English 8121. Digital Rhetoric
Syllabus Schedule Projects Handouts
Here are the major projects in this course, some of which contain more than one assignment. You must complete all projects satisfactorily in order to receive a passing grade for the course. Below is a brief description of each major project. For more detailed instructions on each project, click on the links.
Getting a Web Host (Not graded)
Option 1: Use GSUCREATE
Go to create.gsu.edu and sign in with your campus id and password.
Option 2: Obtain a domain name and hosting account
There’re many web hosts out there. You might want to do some comparison shopping. One I’d recommend is bluehost.
Reading Discussion and Participation (100 Points)
For each week’s reading (which may consist of more than one book chapter or article), we’ll have some brief discussions in class. Please make sure to come to class prepared and be ready to share your insights and contribute to our in-class discussions.
Reading Presentation (100 Points)
Each of you will be responsible for 1-2 readings during the course of the semester by (1) presenting a summary of the reading to the class and (2) by acting as discussion leader of the day. You’re expected to present a summary of the readings and to prepare some questions for discussion. The total readings discussion should be limited to around 15 minutes.
| Week | Readings | Presenter |
|---|---|---|
| Week 2 | Selfe&Hawisher Moran Eyman (Intro) |
Haris |
| Week 3 | Eyman (Ch. 1) Zappen |
Leah |
| Week 4 | Eyman (Ch. 2) | Alina |
| Week 5 | Eyman (Ch. 3) | Jim |
| Week 6 | Eyman (Ch. 4) | Sierra |
| Week 7 | Porter | Tyrell |
| Week 8 | Haddock et al. Mateus |
Keaton |
| Week 9 | Eyman & Ball Hawisher & Selfe |
Liping |
| C.R.A.P. Principles Proximity Alignment |
Jennifer | |
| Week 10 | Clark Pullman & Gu |
Natalie |
| Repetition Contrast Principles |
||
| Week 11 | Altexsoft (Information architecture) | Cameron |
| Week 12 | Babich (Layout) | Loujain |
| Week 13 | Tubik (Affordances) | Fikko |
Website Analysis (200 points)
For this assignment, you’ll pick a website of your choice and analyze its design. Your focus will be on how the design utilizes (or fails to utilize) effective rhetorical principles in accomplish its intended purposes.
Research Paper (300 Points)
For this project, you will write a research article intended for publication in an academic journal. You can pick any topic related to digital rhetoric.
Final Project–Client Website or Online Portfolio (300 Points)
For this project, you have two options:
1. Online Portfolio
For this option, you will create an online portfolio that will effectively market you for your career goals. The content of the portfolio will depend on what you want to do after you graduate from the current program. If you’re a Master’s student, for example, you may pursue further study at the PhD level, or apply for a teaching position in the academia, or seek a position in the industry such as technical writer, newspaper reporter, or journal editor. If you’re a PhD student, most likely you will be seeking teaching positions.
2. Client Website
For this option, you’ll be designing or redesigning a website for somebody other than yourself. You can choose any client: a friend, a small business, a non-profit organization, a student organization, a church, etc.