course.goals
materials
assignments
grading
attendance
electronica
ethics
disability
evaluations
instructor
kevin eric depew
office bal 313
phone 757.683.4019
e.mail kdepew@odu.edu
office hours m
2-3, t 2-4, & by appointment
quick.links
calendar
blackboard
(listserv, student email, online readings)
resources
student.email
English 439/539 has been designed to teach writing students how to use digital writing technologies to compose rhetorically sound documents. Throughout the course of the semester, you will learn how to compose with several different writing technologies that are popular in professonal and personal discourse communities. While many beginning computer science courses will teach you how to use the same applications, this course will teach you how to use these applications in way that respond to target audience and help you to fulfill a specific purpose.
In this course you will learn...
- how to compose using an electronic discussion boards, photo editors, web authoring software, and PowerPoint
- rhetorical principles and their application to digital writing technologies
- how to read various interfaces
- how to read and compose visual arguments
- how to analyze other's web design and generate your own
- how to present your work
Prerequisites
ENGL 325 and computer literacy or permission of the instructor.
The
Non-Designer's Web Book
Author(s):
Robin Williams & John Tollett
Peachpit Press
ISBN 0-201-68859-X
Readings on Blackboard [BB]
Optional
Macromedia Studio MX with Flash ($185.00) at the MONARCHtechstore
Macromedia
Dreamweaver MX for Windows & Macintosh
Author(s):
J. Tarin Towers
Peachpit Press
ISBN 0-321-21339-4
Macromedia
Fireworks for Windows & Macintosh
Author(s):
Sandee Cohen
Peachpit Press
ISBN 0-201-79479-9
The major assignments for English 325 have been designed to build upon each other. You may choose, however, to treat them as three separate assignments.
Interface Analysis : The interface is the portal between the user and the computer's complex functions. For this assignment you will closely examine the interface of a given application, focusing the functions it allows/helps you to execute, the dominant metaphors used, and how it positions the user (50 points)
Visual Arguments: Image editor programs, like Fireworks and Photoshop, offer the average computer-user the capasity to generate, edit, or manipulate image to fulfill specific purposes for specific audience. With this assignment you will be given the opportunity to generate your own visual argument. This assignment will also include a 500 word explanation of your assignment. (50 points)
Article Review & Discussion Prompt: Each student will review one article about a computers and writing topic. At your appointed time during the semester, you will post this review to the class discussion board. As the audience to this review, you will be expected to read the post and discuss the topics of text. (50 points)
Web Site : For this assignment, you will produce a personal or professional (e.g., small business, organization) web site. Using all of the strategies that you have learned throughout the semester, you will compose this web site fora specific audience and purpose. (100 points)
PowerPoint Portfolio: Within a PowerPoint slide show, you will present the work that you have done this semester and explain the rhetorical choices that you have made. Initially these slide shows will be displayed at the Poster Session. After this event, you will want to make revisions and include more detailed commentary about about your rhetorical decisions (200 points)
Three Means of Failing the Course related to Major Assignments
- Not completing a major assignment
- Major assignments will be given no credit if the assignment is not turned in prior to the instructor returning the respective assignment to the class. This becomes the equivalent of not completing a major assignment
- An act of plagiarism (or other forms of academic dishonesty)
minor assignments
Community discussion board: Throughout the semester, all students will be required to respond to the posted article reviews. Since computer-mediated communication, like discussion boards, has the potential to create community among its participatns, the entire class will be evaluated rather than individuals. The instructor will be looking for thoughtful, respectful, and engaged discussions. Progress report grades will be given twice before the final grade is assigned (50 points)
The instructor will use the principles of Purpose, Product, and Production/Process (as described below) to make comments and determine the point value on the respective major and minor assignments. Remember that each assignment is different; therefore how you address these principles in one assignment may not be applicable in another.
PURPOSE (Content) : How effectively does the text accomplish its intended task for its intended purpose and audience?
- meets the goals and the demands of the assignment
- provides and supports a sound or viable argument
- demonstrates knowledge of the subject and provides relevant, useful, and accurate information to the audience
PRODUCT (Content/Convention) : How well constructed is the document?
- orderly and coherent presentation of material
- effective design and formatting? correctness
- effective use of visuals
- academic and/or professional tone and style
PRODUCTION/PROCESS (Convention) : In appropriate situations, does the document demononstrate evidence of...
- quality of planning, collaboration, research & invention, drafting, editing, proofreading?
