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Course Description

An intermediate course in the rhetorical, ethical, stylistic, and technical principles of web design. Applies the rhetorical principles and research methods learned in the prerequisite courses to the effective production of web documents. Prerequisite: WRT 160. 4 credits.

Course Goals and Expectations

Although WRT 332 will extensively cover the digital tools required for web design work, it is fundamentally not a technology class. Rather, this class will focus on developing your ability to combine a broad range of visual, textual, technological, and informational literacies to develop rhetorically effective websites. In addition to practicing good web design, this will also require producing self-conscious, critical reflection on your own work.

As with all university-level classes, I expect you to approach WRT 332 with a spirit of autodidacticism: an understanding that you are the one primarily responsible for the education you get out of this class. You will be expected to spend considerable time outside of the classroom reading, reflecting, studying major concepts, and working independently with the technology.

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Develop their ability to combine a broad range of visual, textual, technological, and informational literacies to develop rhetorically effective web documents.
• Apply rhetorical theory to the composition of web documents for a variety of professional and personal contexts.
• Understand how page/interface design, organization, and language choices impact the communicative effectiveness of web documents.
• Compose web documents that are accessible and embody the best practices of user-centered design.
• Identify the ethical and social responsibilities of the web designer as rhetor.
• Be able to use a variety of digital and communication technologies.

Textbooks

• Robbins, Jennifer Niederst. Learning Web Design: A Beginner's Guide to HTML, CSS, Javascript, and Web Graphics. Sebastpool, CA: O'Reilly, 2012. ISBN: 9781449319274. Errata.
• Barr, Chris, et al. The Yahoo! Style Guide: The Ultimate Sourcebook for Writing, Editing, and Creating Content for the Digital World. New York: St. Martin's Griffin, 2010. ISBN: 9780312569846. Errata.
• Williams, Robin. The Non-Designer's Design and Type Book: Design and Typographic Principles for the Visual Novice. San Fransisco: Peach Pit, 2008. ISBN: 9780321534057.
• Other readings and resources will be provided as necessary.

Course Policies

• Absences. Since WRT 332 is a collaborative, discussion-based course, I expect everyone to attend every class session. For absences not covered by the university policy, the Department of Writing and Rhetoric permits students to be absent from this course for three class sessions without penalty. This includes absences due to illness, car trouble, or schedule conflict. Participation for an online class session counts as class attendance. For each absence beyond three, your final course grade will be lowered by 0.1 points on the 4.0 scale. Students who miss 10 or more class sessions will receive a final grade of 0.0.
• Technology. Technology excuses are generally not viable in this class. You are responsible for practicing sound data management, thoroughly testing your work before submission or presentation, and taking all other reasonable precautions for putting up with technology.
• Collaboration. When working collaboratively, your group is responsible for sharing the most current versions of your work. You may want to get in the habit of distributing your group's most current
• Communication. You are responsible for keeping up with your oakland.edu email account and regularly checking the class Moodle site for updates to the announcements forum. drafts at the end of every in-class work day using email, Oakshare, or Google Docs.
• Late work. I reserve the right not to accept late work.
• Email queries. I am always happy to answer your questions by email, but I reserve the right not respond to questions whose answers are readily available from the course webpage, on the Moodle site, in assignment descriptions, etc.
• Plagiarism. All work in this class must meet the standards of Oakland University's Academic Conduct Regulations.
• This syllabus. I reserve the right to revise this syllabus throughout the semester.

Assignments

There will be five major assignments in this class:

1. "Up and Running" Assignment
2. CSS Layout Assignment
3. Client Site Redesign Project
4. Client Documentation Project
5. Final Project

Grading

I will give numeric grades (0.0, 1.0–4.0) for all major graded assignments in this class.

Quizzes are graded on a percentage scale and their average will be converted to a four-point scale to calculate your final grade. Average scores less than 40% will be converted to 0.0. All others will be converted to (your average quiz score−40%)÷15%.

Your final grade is determined as follows:

ADA Notice

Students with disabilities who may require reasonable accommodations should contact Oakland University’s Disability Support Services office for assistance:

• Phone: (248) 370-3266
• TTY: (248) 370-3268
• Fax: (248) 370-4989
• Email: doss@oakland.edu.