This activity aims to generate a discussion around your post. It is not a presentation (monologue) but an interactive conversation (dialogue). Each student must lead the discussion once during the semester. If you are exceptionally engaged or choose to discuss your post in week two, you may lead more than once (your best mark will count).
Each week, up to four students can nominate themselves to discuss their blog posts, so nominate early to secure your preferred week. To nominate, ask your tutor in class. Your tutor will provide a list each week for sign-ups.
Method |
Step 1: Nominate a week you would like to share your blog post orally in class for peer discussion in class.
Step 2: Review learning resources on how to write a blog
Step 3: Create your blog page (on WordPress or equivalent)
Step 4: Submit the main blog page URL on Canvas under the assessment submission. (You only do this once, not weekly)
Step 5: Attend class, watch the lecture video, and review the learning material.
Step 6: Do further research on the topic, write your first blog post as a Word document, and submit it to Turnitin via Canvas submission
Step 7: Upload your post to your blog page and go live!
Step 8: Share your URL and promote your blog post on the Discussions Board of the Week.
Step 9: Using the Discussion board, read the blog from one of your peers and enrich their argument by providing additional resources. Save a screenshot of your enrichment comment. You must include a timestamp of when this was captured.
Step 10: Complete the source evaluation table for the sources you provided to your peer.
Step 11: Repeat steps 5-10 a minimum of 4 times, totalling four (4) blog posts and four (4) peer enrichments throughout the semester.
Step 12: After completing the blogging assignment (end of week 11), paste all your enrichment screenshots (Step 9) and source evaluation tables (Step 10) into the template, save it as a PDF and submit via Canvas.
Submission format |
This assessment requires you to submit the following elements electronically in Canvas.
URL Link to your blog page
You must provide a link (URL) to your main blog page via the submission link here. Submit the URL by the end of Week Two to earn the Champion of Deadlines badge. If you do not submit during the semester, or provide a faulty link that prevents us from accessing your blog for marking at the end of the semester, a 10% penalty will be applied. This penalty will only be applied if we have to contact you directly via email to resolve the issue. A common error is submitting your personal login URL instead of the blog URL. Please check your URL (e.g., by sending it to a friend) before submitting it.
NOTE: Once a URL is generated, it does not change - even though the page content changes. As such, you should submit the URL as soon as you set up your blogging page.
Format: Preferably WordPress (or another blogging platform)
Due Date: End of Week 3
Individual blog posts
You must submit a minimum of four (4) blog posts. Submit through Turnitin via Canvas under your chosen weekly topic located under Assignments (post your blog post URL to the Discussion board for feedback).
Length: Each blog post should be 300-400 words.
Format: Word documents with the entire text for individual posts.
Due date: You can choose which weeks/topics to write your posts in. Blog posts start in Week 2 and end in Week 11. Individual posts must be written BEFORE Sunday at midnight on the topic for the week in question.
If blog posts are not submitted on time, late penalties will apply. We cannot give extensions on individual blog posts or feedback. If you miss the Sunday night deadline, continue with next week's topic.
Peer Enrichments
You must submit a minimum of four (4) peer enrichments. Navigate to the "Copy of all your Peer Enrichments" page to find the template you must use to add your screenshots. The template also asks you to complete a source evaluation table (WHAT, WHERE, WHO and WHEN). Complete this table for each source you've provided to your peers (NOTE: source evaluation tables go in your final submission; you don't have to include the tables in the enrichments you write on your peer's blog posts).
Length: Each enrichment should be 100-200 words (the source evaluation table accompanying each enrichment comes in addition to this)
Format: A PDF document with feedback screenshots and source evaluation tables.
Due date: One week after the last blog post (Sunday, Week 11). The screenshots must include date stamps as evidence.
In-class discussion lead
Nominate the week you wish to lead the discussion by adding your name to the list your tutor will distribute in class. You need to outline what you wrote your post about very briefly and then ask the class insightful questions that will stimulate debate around the course content and the example you used.
Length: Aim to lead the discussion for around 5 minutes. Each discussion can last for a maximum of 10 minutes.
Format: No 'digital crutches' should be used for this activity. Tutors will ask for devices to be put away, so we can engage in a non-screen-mediated conversation. The preferred format for this discussion is to move all chairs into a circle. However, we have to move to sitting on the floor if anyone brings a campfire, drums, or yoga mats for all. Asana.
