Hands-on Exercises for the LSE Digital Literacy workshop

1. Getting Started with Twitter
Links: http://delicious.com/mattlingard/twitter
Step 1: Create an Account
1. Go to http://twitter.com
2. Click on “Get Started – Join”, complete the form & click “Create my Account”
3. Important – Skip the next two steps of the set up and DON’T click Finish!
4. Write your twitter username on the attached Post-it!
Step 2: Start posting updates
1. On Home type what you are doing / thinking etc & click Update.
Twitter Update box
2. Keep posting regularly throughout this workshop!
Step 3: Update your profile
1. Click on Settings & update your bio, location & time zone. Add your website &
a picture if you have them.
2. View the results on your Profile page (http://twitter.com/yourusername)
Step 4: Follow, Follow, Follow - Find some people to follow
1. Use Find People (at the top of your Twitter homepage) This relies on people
using real names.
2. Use Search (at the bottom of your Twitter homepage) to find updates on topics
that interest you… and maybe a person that’s worth following
3. Type a profile URL: http://twitter.com/username Some Examples:
a. LSE – lsepublicevents, lsecareers, lsesummerschool
b. Social Science – IntutePsychUK, Intuteeconomics, Policynetwork
c. Some famous names – DowningStreet BarackObama stephenfry bbcnews
d. In the room!
e. Twitter related sites - http://wefollow.com/tag/academic
When you find someone interesting, click “Follow” and their updates will
start to appear on your homepage.
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2. Twitter Tip: Use
TinyURL.com to save
characters!
http://www.tinyurl.com
Step 5: Post some more updates…
1. Replies - Use the reply icon to send an @username reply to one of your friends
@ reply button
2. Mentions - Use @username within an update to reference someone
A ‘mention’ (@username)
Note: Mentions will appear on the homepages of all your followers. Replies only
appear on the homepages of the person you are replying to and any shared followers.
3. More regular updates (try including a link)
Step 6: See “what’s happening now?”
1. Use http://search.twitter.com (Search link at the bottom of your homepage)
to see what’s happening now.
Step 7: If time…
1. Change your homepage design (Settings > Design)
2. Set up your Mobile and text to Twitter (Settings > Mobile)
3. Send a Direct Message (private) to one of your friends
4. Retweet (forward) an update made by one of your friends. You type the “RT
@” then copy-&-paste the original update
A ‘retweet’
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