syllabus
multimedia authoring: exploring the new rhetorics
engl 355 fall 2006
dr. patricia freitag ericsson
ericsson@wsu.edu
335-4820
223 avery
office hours: 1:15-2:00 tth and by appointmentjared anthony (graduate assistant)
jjanthony@wsu.eduQuick link to schedule
catalog description
Writing for new computer-based media; multimedia authoring project; examination of new rhetorics of information technology.
It is strongly recommended that students enrolled in this course also enroll in Engl 300. For more information about technology in this course and ENGL 300 see the technology section below.detailed description
If you just want to author multimedia projects--things that might appear on the web, or a multimedia film or cd, or something like that--then this course is not for you. We will be doing some "making" but more than that, we'll be asking important questions like--> Why do we create multimedia projects?
> How does classical rhetoric relate to multimedia production?
> How do we read images in multimedia projects ?
> Do we read multiimedia texts differently?
> As authors of multimedia projects do we think about our topics, audience, purpose, and those sorts of things differently?
> What do multimedia projects say about sex, gender, consumerism, race, politics?
> What do multimedia projects fail to say about the above topics and others?
> Who is making multimedia projects (and who doesn't get to make them)?
> Who is distributing multimedia projects (and whose multimedia projects don't get distributed)?
> What's the history of all this multimedia projects stuff?
> How do you make multimedia projects (the "how to" part of this course, but a part that *must* be supported by the questions above).
> Why should I bother with this class?
course goals
Very briefly, the goals of this course are to investigate the rhetorics of new media by
> considering the rhetorical implications of multimedia projects
> considering the composer responsibilities of multimedia projects
> considering the reader responsibilities of multimedia projects
> creating a web site that reflects the above considerationscourse objectives
By the end of this course students will be better able to
> articulate the historical and rhetorical dimensions of multimedia projects
> understand the rhetorical elements of multimedia projects
> illustrate this undersanding through the critique of multimedia projects
> illustrate this understanding through the production of multimedia projects
required texts
Course Pack: available at the Bookie
ix visual exercises by Cheryl Ball and Kristin Arolatechnology
Since this course deals with computer-based media, computers are a vital part of it. We will meet often in the Avery Microcomputer Lab (Avery 101). You must know how to use Dreamweaver and Photoshop to complete this course. ENGL 300 is considered the lab extension of this course and most students must take it to learn the software required to complete ENGL 355 assignments. If you know Dreamweaver and Photoshop from past experience, you may not need ENGL 300. If your ability to use these programs is at all in question, you must sign up for 300. Expecting to learn Dreamweaver and Photoshop on your own without taking ENGL 300 is unrealistic. ENGL 300 details.
attendance and assignments
To successfully complete this class, you must faithfully attend class and faithfully complete all assignments. Because we will be working collaboratively on many assignments, your regular attendance is vital. Specifically this translates to the following
>More than three absences will seriously jeopardize your grade; five absences will make it almost impossible to complete the course successfully.
> Extensive tardiness will be considered in assessing absences.
> Planned absences must be discussed and OK’d by the teacher prior to the absence.
> Acceptance of late work is unusual and must be discussed in conference with the teacher. Late work unaccompanied by a sufficient excuse (and conference) will receive a lowered grade if turned in within one week of the original due date. Work turned in later than one week past the original due date will be give an automatic grade of F.schedule
Although a complete schedule is attached, it may be adjusted to accommodate student and teacher needs.wsu accommodation policy
We are committed to providing assistance to help you be successful in this course. Reasonable accommodations are available for students with a documented disability. Please visit the Disability Resource Center (DRC) during the first two weeks of every semester to seek information or to qualify for accommodations. All accommodations MUST be approved through the DRC (Admin Annex Bldg, Rooms 205). Call 509 335 3417 to make an appointment with a disability counselor.academic honesty
All students are expected to act in accordance with the WSU policies on Academic Honesty found in the Student Handbook. These policies include falsification of information, fabrication of information, plagiarism, multiple submission, and various others. Information about these policies can be found in the Handbook. These policies will be discussed in class and students will be asked to acknowledge that discussion and a basic understanding of the policies. For additional information on plagiarism, WSU has a great new site. See the class academic honesty form by clicking here. Please print, read, sign, and bring this form to class.projects and evaluation:
Each project will include a guide for evaluation (an evaluation rubric) that is agreed upon by the teacher and students. Collaborative agreement on these evaluation rubrics will assure both the students and the teacher that the assignments are understood and that the evaluation criteria are fully clarified.
Multimedia Hypertext Argument
Mock Professional Site Design 15% Visual Literacy Assignment 15% Web-folio 20%