Assignments

Class Participation (5%)

Your class participation grade depends upon your showing up prepared for class discussion. During these discussions, you must show evidence that you have read the textbook assignments by being able to talk about them intelligently. This means more than just answering questions when being called on. You need to contribute regularly to class discussions on your own initiative.

Electronic Résumé and Home Page (5%)

Due September 11th, the electronic résumé and home page will give you the opportunity to prepare for the job market after graduation. Particular attention should be paid to using CSS for page layout and design. More about the electronic résumé

Site Analysis (15%)

For this assignment, due September 25th, you will explore and critique a large-scale commercial or organizational web site, analyzing how the site's designers have achieved or not achieved communication with their audience and describing the strengths and weaknesses of the site's structure as an information space. Your rhetorical analysis should focus on such things as style, content, visual imagery and how these address the information needs of primary and secondary audiences, while your structural analysis should address labeling, structure, and navigation. More about the site analysis

First Exam (15%)

Held on Thursday, October 4th, this first of two exams will cover all reading and lecture material from the first six weeks of class. More about the first exam

Website Proposal (10%)

Due October 23rd, this proposal will help you and your group partner(s) focus your attention on what you want to do for your final web site design. That's right, you'll be working in groups the remainder of the semester on this and the next two assignments. Proposal drafts and HTML templates will be peer reviewed on October 18th. More about the website proposal

Second Exam (15%)

Held on Tuesday, Nov. 6th, this second of two exams will cover all reading and lecture material from weeks 7 through 11. More about the second exam

Progress Report Presentation (15%)

Due November 13th, these oral presentations will give you and your partner experience explaining your web site design in a face-to-face setting using the latest presentation techniques and technologies. Conducted over two class periods, November 13th and 15th, right before Thanksgiving. More about the progress report presentations

Final Website (20%)

Due during our last class period, the final web site allows you and your partner to demonstrate all you have learned in this course about information architecture, HTML, Web graphics, and visual design. Prior to the due date, we will hold substantial workshops and peer review sessions to help you fine-tune your pages and images into a polished, professional website. More about the final website