You are on page 1of 6

ATEC
3320.

001•

Writing
for
the
Web•

Spring
2011

MW
2:30‐3:45
•
JO
4.502



Instructor:
Lisa
Bell
 
Office
hours:
Wednesdays,
4:00‐6:00

Email:
lisa.bell@utdallas.edu
 and
by
appointment
(http://tungle.me/LisaBell)

Twitter:
@subcontrary
 Office:
972.883.2052
∙
JO
5.608E


 

Course
website:
lisabell.pbworks.com

General
Course
Information


Pre‐/Co‐ This
course
requires
that
you
have
successfully
completed
RHET
1302,
so
I
assume
that
you
bring

requisites,
 strong
argumentation,
organizational,
and
mechanical
writing
skills
to
the
course.

I
also
assume
that

&
other
 you
know
how
to
use
technology
effectively
and
can
pick
up
new
internet
tools
quickly
even
if
you

restrictions may
not
have
previous
experience
with
the
specific
tools
that
we
will
use
this
semester.




ATEC
3320
will
provide
you
with
experience
interacting
with
a
variety
of
technologies
and
strategies

to
produce
well
written,
accurate,
useful,
and
audience
appropriate
content
for
distribution
in

online
contexts.


Therefore,
we
emphasize
content
management
over
graphical
design
with
the

Course
 goal
of
developing
content
that
captures
and
sustains
the
audience’s
attention.

Through
class

Description discussion,
workshops,
and
the
production
of
a
variety
of
writing
assignments
using
blogs,

microblogs,
and
wikis,
you
will
recognize
how
communication
conventions
are
socially
and
culturally

constructed
and
develop
strategies
to
respond
to
these
different
rhetorical
situations
to
develop
a

credible,
professional
presence
as
an
author
on
the
web.





Successful
completion
of
ATEC
3320
means
that
you
can:





• Understand
that
the
conventions
of
different
types
of
writings
are
socially
and
culturally

constructed
and
context‐dependent,
constrained
by
technology
and
the
audience

• Evaluate
the
rhetorical
situation
to
compose
content
that
captures
and
sustains
the

audience’s
attention

Learning
 • Construct
useful
information
architectures
that
reflect
audience
usage
patterns

Outcomes • Develop
substantive
content
with
strong
evidentiary
support
that
meets
the
audience’s

needs

• Craft
content
using
appropriate
organization,
mechanics,
and
style

• Collaborate
in
the
creation
and
maintenance
of
online
content

• Value
a
reciprocal
attitude
toward
sharing
online,
sharing
and
borrowing
work
ethically
and

responsibly


This
course
requires
three
textbooks,
which
you
may
purchase
at
the
campus
bookstore
and
both

off‐campus
bookstores:



Barr,
C.,
&
Senior
Editors
of
Yahoo!
(2010).
The
Yahoo!
style
guide.
New
York,
NY:
St.

Martin’s
Griffin.

ISBN
978‐0‐312‐56984‐6

Porter,
A.
J.
(2010).
Wiki:
Grow
Your
Own
for
Fun
and
Profit.
Fort
Collins,
CO:
XML
Press.


Required
 ISBN
978‐0‐9822191‐2‐6

Textbooks Redish,
J.
G.
(2007).
Letting
go
of
the
words:
Writing
Web
content
that
works.
Atlanta,

GA:
Elsevier
Science.

ISBN
978‐0‐12‐369486‐7



You
should
complete
the
assigned
reading
before
coming
to
class
to
benefit
from
class
activities.

We

will
not
use
class
time
to
reiterate
what
you
can
learn
from
the
text
–
to
do
so
would
waste
your
time

and
money.

Instead,
we
will
use
class
time
to
master
skills
and
concepts
through
activities
that
depend

on
your
comprehending
and
remembering
what
you
have
read.



Spring 2011 ATEC 3325 Syllabus, Rev. 1.9.2011 1


Assignments
&
Academic
Calendar


The
following
table
lists
course
assignments
and
their
due
dates.

You
can
find
a
more
detailed
course
schedule,
including

reading
assignments
and
daily
class
topics,
on
the
course
website.


ASSIGNMENT VALUE DUE
DATE
1
Blog
Posts
 300
 Ongoing 

Class
Wiki
 200
 Ongoing

Participation
 100
 Ongoing

2
Blog
Proposal
 50
 February
14 

Mechanics
and
Style
Exam
 100
 February
7

Organic
Blog
Style
Guide
 50
 March
2

Web
Site
Analysis
 100
 May
2

Writing
Profile
 100
 May
9

TOTAL
POINTS 1000


Course
Policies

The
following
course‐specific
policies
supplement
the
standard
UTDallas
policies
that
you


must
know
and
follow
(available
at
http://go.utdallas.edu/syllabus‐policies).


