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Electronic Writing & Publishing

English 3120 CRN 84351

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Upcoming Assignments:

 

Announcements:

11/16: Office hours are cancelled due to a meeting. Please email me to arrange another time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Electronic literature on the web" with Guest Speaker Alice Myatt

 

11/18 Class:

 

 

11/16 Class:

  • Usability testing and workshop

 

11/11 In Class:

 

 

11/9 In Class:

 

11/4 In Class:

  • Reading Response 11/4: 10 minutes

This is your last reading response! Submit your response as a reply.
Two parts:

Part 1: Drawing on the readings for 11/1 and 11/6 discuss at least two things you will take from these readings and apply to your own work for this class (either your portfolio project or the final group project).

Part 2: What is one trick or fix in web design that you have either used in the past or plan to use in the future? You can discuss a trick or fix from the readings that you plan to use (or have used) or a trick or fix that was not mentioned in the books that you have found useful.

  • Discuss Usability Testing (PPT & Resources)
  • Discuss proposals & schedule
  • Any remaining time: Workshop

 

 

11/2 In Class:

  • Submit your response as a reply to the “Reading Response for 11/2 ” posting on the class forum.

Drawing on the reading, present and discuss 2-3 tasks that would be appropriate for users to perform during your usability testing of your final project. Why are these good tasks? What do you hope to learn from these tasks?

 

  • Feedback on the Mini Choice
  • Class time for final project

 

 

10/28 In Class:

Put those name tags up (who knows, you may get extra credit)

  • Reading Response for 10/28: 12 minutes

Submit your response as a reply to the "Reading Response for 10/28" posting on the class forum.

1) How will you develop your writing style for your group project? What style(s) will you have? What will you do or not do?

2) What is one tip from the Stefanac reading you will apply to your project? How does it work with the genre of your project?

Bonus: How many classes can you miss before you earn a deduction in your participation grade? Before you coudl fail the class?

 

10/26 In Class:

  • Reading Response for 10/26: 12 minutes

    Submit your response as a reply to this posting on the class forum.


    1) What has your group decided to do for your final project? What genre(s) does this project fit into? What subgenre(s)? What concepts from the Jeney chapters 6-8 will you apply to this project?

    2) Which of the common page types do you think you will include in your group project? How will these fit your audience’s needs? What types of content will you put on these pages?


    (note: this is an individual response, not a group response. If you do not yet have a group choose an idea that sounds interesting to you and come prepared to join a group.)
  • Turn in: Mini-Media Choice Podcast, Blog, or Wiki
  • TOD: Using Keywords:
    • Page title
    • Major <h1>, <h2>, or <h3> headings
    • The words that appear early in titles, and near the beginnings of the top five paragraphs of text
    • The alternate (“alt”) text of all content images
    • The <meta> tags (if any) in the header section of the page html code
    • The words in the html file name, separated with hyphens: “files-names-also-matter.html”
  • FOD: Eye tracking and the F pattern
  • Schedule
  • Discuss readings & responses
  • Discuss Projects (quick overview & advertising)
  • Class time for final project

 

10/21 In Class:

Be on time, as there are no reading responses today!

 

 

10/19 In Class:

  • Reading Response 10/19: 12 minutes

    Drawing on the Jeney reading which commercial style might you use for your mini-media choice project or in your future. Briefly describe when you might use a style and which style. Then discuss two of the features of this style and how and why you will apply the feature.

    Drawing on the Price reading, select one Electronic Writing and Publishing genre. For thesis genres discuss:
    The point or purpose of the genre:
    The structure:
    The tone:
    The persona:

 

10/14 In Class:

  • Reading Response 10/14: 12 minutes

Drawing on the various readings, answer these two questions:

    • Especially drawing on the Stefanac reading (quotes or paraphrasing with page numbers may be a good idea), provide a definition of Web 2.0
    • From the various readings present three rules or guidelines you would give someone who was interested in using Web 2.0 applications (you can select a particular web 2.0 applications, like Twitter, or provide three general guidelines). Briefly describe each guideline.
  • QOD: Social Media of choice?
  • TOD: TinyURLs
  • Blogs of the class
  • Go over reading & reading response
  • How to be a Good Web 2.0 Citizen PPT
  • In class activity (if time): In groups of 2-4 find a blog and
    critique its design according to the Color Design presentation we just
    had. What does it do well? What does it do poorly? Does it work for
    color blind users? International users? Post your group’s reaction to
    the forum with everyone's names (In Class Activities --> In class
    activity 10/12). Be prepared to discuss.

