Your grade in this course will be determined by your performance on the following assignments. (Detailed descriptions for the assignments will be added as we discuss them in class.)
Short Assignments and Class Participation (10%)
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. You also need to be an active participant in our online discussions and maintain a personal blog throughout the semester.
Online Résumé (10%)
Your first assignment is to create a homepage for your SEU personal website, then create an online résumé and link it to your homepage. We will spend time in class looking at different types of online résumés and experimenting with simple (X)HTML and CSS code to enhance your résumé. When are done with the assignment, you will write a one-page memo explaining and justifying your code and design decisions. Read more…
CSS Zen Garden Redesign (15%)
To hone your abilities with CSS positioning and to extend your design skills, you will create a new style sheet for the CSS Zen Garden, an ongoing project that demonstrates “what can be accomplished visually through CSS-based design.” This assignment will also give you practice testing your site in multiple browsers and “validating” your XHTML and CSS code. Read more…
Usability Report (20%)
For this assignment, you will select a website, test its usability, and write a report to the owner/operator of the site making recommendations for improvement. Your report to the client will also contain re-coded pages (or, if this is not possible, mockups of redesigned pages) that demonstrate the changes you are proposing. Ideally, you will focus your work on a website for a local organization that wants your help and is in a position to implement your proposed changes. Read more…
Final Project (20%)
Your final project for ENGW 3332 should demonstrate your abilities as a writer, a coder, an information architect, and a usability specialist. To ensure that your final project aligns with your educational goals and professional plans, you may select one of two options, and you may choose to work alone or in a small group (preferably no more than three people). Read more…