I
use
a
criteria‐based
rather
than
norm‐based
(curved)
grading
system
and
do
not
award
extra

points
at
the
end
of
the
semester
to
raise
final
grades.

Each
assignment
includes
specific

criteria,
but
I
generally
assess
your
work
according
to
the
resourcefulness
with
which
it
fulfills

the
criteria
developed
in
the
assignment
specifications
and
demonstrates
a
nuanced

understanding
of
the
practical
and
theoretical
implications
of
rhetorical
strategies
in
online

contexts.




All
work
should
conform
to
professional
and
ethical
standards,
including
proofreading
and

editing
carefully
all
work
you
submit
in
this
class.

Professionalism
also
means
that
you
use

appropriate
citations
wherever
and
whenever
necessary
to
avoid
copyright
violations
–
even
if

you
make
those
violations
inadvertently.





You
may
consult
with
the
writing
center
on
any
assignment
(call
972.883.6707

Grading
Criteria
to
schedule
an
appointment),
but
don’t
expect
them
to
copyedit
your

documents.

Similarly,
you
should
not
expect
(or
ask)
them
to
predict
what

grade
your
work
might
receive.

They
help,
but
they
cannot
guarantee
results.


You
bear
the
responsibility
for
the
work
that
you
submit.




I
will
assign
final
grades
according
to
the
2010‐2012
UTD
Undergraduate
Catalog
scale:


B+
 870‐899 C+
 770‐799 D+
 670‐699
A
 930‐1000 B
 830‐869 C
 730‐769 D
 630‐669 F
 0‐599
A‐
 900‐929 B‐
 800‐829 C‐
 700‐729 D‐
 600‐629

1

This
assignment
will
include
milestones
for
particular
posts
as
specified
in
the
formal
assignment.

2

You
will
submit
your
blog
proposal,
organic
style
guide,
and
website
analysis
to
lbell_7wm@sendtodropbox.com
by
11:59

pm
on
the
due
date.

You
don’t
have
to
use
dropbox
to
do
this.




Spring 2011 ATEC 3325 Syllabus, Rev. 1.9.2011 2


The
following
descriptions
may
help
you
understand
how
I
view
the
different
grade
levels.




A






Exceptional
work
that
brings
insight
and
originality
to
a
nuanced
understanding
of
the

rhetorical
theories
at
play
in
the
assignment
to
demonstrate
a
superior
aptitude
and

initiative
in
coursework.

Exhibits
a
polished,
professional
style
characterized
by
accuracy

and
polish
that
enhances
credibility.




B






High
quality
work
that
indicates
original
application
of
course
materials
that
exceeds

minimum
requirements
and
occasionally
demonstrates
excellence
in
exceptional

characteristics
but
does
so
inconsistently.

B‐level
work
may
also
contain
minor
problems
in

understanding
or
applying
concepts
that
would
not
appear
in
an
exceptional
work
product.




C






Acceptable
work
that
meets
all
basic
requirements
and
demonstrates
reasonable

competence
in
content
and
style;
however,
it
may
contain
repeated
errors
that
detract

from
the
assignment’s
effectiveness
even
though
they
may
not
constitute
serious
errors.


This
satisfactory
work
product
meets
minimal
assignment
requirements
but
does
not

provide
sufficient
evidence
or
fails
to
implement
concepts
effectively.




D





Unsatisfactory
work
product
that
does
not
meet
particular
assignment
requirements
and

contains
significant
problems
in
content,
organization,
style,
or
mechanics
that
distract
the

audience
or
interfere
with
the
reception
of
the
message.




F






Unacceptable
work
that
fails
to
meet
multiple
assignment
requirements;
lacks
adequate

organization
or
shows
confusion/misunderstanding
of
concepts;
fails
to
develop
and

support
strong
arguments;
uses
an
inappropriate
tone,
poor
word
choice,
or
other
stylistic

problems;
or
contains
frequent
and
distracting
mechanical
or
grammatical
problems.




Late,
incomplete,
or
improperly
submitted
work
is
not
acceptable
in
this
course.

I
will
not
accept

late
or
make‐up
work
for
any
assignments,
except
for
university‐specified
circumstances.

If
you

Missed
and
 must
miss
class
or
deadlines
for
such
reasons,
you
should
make
arrangements
with
me
in

Late
Work advance.




Technological
problems
do
not
excuse
late
or
missing
work,


so
plan
your
work
schedule
to
allow
time
for
mishaps.


