HOW TO: Set Up a Twitter Account

1. Go to http://twitter.com and find the sign up box, or go directly to https://twitter.com/signup.
2. Create a Twitter account. If you are creating a Twitter account for a specific purpose or class requirement, you might want to read Disposable Twitter Accounts for Classroom Use by @ProfHacker – The Chronicle of Higher Education
   
3. Enter your full name, email address, and a password.
4. Click “Sign up for Twitter.”
5. On the next page, you can select a username (usernames are unique identifiers on Twitter) — type your own or choose one Twitter suggests. Twitter will tell you if the username you want is available.
6. Double-check your name, email address, password, and username.
7. Click Create my account. You may be asked to complete a Captcha to let Twitter know that you are human and not a spam bot.
8. Twitter will send a confirmation email to the address you entered on sign up, click the link in that email to confirm your email address and account.
9. Add a photo (preferably a head shot) and write a short bio about you.

Resources:
Twitter in Plain English – YouTube http://bit.ly/ruNe4g
How to Sign Up for Twitter via the Twitter Help Center
A Beginner’s Guide to Twitter via ReadWriteWeb
Twitter Basics [VIDEO] http://www.jasonrhode.com/twitterbasics
45 Simple Twitter Tips Everyone Should Know About | Edudemic
7 Free Tools For Integrating Twitter With Your WordPress Blog
BreakDrink Twitter Guide http://breakdrink.com/twitter-guide/

Hashtags & Backchannels
Hashtag: A symbol used in Twitter messages, the # symbol, used to identify keywords or topics in a Tweet. The hashtag was an organic creation by Twitter users as a way to categorize Twitter messages and link keywords posted. Our class will use #ugstJOUR hashag on Twitter.

What Are Hashtags? via the Twitter Help Center
#Hashtag + Community = Learning? « TechKNOW Tools
How Hashtagging the Web Could Improve Our Collective Intelligence via Mashable
Backchannel in Education – Nine Uses
10 Ways Twitter Is Reinventing the College Lecture – Online Universities