 

10/12 In Class:

Put those name tags up (who knows, you may get extra credit)

  • Reading Response 10/12: 12 minutes

Drawing on the reading, answer these two questions about your blog or
podcast Mini-Media choice blog or podcast. Note, podcasts are normally
hosted on blog sites, and while you do not have to do this for your
podcast, imagine if you were. If you are doing the wiki project, imagine
if you had a blog or podcast associated with the wiki.

1) Which three software features mentioned in chapter 8 do you think
would be the most useful for your blog/podcast blog? Why?
2) What do you think of the “long tail” concept? Is this a good or
bad thing for electronic writing and publication? Why?
To submit your responses, post a reply on the forum.

  • QOD: Name & what are you doing for the Mini-Media Choice
    Project?
  • TOD: Relative vs. absolute design
  • TOD2: Feedreaders
  • TOD3: Exploring & posting to Wordpress
  • Go over reading & reading response
  • Color Design for your Sites PPT
  • In class activity (if time): In groups of 2-4 find a blog and
    critique its design according to the Color Design presentation we just
    had. What does it do well? What does it do poorly? Does it work for
    color blind users? International users? Post your group’s reaction to
    the forum with everyone's names (In Class Activities --> In class
    activity 10/12). Be prepared to discuss.

 

10/7 In Class:

Put those name tags up (who knows you may get extra credit)

  • Reading Response 10/7: 10 minutes


    Drawing on the various readings, discuss three advantages you see to wikis as a form of electronic writing and publishing and three disadvantages.


    Post your response as a reply to this posting on the forum.

 

10/5 In Class:

Put those name tags up (who knows you may get extra credit)

  • Reading Response 10/5: 12 minutes

    Drawing on the various blog readings, answer these two questions (and optional bonus!). Post your response as a reply to the posting on the forum.

    1. Which chapter from the Stefanac book did you choose to read in depth besides 6 (which was not an option)? Why did you choose this chapter what three things did you learn from it that will help you with blogging or other electronic writing and publishing?
    2. Drawing particularly on chapter 6 in the Stefanac book, but also possibly on the other chapters, what two time periods did you see the most connections between writing (journalism, diaries, whatever) of the time and blogs today?  Discuss the two time periods and the connections you see.

Bonus (up to 2 points): Drawing on the other readings, why might you encourage your company (future or present) to have a blog or series of blogs?

 

9/30 In Class:

Put those name tags up (who knows you may get extra credit)

  • Reading Response 9/30: 10 minutes

Drawing on the various blog readings, answer one of these two groups of questions, depending on whether or not you have a blog. Post your response as a reply to the posting on the forum.

If you have a blog:

  • What new things did you learn about blogs and blogging?
  • What type of blog do you have?
  • How does the reading impact your plans for your blog? Will you make any changes due to what you learned from the reading? Why or why not?

 

If you do not have a blog:

  • What did you learn about blogs from the reading?
  • If you were going to write a blog what type of blog would you write and why?
  • What methods would you use write your blog (from copyright prevention to style and keeping up reader interest)?

 

9/28 In Class:

Do bring your Dreamweaver book (Creating a Web Site in Dreamweaver CS4 by Nolan Hester) book to class today, you will need it!

Put those name tags up (who knows you may get extra credit)

 

  • Reading Response 9/28: 10 minutes

    Make sure you incorporate the readings. Submit your response as a reply to this posting on the class forum.

    Drawing on the various readings, discuss your navigation and interface design plan and style for your web portfolio.

 

 

9/23 In Class:

Do bring your Dreamweaver book (Creating a Web Site in Dreamweaver CS4 by Nolan Hester) book to class today, you will need it!