I
do
not
curve
individual
items,
nor
do
I
offer
“special
consideration”
to
allow
students
a
chance

to
raise
their
grade.

If
a
personal
situation
arises
during
the
semester
that
may
affect
your

Extra
Credit classroom
performance,
please
talk
to
me
sooner
rather
than
later.
If
you
wait
until
the
end
of

the
semester,
I
won’t
be
able
to
help
you.
I
can
work
with
you
more
easily
if
you
speak
to
me

when
the
situation
arises.

I
can’t
help
you
if
I
don’t
know
you
need
help.


Your
participation
grade
explicitly
includes
civility
and
professionalism
in
all
course

communication
and
behavior.

This
civility
includes
respecting
others’
opinions,
working

together
in
a
spirit
of
cooperation,
and
actively
listening
to
those
who
are
speaking.

I
expect
you

to
be
considerate
and
demonstrate
integrity.

Some
of
the
ways
you
can
demonstrate
your
skills

in
this
area
include
(but
certainly
are
not
limited
to):

• Keeping
the
class
in
the
foreground
of
your
attention.




Class

• Showing
respect
to
your
peers
and
to
the
instructor
in
your
listening
and

Participation
communicating
behaviors.



• Participating
actively
in
class
rather
than
simply
waiting
to
be
called
on.


• Adding
value
with
your
contributions
to
discussion,
such
as
connecting
disparate

ideas,
bringing
topical
information
to
the
table,
and
asking
insightful
questions.



• Taking
responsibility
for
the
consequences
of
your
choices
and
actions.




Spring 2011 ATEC 3325 Syllabus, Rev. 1.9.2011 3


You
must
attend
class
regularly,
prepare
the
assigned
readings,
and
actively
participate
in

class.
Work
assigned
for
this
class
carries
no
less
priority
than
work
you
may
have
to
complete

for
any
other
class
or
job.

Classroom
lectures,
discussions,
and
activities
do
not
generally
lend

themselves
to
summary
after
the
fact.

Moreover,
class
participation
is
a
vital
part
of
your

learning
process.




I
allow
up
to
two
absences
for
any
reason
without
penalty,
but
your
third
absence
(and
each

absence
thereafter)
will
decrease
your
participation
grade.

Notice
that
no
adjectives
modify

Class
 “absences.”

I
make
no
distinction
between
“excused”
and
“unexcused”
absences.

Unless
you

Attendance have
a
disability
or
other
university‐specified
accommodation,
the
excellence
of
your
excuse
is

not
a
factor;
you
either
attend
class
or
not.

Excessive
absences,
particularly
those
that
interfere

with
collaborative
projects
or
peer
editing,
will
have
significant
impacts
on
your
course
grade

and
may
result
in
failure.


The
class
attendance
policy
is
not
strictly
punitive,
though.
I
will
add
20
points
to
the
total

number
of
points
you
earn
on
your
work
if
you
attend
every
class,
and
I
will
add
10
points
if
you

only
miss
one
class.





You
may
use
laptops,
tablets,
cell
phones,
and
other
digital
devices
so
long
as
you
use
them

responsibly
and
respectfully.

If
your
digital
device
disturbs
other
students
or
interferes
with

Digital
Devices
 your
ability
to
participate
meaningfully
in
class
discussions,
you
may
be
asked
to
remove
the

distraction
and/or
leave
class,
thus
losing
credit
for
any
of
the
day’s
activities.


• You
 should
 make
 a
 habit
 of
 monitoring
 the
 course
 website
 on
 a
 regular
 basis
 for

announcements,
assignments,
discussions,
and
other
important
information.

• To
 protect
 your
 privacy
 rights,
 I
 will
 only
 send
 email
 through
 your
 official
 UT
 Dallas

Technology
 email
address.



Requirements
 • Do
 not
 tamper
 with
 or
 destroy
 any
 of
 the
 computers,
 printers,
 Smart
 Board,
 white

and

 boards,
 networks
 or
 wiring
 in
 the
 classroom.
 Violations
 will
 result
 in
 a
 disciplinary

Classroom
 referral
to
the
Dean
of
Students’
office.

Equipment

• Silence
 electronic
 device
 notification
 settings
 before
 class
 begins
 and
 refrain
 from

Policies
accepting
calls
in
class.


• Use
the
classroom
and
equipment
only
for
ATEC
3320‐related
activities.
Violations
will

result
in
a
disciplinary
referral
to
the
Dean
of
Students’
office.




You
should
also
familiarize
yourself
with
the
UT
Dallas
Syllabus
Procedures
and
Policies
available

at
http://go.utdallas.edu/syllabus‐policies




These
descriptions
and
timelines
are
subject
to
change
at
the
discretion
of
the
Professor.