Due date: Once (or twice) during the semester in weeks 2-7 & 9-11.
Feedback Mode |
Your tutors will provide general blog feedback (and feedback on feedback) in class.
We may also use some of your posts as examples/discussion points for workshop activities.
Your instructors will provide the final assessment feedback on Canvas at the end of the semester using the blog marking rubric.
Referencing Guidelines |
In this format, you should not use in-text citations and a reference list at the end of your blog post. Instead, use embedded hyperlinks. Check the course coordinators' blogLinks to an external site. for an example of how to use embedded hyperlinks as references purposefully. Please check the marking rubric under 'Professional Standard'. Ask your tutor if you need further advice about how to reference.
Academic Integrity, Plagiarism, Turnitin Similarity Index, & use of AI |
Academic integrity is about the honest presentation of your academic work. It means acknowledging the work of others while developing your own insights, knowledge and ideas.
You should take extreme care that you have:
- Acknowledged words, data, diagrams, models, frameworks and/or ideas of others you have quoted (i.e. directly copied), summarised, paraphrased, discussed or mentioned in your assessment through the appropriate referencing methods
- Provide hyperlinked references to the publication details so your reader can locate the source by clicking on it. This includes material taken from Internet sites.
If you do not acknowledge the sources of your material, you may be accused of plagiarism because you have passed off the work and ideas of another person without appropriate referencing, as if they were your own.
RMIT University treats plagiarism as a grave offence constituting misconduct.
Plagiarism covers a variety of inappropriate behaviours, including:
- Failure to properly document a source
- Copyright material from the internet or databases
- Collusion between students
Turnitin Similarity Index
To be clear, let's not confuse plagiarism with the Turnitin Similarity Index. The former is described above, while the latter is a computer algorithm that quantifies how similar your work is to other pieces of writing, highlighting any areas in your paper that match outside sources. The index score can be used to detect plagiarism. It is a tool for staff and students to ensure ideas are presented honestly, with proper attribution to the sources used.
We need all students to submit the text of their individual blog posts through Turnitin. Otherwise, actual plagiarism can run rampant. You should submit your post via Turnitin before going live on your blog. However, Turnitin sometimes still 'discover' your post at a later stage and adjust the similarity index. Please do not freak out over a high similarity index from your own blog post online. You should not worry about the similarity index unless you have plagiarised someone else’s work (as described above). It is easy for us to exclude a source and then look at whether someone else’s work, apart from your own blog, has been used.
The purpose of individual blog post submissions via Canvas/Turnitin is twofold:
- Make sure plagiarism does not occur.
- Make sure posts are submitted on time so that other students can read/comment and learn from each other throughout the semester.
Use of AI
You can use AI tools like Val (RMIT's GenAI Chatbot)Links to an external site., ChatGPT, Midjourney and GrammarlyGO as study aids to supplement your learning. For example, you may ask questions to an AI tool to help clarify your reading interpretation or to help confirm your understanding of a topic, noting, however, that AI responses can be outdated, biased, incorrect, or not to be relied upon.
Any ideas or outputs generated by AI must be referenced accurately in your academic work; otherwise, it is considered plagiarism. For your blog, you must explicitly state any AI prompt you used at the end of each blog post.
Example: On the 26th of June, 2023, I used the May 24 version of OpenAI's ChatGPT to perform background research by using the following prompt: "Explain the difference between deep learning and machine learning"
See the Library's AI referencing guideLinks to an external site. for specific AI referencing information.
You should always think critically about any content provided to you, whether from an AI tool or other sources. It’s important to remember that you should always verify the content provided by AI tools. You are advised to conduct further research beyond simply asking questions of an AI tool, generating computer code, or creating images and consult with your course materials, library resources, or educator if you don't understand something or require further assistance.
To illustrate, I cheated on the blogging assignment and produced this postLinks to an external site., which was entirely generated by AI. This post will—at best—get zero marks for Theoretical understanding, Practical application, and Source transparency. Despite listing the prompts that were used, submissions such as this are likely to be reported for potential breaches of student conduct/academic integrity policies. We will discuss this post in class at the start of the semester.
Please refer to the University websiteLinks to an external site. for further information on our policies and procedures.Links to an external site.