Put those name tags up (who knows you may get extra credit)

  • Reading Response 9/21 10 minutes:

Make sure you incorporate the readings. Submit your response as a reply to this posting on the class forum.

Drawing on the reading, discuss how you will revise your resume for one of the electronic versions mentioned in the reading. If you do not have a resume discuss how you will develop your resume for one of the electronic versions mentioned in the reading. You may actually choose to revise a small part of your resume into one of the electronic versions and discuss what you did and why.

  • FOD: White space
  • TOD: Screenshots
  • Schedule & Mini Web info
  • Review Reading & Discuss. Resume & Portfolio PPT
  • More on the Portfolio Project
  • Workshop!

 

9/21 In Class:

Do bring your Dreamweaver book (Creating a Web Site in Dreamweaver CS4 by Nolan Hester) book to class today, you will need it!

Put those name tags up (who knows you may get extra credit)

  • Reading Response 9/21 12 minutes:

Make sure you incorporate the reading from the Williams book. Submit your response as a reply to this posting on the class forum.

Discuss how you will apply readability and legibility to your portfolio site. Choose one typeface for your portfolio that you think is readable and one that you think is legible and discuss why you think each is each. (3 pts)

What type of image might you use in your portfolio? Explain the image briefly and discuss if it would be best as a GIF or JPEG. (2 pts)

Bonus: What is anti-aliasing and why might you use it for images? Why would you not use it for print?

 

 

9/16 In Class:

Do bring your Dreamweaver book (Creating a Web Site in Dreamweaver CS4 by Nolan Hester) book to class today, you will need it!

Put those name tags up (who knows you may get extra credit)

  • Reading Response 9/16 12 minutes:

Make sure you incorporate the reading from the Williams book. Submit your response as a reply to this posting on the class forum. Drawing on the reading, choose one of the following websites and critique it:
• spaotheater.org/
• www.hrodc.com/
• wereworthit.com/
• www.thebeastoftheeast.net/
• www.qssis.com/web.html


Extra credit (up to 2 points):
Choose a situation and discuss if it would be best to use print or the web and why (make sure you draw on the reading). Also consider various factors including the audience.
-You were recently hired by a country club to do its monthly newsletter. What medium would you go with and why?
-You are making a collection of family recipes and want to include color photos. What medium would you go with and why?
-You are creating a database of information on the new Medicaid prescription plans. What medium would you go with and why?

  • FOD: Intro pages (not a good idea based on Disney data)
  • TOD: Line spacing and “quotes” or "quotes" in Dreamweaver
  • TOD2: Resizing pictures
  • Podcasting walk through
  • Using music in your podcasts?
  • Mini-web discussion & lab time
  • Discuss “CRAP” & critique websites:
  • Workshop: Work on Mini-Media Web project
    • If not listed in WIR on schedule see me after class or during the workshop!
    • iPod for Melissa M

 

 

9/14 In Class:

Do bring your Dreamweaver book (Creating a Web Site in Dreamweaver CS4 by Nolan Hester) book to class today, you will need it!

Put those name tags up (who knows you may get extra credit)

  • Reading Response: 12 minutes

Make sure you incorporate the reading. Submit your response as a reply to this posting on the class forum.

This reading response has two parts and should help you think about and develop your Portfolio. You can check out the portfolio assignment. You will be creating this to "impress potential employers and grad schools with your skills and abilities."

Part 1: Analyzing your audience for your Portfolio, complete the audience analysis worksheet (13 prompts, page 38 in Jeney). For #8 you could change controversies to issues, if applicable.

Part 2: Which techniques from the reading will you use to keep the attention of your readers? How will you apply them?

  • iPods for Melissa M & Carley R.
  • TOD: Index pages
  • Introduce Portfolio Project (can start for Mini Web!)
  • iTunes U info on Resources Page, First WIR podcast, & examples (?) [If not listed in WIR on schedule see me after class]
  • Discuss reading: Why does audience Matter (or even Shakespeare wrote for an audience)
  • Manage Sites walk through?
  • Workshop: Work on Mini-Media Web project

 

 

9/9 In Class:

Do bring your Dreamweaver book (Creating a Web Site in Dreamweaver CS4 by Nolan Hester) book to class today, you will need it!