Spring 2011 ATEC 3325 Syllabus, Rev. 1.9.2011 4


SPRING
2011
ATEC
3320.001
COURSE
SCHEDULE

Please
complete
assigned
readings
before
coming
to
class
unless
otherwise
noted.


DATE
 TOPICS
 READINGS
/
ASSIGNMENTS

1.10
 Course
Introduction
 Request
to
join
the
class
wiki

Begin
your
writing
profile

1.12
 Analyzing
Audiences
and
Tasks
 Redish,
Chapters
1,
2,
13

1.17
 Martin
Luther
King,
Jr.
Day
 

1.19
 Adapting
to
Purpose
and
Audience
 Yahoo!,
Chapters
1
and
2

Porter,
Chapters
1‐6
and
Appendixes

1.24
 Editing
the
Writing
Process
 Yahoo!,
Chapter
15

• http://www.editingthatworks.com/principles.htm


1.26
 Applying
Mechanics
and
Style
to
Online
Writing
 Redish,
Chapters
5,
6,
8,
9

Yahoo!,
Chapters
4,
10,
11,
12,
13,
14

1.31
 Mechanics
and
Style
Practice
Exam
 

2.02
 Wikis
and
Peer
Editing
 Porter,
Chapters
7‐10

Yahoo!,
Chapter
15

2.07
 Mechanics
and
Style
Exam
 

2.09
 Blog
Proposal
Work
Day
 Bring
proposal
hard
copies

2.14
 Copyright
and
Credibility
 Yahoo!,
Chapter
18

• Writing
for
the
Web
with
Integrity


• www.ojr.org/ojr/wiki/ethics

• Plagiarism
Blurs
Lines
for
Students
in
Digital
Age


• The
Cooks
Source
Case:
Public
Domain
vs.
Public

Domain


• Journalism,
Plagiarism
and
Attribution

• Is
Copyright
Infringement
Theft?



2.16
 Building
Credibility
Online
 • 5
Ways
to
Crowdsource
Easily,
Legally,
and
with
Quality


2.21
 Designing
Online
Documents
 Redish,
Chapters
3,
4,
7,
10,
11

Yahoo!,
Chapter
16

2.23
 Wiki
Landscaping
Day
 

2.28
 Creating
an
Organic
Style
Guide
 Redish,
Interludes

Yahoo!,
Chapter
19

3.02
 Creating
Your
Style
Guide
 Organic
Style
Guide
due
by
11:59
pm

3.07
 Creating
and
Establishing
Your
Online
Presence
 Yahoo!,
Chapter
3

3.09
 Creating
and
Establishing
Your
Online
Presence
 • What
Working
for
Wikipedia
Taught
Me
about

Collaboration


• Cooks
Source
Responds,
Apologizes
and
Angers


3.14
 SPRING
BREAK
 

3.16
 SPRING
BREAK
 

3.21
 Reporting
through
Citizen
Journalism
 • Creating
a
Navigational
Guide
to
New
Media


• Your
Guide
to
Citizen
Journalism


• The
Eleven
Layers
of
Citizen
Journalism


• How
to
Report
a
Story
Online


• After
conflicting
reports
in
Arizona
shooting,
Sklar,

Silverman
track
media
mistakes
while
NPR
explains


3.23
 Using
Videos
and
Podcasts
as
Writing
 • Chris
Anderson:
How
web
video
powers
global

innovation
Video
News
Reporting:
New
Lessons
in
New

Media


• See
It
Now!
Video
journalism
is
dying.
Long
live
video

journalism.


3.28
 Using
Links
Effectively;
Addressing
Errors
and
 Redish,
Chapter
12

Revising;
Using
Search
Engines
 Yahoo!,
Chapter
17

3.30
 Wiki
Landscaping
Day
 


Spring 2011 ATEC 3325 Syllabus, Rev. 1.9.2011 5


DATE
 TOPICS
 READINGS
/
ASSIGNMENTS

4.04
 Analyzing
Websites
 

4.06
 Analyzing
Websites
 

4.11
 Writing
Workshop
 

4.13
 Writing
Workshop
 

4.18
 Writing
Workshop
 

4.25
 Writing
Workshop
 

4.27
 Presentations
 

5.02
 Presentations
 Website
Analysis
Due

5.09
 Writing
Profile
Due,
5:00
pm
 



Additional
exercises
and
homework
assignments
will
be
announced
in
class
and
on
the
course
site.


Spring 2011 ATEC 3325 Syllabus, Rev. 1.9.2011 6

You might also like