Editing UW COM 481 For Writing Credit (section)

==Schedule==

=== March 28 (Thursday): Motivation (Part I), Yelp ===
'''Before class''', turn in a written version of your responses to the questions in the reading note. Single sentence responses are okay (ungraded).

=== Apr 2 (Tuesday): Motivation (Part II), Twitch ===
'''Before class''', turn in a written version of your responses to the questions in the reading note. Single sentence responses are okay (ungraded).

=== Apr 4 (Thursday): Commitment (Part I), Reddit ===

'''Before class''', turn in a written version of your responses to the questions in the reading note. Single sentence responses are okay (ungraded).

=== Apr 9 (Tuesday): Commitment (Part II), Twitter/X, Mastodon, Bluesky ===

'''Before class''', turn in a written version of your responses to the questions in the reading note. Single sentence responses are okay (ungraded).

=== Apr 11 (Thursday): Norms and Regulations (Part I), Reddit ===

For your next set of writing assignments, you'll be applying the theories we learn in class as well as the ones we've covered so far in a business setting (feedback). 

Here's the scenario:

You are the newly hired online communities expert for the manufacturer of a new form of insulin pump, with a dual reporting line to end-user support and marketing. Your supervisory team wants you to get started with a series of preliminary reports to understand the current landscape, and they'd like you to start with Reddit. Get started by searching for insulin pump on Reddit and clicking into a few applicable communities. How do people in diabetes communities talk about insulin pumps? Do you notice any norms for medical device discussion groups? Include both descriptive and injunctive norms in your assessment.

I am thinking this will be on the order of 2-3 paragraphs; please send before class (feedback).

=== Apr 16 Norms and Regulations (Part II) ===

Here's the scenario: 

You're doing so well as the online communities expert thinking about external communities, the insulin pump company wants your help with their internal customer forums as well. This sounds exciting, except they haven't set up much in the way of rules for the forums, and they're a mess! What kinds of problems do you think might happen in a 'no rules' customer forum for a medical device (i.e., what kind of a mess do you suppose you're walking into?)? What rules and processes would you recommend the manufacturer put in place (quickly!)?

I am thinking this will be on the order of 2-3 paragraphs; please send before class (feedback).

=== Apr 18: Break! ===

Your Wikipedia task 4 is due this week (peer review) -- no extra writing assignment is due. 

I'll give you some personal/extended feedback on your article and your review work.

=== Apr 23-25 Newcomers and Explosive Growth, Anonymity and Identifiability ===

For this week, choose one of our two themes (newcomers / explosive growth, anonymity and identifiability) and then apply that set of theories to advice you'd give as an online communities expert to your employer -- how should you prepare for explosive growth in the number of forum participants, or what should their policies be about anonymity / identity on the forums, and why?

2-3 paragraphs, before class