Nerdy Science Blog

Based on my observations, most successful blogs (in term of having large amount of traffic) have great contents. “Content is king” is an old saying. What kind of contents that actually drive a blog to the peak? I categorized them into four types of posts and two classes. The two classes are long-term and short-term traffic posts. “Case history” and “tutorial” types are belonged to long-term traffic class, whereas the “issue” and “news” types are the short-term class.

1. Case history.

A timeless post that can be read anytime by anyone (people still quote Aristotle today). Case history type of posts can be successful story of a person, or the discovery and invention of a product, the application of certain knowledge.

Example: the myth of two-headed snake

2. Tutorial posts.

Tutorial posts also known as how-to posts. These posts teach readers new skills or knowledge. They also help readers to perform something better and solve their problems. Readers tend to bookmark this kind of posts and share with their friends. They will turn to you when they are in need.

Examples: How To Perform Plate Streaking, How To Make A Bouncy Egg

3. Issue posts

Being controversial is one of the ways that popularizes a blog. Writing current hot topical and controversial issues can peak your traffic in a short time, but such traffic also go as fast as it came. You can also interact with readers by asking questions, such as “should evolution be taught in school?” This can bring out the conversation and makes readers stick to your blog.

Examples: The PCR Song, The Job Perspective of Forensic Science Graduates in Malaysia

4. News.

A quick update of news in your niche fields also help to bring visitors to your blog. These readers might not have time to read through every piece of news, but their life become easier with your help to filter the news.

Examples: Finding of ManPig, The Helmet That Makes You Smart

Good contents make your blog become a good blog, but you need to market your blog to convert it to a great blog.

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Many science students cannot accept science blogging (some not even give it a try for personal blogging), but there are a lot of benefits for a science student to write a blog. I had invited a lot of people to author in this blog, but I faced lots of rejections. The common excuses these people come up with are “bad language”, “not enough time”, “not a pro in science”, etc. Honestly, are those reasons matter? Here I list out the reasons why you should start science blogging.

1. You can improve your writing skills.

Language is learnt through practising. The more you write, the better your writing skill will be. Being poor in language is not an excuse not to start science blogging. Frankly, if you can’t even write a blog entry, how could you write science papers and reports? English is not the first language of most of the bloggers here, and we constantly making mistakes in our writings but we also improve our writings consistently.

2. Expanding your social circle.

Blogging is a tool you can use to connect yourself to another world. Maybe many scientists do not own a blog, but there are many who read blogs. Blog helps you in social networking. I met many people through blogging, and they are really helpful in term of helping me up in my assignments, answering my questions, introducing me jobs, etc. Besides, people I never know them before also contacted me via this blog. They corrected my mistakes, updating me with latest news and products, and also discussing things with me.

3. You read science news.

The cruel fact for most of the blogs is that if you don’t update your blog, you will lose your readers eventually. In order to update blogs, you need to find materials to write. One of the easiest things to write is updating your readers with latest science news. Having a blog allows you to read what is the latest updates in your field (as well as others), and you will not only be the nerds who only read the outdated textbooks.

4. You learn while you write.

Teaching is the best way of learning. When you start to teach something, that means that you understand it. You will also remember what you wrote down, and you may go to check if what you have written is correct. All these acts help you in learning and remembering things. As mentioned in reason #1, you also learn the writing skills.

5. Crap the stress out.

It’s good when you have someone to talk to so that you can destress yourself. What if you don’t have anyone to talk to or you are doing hell lots of assignments (while everyone else has loads of works too)? Blog will become one of the best tools to voice out yourself. You can also b*tch your lab partner or supervisor with blog. Don’t keep things in your heart. It’s unhealthy.

6. Time management.

Time is the reason why most science students say no to blogging. This is bullcrap! Blogging shows that you have good time management skill. Don’t make reports, assignments, lecture, studies, etc. become an excuse that you don’t have extra time. I believe many of you spend time on youtube more than assignments. Saying that you don’t have enough time is just showing that you are a loser. You can’t even manage your time properly.

7. Seek for answers.

Blog is a good platform for communication. Anyone can read your blog. Sometimes when you have doubts in your studies, please don’t hesitate to ask in your blog. There are a lot of people who knows the answer are willing to help you. As mentioned in reason #2, you can know people through blogging. There is always someone I can ask for solutions in my MSN list.

8. Kill time in lab.

Long incubation hours are a pain. Chit-chatting with lab partners or doing some readings are always a good way of killing those time. However some students, who are working alone in the lab, might not have people to talk to or don’t have anything else to do. Go for a coffee alone is pathetic. You can use this time to produce something productive via blogging (but please don’t leak your confidential research materials out).

9. Read blogs don’t belong to you.

In life, especially in the science field, you are constantly learning new things. When you get in touch with blog, you will eventually read others’ blogs. Many blogs have different opinions and latest updates in their field. You will find that science itself is like politics. It’s not as peaceful as what you read on textbook. Science is constantly changing. Different scientists have different opinions for different phenomenon. They constantly challenge studies done by others. What is not changing in Science is the changing itself. Besides knowing what others thoughts and opinions, reading also improve your language.

10. Sharing.

You had a good meal? You watched a really amazing movie? You met a really cute guy? You can share it in your blog. Science blogging doesn’t mean everything needs to be scientific jargon. It has nothing to do with IQ. I always write in this blog how much I enjoy sleeping in the lecture (I don’t mean it). Sharing is caring.

11. You got paid.

Face it. Money is the most useful thing in this world. Blogging can bring you little pocket money. You can have a various choices of way to earn money via blogging, such as adsense, selling text links, affliate products, reviews, etc. Every penny counts, especially when you are a student. Don’t waste your youth being a student who have negative value. Always try to earn some money when you are a student as you have most of the free time during this period of life.



12. Reduced your potential competitors.

Competitors! Those are the people who might fight for a job position with you in the future! The only way to get rid of them is making them choose other paths rather than science. Tell them how ugly laboratory politics is, how poor a scientist can be, how lonesome scientist is, etc. You can achieve this goal by blogging the dark sides of science.  You can also write a long dull post that bored your readers.

13. You Learn how to switch on your computer

Don’t freak out if you found out someone around you don’t know how to switch on a computer (or maybe you are the one). Blogging can teach you many typing skills, such as Ctrl + C for copy, Ctrl + i for italics, Ctrl + b for bold, etc. They are simple, and yet many people don’t master them.

Nerdy Science Blog welcomes anyone with science background join us for volunteer authoring, however reason #11 doesn’t apply on this blog. Please contact us if you are interested.

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