Grade Scale
Each
deliverable and your final grade will be graded using the following
point scale* :
| A =92-100 % | A -= 90-91.9 % | B+ = 87-89.9 % | |
| B = 82-86.9 % | B- = 80-81.9 % | C+ = 77-79.9 % | |
| C = 72-76.9 % | C- = 70-71.9 % | D+ = 67-69.9 % | |
| D = 62-66.9 % | D -= 60-61.9 % | ||
| F = 0-59.9 % |
*
= The instructor reserves the right to adjust this scale based on the
students' performance throughout the semester. Any adjustments will 1)
apply to the entire class and 2) never deny a student the grade that she/he
earns based upon this posted scale.
Students are required to attend every class. If you miss a class, for whatever reason, you are responsible for making up any missed work.
You are not only required to to attend every class, but you are required to come to class prepared. If you do not come to class prepared, you will be asked to "take an absence" for the day. Therefore, it is recommended that you pay attention to the calendar.
In a writing class, you do a lot of work in the classroom. Therefore the attendance policies are::
- you are allowed two absences, excused or unexcused. More than two absences will result in failing the course
- on the first day that you return from an absence you are responsible for submitting any major assignments that you missed due to absence, although you are encouraged to submit this work prior to your return. To learn what work you have missed consult the instructor or the calendar.
- being late to class will be marked as a tardy and noted when calculating your overall grade.
- students who are more than thirty minutes late will receive an absence.
As a general rule, a student missing a class assignment because of observance of a religious holiday shall have the opportunity to make up missed work. Students must notify the instructor of anticipated absences before the absence occurs. Likewise, students who represent ODU at any official extracurricular activity shall have the opportunity to make up missed assignments, but the student must provide official written and/or email notification to the instructor no less than one week prior to the missed class(es).
Electronica refers to technology-related issues.
E.mail
Accounts
Having an e-mail account
is required; a lot of information for this class will be exchanged including
some
assignment
submissions and class updates. You will want to establish a consistent
email account that you will use throughout the entire semester. To get
an ODU account go to OCCS.
You
are responsible for making sure that files and messages are successfully
received by the instructor and your peers; other email providers cannot
provide this security.
LAN
Accounts
LAN accounts will
be necessary to use the computers in the computer labs throughout the
semester. If you do not already have a LAN account, please register for
one with OCCS.
Protecting
Your Work
Backup your files
frequently. Keep your files on your home machine, floppy disks, cds, and/
or flash drives. The excuse "that was my only copy" is not a
valid one. Some tips for protecting your work–and yourself–are:
- Save all English 439/539 work until the course is over
- Maintain copies of drafts and work-in-progress
- Name your files so that versions are easy to identify
- Keep copies of your email messages related to the course as a record of your work. For all messages that you send to the instructor, you should either have the message sent to your "Sent" Folder in your email account or cc: yourself the message so that you have a copy for verification
E.mailing
When emailing the
instructor or the the class list make sure that you include a subject
line that includes the nature of the email. A subject line, such as "homework"
is vague. Instead be specific and state whether it is a "homework
submission," "homework clarification," or "homework
problem."
Also use the priority setting rhetorically; in other words, make your email message stand out when you really need to draw the recipient's attention to your message. Do not use the priority setting on your standard assignment submissions.
Class
List
The discussion board and other Blackboard communication functions can also be used to make announcements, exchange information, and discuss issues
raised in the class.
Also, post questions about homework and assignments to the list because
in most cases, all students will have the same question.
Keeping Up
- Check your e-mail daily to keep up with announcements.
- Check the calendar every Sunday evening (after 8pm) for new updates; any changes will be announced in class.
- If you
are going to miss class, inform the instructor ahead of the missed class
to find out what will occur on that day.
As per the University's Honor Code, you must do your own original work in English 439/539 –and appropriately identify that portion of your work which is collaborative with others, or which is borrowed from others, or which is your own work from other contexts. Whenever you borrow graphics, quote passages, or use ideas from others, you are legally and/or ethically obliged to acknowledge that use, following appropriate conventions for documenting sources. In English 439/539, the most serious form of academic dishonesty is to recycle another individual's major project under your own name.
If you have doubts about whether or not you are using your own or others' writing ethically and legally, ask the instructor. Follow this primary principle: If in doubt, ask. Be up front and honest about what you are doing and about what you have contributed to an assignment.
If you have a documented disability, make sure you register with Disability Services (757) 683.4655. Once you do so, feel free to talk to me about any special accommodations that you may need to fulfill the requirements of this course.
At the end of the semester, you will have an opportunity to evaluate the instructor and the course. This is very important for helping the instructor and the department access the course. Please take the time at the end of the semester to do these online evaluations.
last.updated 08.21.05