Requirements

The requirements for the course are as follows: (1) CSS Assignment (15%); 2) Type Project (15%); 3) Image Project (15%); (4) Design Project (15%); (5) blog (15%); (6) final project (25%); and (7) a self-evaluation (1 page, typed, single-spaced) assessing your performance in the course (not graded but required).

Assignments

There are four preliminary and one major assignment in the course. All of the assignments should be part of a website (a web portfolio) that includes a home page and navigation to the various assignments. At the conclusion of each assignment, the link to the assignment should be forwarded to the instructor for inclusion on the instructor’s course page. The specific assignments are:

1) CSS Assignment (preliminary)

Using an example from “McFly” at Project Seven or one of the examples from StyleMaster (if you purchased it), create a web page that includes your content. Once you have finished, make the following changes:

2) Type Assignment (preliminary)

The goals of this assignment are to demonstrate that you are aware of word processing conventions, CSS, and can use type as both an element in information and aesthetic design. For this assignment, create a web page that includes (or takes into account) the following:

Because this assignment is meant to underpin your final web project, it would be a good idea to think about your project’s time period or subject and look for fonts that can contribute to the “look and feel” as well as the “legibility and readability” your project. One “page” of the project should be added to your web portfolio. You might find a good fonts at one of the following:

3) Image Assignment (preliminary)

The goals of this assignment are to demonstrate your mastery of image editing skills, color, and composition as well as the use of images to tell or illustrate a historical narrative. The narrative should be an account of the steps that you took to achieve the effects. Note that combining techniques in a single image is perfectly acceptable. For this assignment, create a web page that includes the following:

One “page” of the project should be added to your web portfolio. Although there are any number of image sources, these are among the best:

4) Design Assignment (preliminary)

The goals of this assignment are to demonstrate your understanding of design and its application to the presentation of history on web. To that end, choose a historical period or topic and develop a web page design appropriate to the period. For example, if you elect to do a colonial site, the fonts, layout, illustrations, colors, and layout should reflect the colonial period. In other words, compose a web page that integrates a design theme into its typography, composition, color, and layout so that it enhances the presentation of the historical content and creates a visual identity for a prospective site. The assignment should also implement correct typography and layout strategies. Once you have finished, add the page to your class web portfolio. You may find some design inspiration at the following:

5) Web Site (final)

The overarching goal for the major project is the creation of a modest, reasonably sophisticated history web site. First, the content should be solid and engaging. Second, the site should be clear in its purpose and potential audience. Third, the site should demonstrate standards-based, accessible design, including a print style sheet. Fourth, the site’s design should also reflect knowledge of typography, layout, color, and graphic design. Finally, there should be some effort make toward interactivity or online community building.