SYLLABUS

I.          COURSE   COURSE

            PREFIX     NUMBER   COURSE NAME                                   CREDIT   LECTURE   LAB

              EGL          211      Writing for the Web                                     3             3

 

II.            Prerequisites: 
One previous college-level writing course (EGL 101, EGL 111, or equivalent recommended).

III.  Course Description:
This course focuses on the specialized writing techniques and skills necessary to produce effective online hypertext documents for Internet and Intranet systems.   Students will learn how to organize and write company web pages and online tutorials (help systems) that are highly readable and easily navigated by various audiences. The course emphasizes information mapping and writing techniques to achieve language precision, conciseness, and clarity.   Students must have experience using word processing software. Note: this is not a course in basic grammar or in HTML coding.

 IV.  Learning Objectives:

Writing for the Web is designed to give student the necessary tools to competently write and present descriptive, explanatory, and instructional information for internet and intranet systems. Specifically, students will demonstrate their ability to:

1. Identify purposes and types of online documents
2. Identify audience types and analyze information needs.
3. Apply appropriate language, tone, and presentation modes for intended audiences and purposes
4. Write technical material for nontechnical audiences.
5. Classify information according to logical principles.
6. Write labels and headings that accurately convey content
7. Write contextual clues and advance organizers
8. Apply appropriate navigational tools
9. Write usable instructions for online training and/or tutorials.
10. Write descriptions of organizations, products, services or procedures.
11.  Effectively integrate graphics and text.
12. Apply fundamental page design principles to online documents.
13.   Identify and employ netiquette, ethics, and "best practices".
14. Apply strategies to achieve clarity and concisness in web writing.
    
    

 V.  Academic Integrity: 

The very nature of higher education requires that students adhere to accepted standards of academic integrity.  Therefore, Oakton Community College has adopted a Code of Academic Conduct and a Statement of Student Academic Integrity.  These may be found in the Student Handbook.  You may also find a summary of the Code of Academic Conduct in the College Catalog.  Among the violations of academic integrity listed and defined are: cheating, plagiarism, falsification and fabrication, abuse of academic materials, complicity in academic dishonesty, falsification of records and official documents, personal misrepresentation and proxy, and bribes, favors, and threats.

It is the student's responsibility to be aware of behaviors that constitute academic dishonesty.

Pursuant to the due process guarantees contained in the Policy and Procedures on Student Academic Integrity, the minimum punishment for the first offense for a student found in violation of the standards of academic integrity is failure in the assignment.  In addition, a disciplinary record will be established and kept on file in the office of the Vice-President for Student Affairs for a period of 3 years

What Constitutes Academic Dishonesty in this Course?  Plagiarizing from other sources, whether they are in the form of books, articles, electronic media, or PEOPLE..  Having someone else do your writing is dishonest since you will be putting your name on the document as the author.  DO NOT have someone else check your work for grammar, mechanics, etc.  Not only is this dishonest, since I will be evaluating YOUR writing (which includes basically your ability to use standard usage and form), but also this is a poor workplace practice.  Your colleagues do not want to take time from their work to check yours.  Knowing what to revise and than actually doing it well are skills of a good writer, skills we will be developing in this course. 


VI.  Outline of Topics (See Calendar webpage)

VII. Methods of Instruction:
Lectures, discussions, writing exercises, and review of   Internet sites will be used to introduce and clarify principles and strategies  of writing for the web.  Computers will be employed for research and writing.

 VIII. Course Practices Required:
·        Completing and submitting acceptable versions of all written assignments
·        Participation in computer lab activities
·        Positive contributions to collaborative writing activities.

 IX.  Instructional Materials:
·          Writing for the Web: A Practical Guide by Cynthia Jeney (2007)
·        Instructor-generated materials, including course website
+    A grammar handbook (student choice -- several available in the bookstore)

 X.  Methods of Evaluating Student Progress

• Instructor assessment of written assignments;  peer and instructor assessment of  contributions to collaborative projects.

• The semester grade will be calculated as follows:
      % of non-graded, practice exercises completed - 100 points
      Homepage Revision Assignment - 100 points
      Help Page/FAZ webpage assignment - 100 points
      Group Web Design/Writing Project - 200 points (100 possible for contributions; 100 possible for website)

• Total Semester points = 500
  450 - 500 = A
  400 - 449 = B
  350 - 399 = C
  300 - 349 = D
  below 300 = F

 

 

XI.  Other Course Information:

If you have a documented learning, psychological, or physical disability you may be entitled to reasonable academic accommodations or services.  To request accommodations or services, contact the ASSIST office in Instructional Support Services.  All students are expected to fulfill essential course requirements.  The College will not waive any essential skill or requirement of a course or degree program.

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