  • Reading Response: 10 minutes

Make sure you incorporate the reading from the Williams book. Submit your response as a reply to this posting on the class forum.

Drawing on the reading, discuss what things should you do before creating web site and why you should do these things.

 

9/2 In Class:

  • Reading Response (10 minutes in class):
    Make sure you incorporate appropriate readings from the texts (the Hester book is not intended for reading responses). Submit your response as a reply to this posting.

    This response has two parts (plus a bonus):

    -From the list of 12 skills a writer needs if she or he is to create content for the web (according to Jeney, page 13), choose one item that you think is either particularly important or that you do not think should be included on the list. Discuss either why it is important or why it should not be on the list. Support this with info from the readings as applicable.

    - Drawing on the reading, please discuss some of the things you should and should not do to be a Netizen.


    Bonus:
    Take any URL that has at least two slashes somewhere in the URL after the "http://" and has not been used by someone before you on the forum and break the URL down as Jeney did on page 9 of the text (can make educated guesses as needed).

 

 

8/31 In class:

  • 12 minutes for the Reading Response:

    • Make sure you incorporate the readings. Submit your response as a reply to this posting on the forum.

      If you found a photo on the web that you wanted to use in your website for this class could you use it? Why or why not?

      What is intellectual property? Do you have intellectual property? If so briefly discuss an example.

      What is Creative Commons? Could Creative Commons material help you in this class? With other Electronic Writing and Publishing? How are how not?
  • Name Tags!
  • iPods?
  • Week In Review teams and dates (if you are not on this see me after class)
  • Schedule & Upcoming/Due Assignments:
  • 5 More Minutes of Podcasting
  • Copyright & Plagiarism Slides
  • Building on the Past
  • Discussion
  • Star War's Kid (if time)

 

8/26 In class:

  • 10 minutes for the Reading Response:

Make sure you incorporate the readings. Submit your response as a reply to this posting.

If you were to create your own podcast, what type of podcast would you create? What would be the topic? The audience? The purpose? Of the topics listed in the reading, what topic category would it fall into?

Of the four questions below, answer three of them for your podcast (you can answer the fourth for extra credit):
-Of the USB microphones, which type would you use? Why?
-Would you have an associated blog? Why or why not?
-Would you script your podcast? Why or why not?
-Would you use music? Why or why not? Where would you get your music?

 

8/24 In class:

  • 15 minutes for the Reading Response:

Make sure you incorporate the readings. Submit your response as a reply to this posting on the class forum.

Drawing on the various readings, discuss podcasting as a type of Electronic Writing and Publishing. Should podcasts “count” Electronic Writing and Publishing? Why or why not? How do podcasts compare to other methods/genres of electronic writing and publishing? What advantages or disadvantages do you see to podcasts as a form of electronic writing and publishing?

Which podcast did you listen to? What did you think about it? What worked well or didn’t work? How do you think the podcaster considers or responds to the audience?

 

8/19 In class:

  • 15 minutes for the Reading Response:
    • Post your response to this as a reply to the Atutor forum posting for this reading response (“reading Response 8/19”). You will have 15 minutes in class to do this (so it is due by 1:45). Do answer both questions.
        1. How does the Internet compare to Bush's Memex? How are they different?
        2. How do you compare to your generation and others with your internet use?

        Bonus Extra Credit: What email "don'ts" do you do?

  • Catch-up, Questions (forum, syllabus, et al.), fix
  • Video: A Vision of Students today
  • Go over Readings:
    • How do you compare to the Pew Report?
    • Thoughts on the history of the Internet?
    • The Memex & us?
    • Thoughts on the history of open discourse?
  • Emails & tips
  • Introduce Intro Email Assignment
  • Introduce Week In Review Podcast Assignment
  • Discuss readings for next class

 

8/17 In class:

 

 

 

 
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