On this page you will find explanations on how to use Blogger.com. The process for signing up with Blogger is very, very simple and self-explanatory so I will not go into that. I will cover the following:

+ The Dashboard
+ Making New Posts
+ Changing Settings
+ Changing Templates

     I recommend you bookmark www.blogger.com so you can access it easily. Also, here is a student blog from a previous ENGL 2117 class for you to look at.

This box has all of controls for your blog.

1. This is the name of your blog. If you click here, you will see a list of all the posts you have made.
2. To add a new posts, click on this green cross.
3. To change the title of your blog, add links, add a paragraph about you, and change the template... click this button.
4. This shows the date of your last post.
5. Blogger allows you to make as many blogs as you want. If you find you like your Children's Lit. blog and want to make a personal one, you can by pressing this button!

This box concerns your User Profile.

1. This is where you edit your profile.
2. If you need to change your password, go here.

Back to Blogger Help.

2. Now your screen should look like this:

3. Create a title for this post and type it in the Title blank.

4. Type your post in the big empty textblock.

5. Now lets look at toolbar above the textblock.

1. Use this drop-down menu to change the font to Arail, Courier, Times, and many others.
2. Use this drop-down meny to select the size of your font. You have five options: tiny, small, normal size, large, and huge!
3. Click this button when you want to bold something; click it a second time to stop bolding.
4. Click this button to italicize; click it a second time to stop italicizing.
5. Use this chart to change the color of your text. There are plenty of options available here: blue, green, yellow, gray...
6. Press this button when you want to insert a web address in your post.
7. These four buttons are for the alignment of your text.
8. These two buttons are for creating a dotted or numbered list.
9. Spellcheck... quite handy!
10. When you want to insert a picture into your post, press this button.
11. When you are all done typing your post, you can preview it here.

6. Underneath the textblock is a bar with short-cuts (for all those fast typers out there who do not like to stop, move the mouse to a button, click, and then return to typing.)

7. At the bottom of your screen is a gray box with a few more options. On the left: you can allow other people to comment on your post or not. On the right: you can adjust the time and date of the post.

8. And last of all... You can either save this post as a draft so you can come back later and finish it, or you can publish it to your blog for all your classmates and professor to see.

     Wasn't that simple? Now you are ready to "Go Where No Blogger Has Gone Before..."

Back to Blogger Help.

2. Your screen should now look like the following.

I recommend that you stay on this first page, Basic, and ignore the other options at the top. Those are for people with an advanced knowledge of webdesign.

3. The rest is self explantory. Experiment with the Basic page...change the blog title, add a description, etc. The important thing to remember is to have fun!

Back to Blogger Help.

2. Your screen should now look like the following.

3. At the very top of the screen there are four tabs, click on Template.

4. Your screen will change to this.

If there is text in the big white box, do not mess with it because that is all the HTML codes that make up your blog's "look". If you do not have a new or want a new look, at the top of the screen press [Pick New].

5. Now you select the template or "look" that you like best from those available. If you click on the images, you can view the template before you pick it. Once you have decided, press the button button underneath the template you like.

6. Your screen will change to this. You must press the button [Republish] button for the changes to be made on your blog!

     Now you know how to change the looks of your blog! Feel free to 'try on' quite a few different templates until you find the perfect one for your blog. Everyone is different, and your blog should reflect you.

Back to Blogger Help.