writing for digital media, fall 2012

7/31/2019 Writing for Digital Media, Fall 2012

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Writing for Digital MediaNMAC 3108.01 MW 9:30a-10:50a H/SS-124 Dr. Gerald R. Lucas

Inside:

Writing for Digital Media : Fall 2012

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IntroductionWriting for Digital Media teaches the

writing skills necessary to communi-

cate effectively in the digital age.

P

ScheduleThe course schedule is an ideal

outline of the semester, but must

flexible to permit contingencies.

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ProjectsThis course will have several

requirements that will hone the

students digital writing skills.


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Course IntroductionAn Integral Course for the Digital Age

Writing for Digital Media (WDM) is a course specifically designed for the New Media

& Communications degree. It takes for its foundational premise that digital media

differs from that of print in several key ways, and because of these differences, to

use digital media successfully, writers must develop specific skills for its

mastery. WDM is designed to introduce students to these skills, provide them

various projects in which to develop them, and teach them to become savvy

producers and consumers of new media.

Course ProjectsTo Introduce and Develop New Media Writing Skills

WDM will consist of four major projects, all of which must be completed

satisfactorily and on-time for a student to pass the course. They are briefly outlined

here and will be explained in more detail on subsequent handouts.

Daily Writing Practice

Consider this your daily work: both in-class and out-of-class exercises that allow

you to practice your skills for writing for the screen. You will be required to keep a

self-reflexive portfolio that will be submitted at various times throughout the

semester.

Focused, Content-Specific Blog

This project will have students developing a blog that focuses on a specific topic.

You will choose appropriate topics during the initial weeks of class.

Digital Media FAQ (Wiki)

This is a collaborative project in open-source education. As a class, you will begin

construction of a Digital Composition knowledge base.

Digital Folios

You will complete several digital assignments through various web-based services

throughout the semester. These will be highlighted in your portfolio; see Digital

Writing Practice above.

For a tentative schedule of assignments relating to these projects, see the course

schedule on page 5. Further specifics concerning these projects will be

forthcoming in class and on LitMUSE: .
http://litmuse.net/http://litmuse.net/


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Course DetailsAll the stuff you need and need to know

Goals

In this course, you will use lectures, texts, and dailypractice to improve your digital writing. You will read,

write, and workshop (discuss each other's work in the

classroom for the purpose of improvement). Though this

class teaches you how to gear your writing toward a

digital audience and the basics of how to publish that

writing on the web, it is not a technology class; it is

primarily a writing class, though we will undoubtedly

address technology throughout. That said, our primary

concern is writing, not the tech.

Required Textbook

Carroll, Brian. Writing for Digital Media. Rout-

ledge (2010).

Lynch & Horton. The Web Style Guide. Online.

Please do not come to class without your book: we

need it for class activities, in-class writing, and all

aspects of our study. If you do not have your texts in-

class, you will be counted absent.

Recommended

A Grammar/Style Book

College Dictionary

Flash Drive

Supplementary Documents

At several points throughout the semester, your reading

assignments will entail essays that are not in the above

texts. These additional readings will be made available to

you as PDFs or links. You will need to download them,

print them, and bring them to class with you on the day

we are covering them in class. Failure to do so will earn

you anabsence.

Pen and Paper

You should also bring an ink interface of some sort, as

well as dead trees on which to take notes. Notes should

not only reflect good listening skills, but individual

interest in every topic discussed in class. You should not

sit in class like youre watching TV: learning

requiresactive participation.Devices, Etc.

Materials, like cell phones, food, magazines, iPods, etc.,

should be left in your car. They are not needed for our

class and should, therefore, not accompany you.

Anything that has the potential to distract you or the

class, should not be in class. If I ask you to put away a

device, I expect you not to use it and to not bring it to

subsequent class meetings. This goes for laptops, too.

Assignments

Your work represents you. Therefore, I expect everything

you turn into me to exemplify the very best of your

professional self. Work should be proofread, rhetorically

appropriate, and illustrate your very best writing and

understanding of the course material. Any assignment is

not worth doing if if its not going to represent your best

work. No late submissions will be considered for a

grade; technological glitches are unacceptable excuses

for late assignments.

Attendance

The classroom experience is a vital part of college

education. Interaction with instructors and other

students is an important element of the learning

process. Students are expected to attend all class

sessions. Students whose number of absences is more

than twice the number of class meetings per week may

be assigned a failing grade for the course at the

discretion of the instructor. Students who have more

absences than the number of class meetings per week

but less than twice the number of class meetings per

week may be penalized at the discretion of the

instructor.

Continued on Page 4

Writing for Digital Media : Fall 2012 3


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Conduct

As a Macon State College student and as a

student in this class, it is your responsibility

to read, to understand, and to abide by the

MSC Student Code of Conduct from the

MSC Student Handbook, available online.

Grades

A=90%-100% of total points; B=80%-89%;

C=70%-79%; D=60%-69%; F=below 60%.

Heres how you can excel in this course:

avoid excessive absences; view all videos;

read all assigned readings; take thorough

notes on lectures and readings; complete all

assignments on-time and to the best of your

ability; demonstrate a thoughtful and critical

engagement of the course material.

Please note: I do not discuss grades via anyelectronic medium; if you have questions

about an evaluation, you must see me

during my office hours. You will receive your

final grade in this course onlythrough

BannerWeb.

Plagiarism

Willful plagiarism will result in automatic

failure of this class and will be pursued to

incite the utmost penalty for such

dishonesty. Academic falsehood, in any

form, will constitute class failure. The

professor reserves the right to use the

plagiarism detection service Turn It In at his

discretion.

Special Needs

Students seeking academic

accommodations for a special need must

contact the MSC Counseling and Disability

Services (478-471-2985) located on the first

floor of the Math Building (formerly Learning

Support), Room 110 on the Macon

Campus. I cannot accommodate needs

requests without the proper documentation.

Course Details (cont.)

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Tentative Course Schedule

W1: 8/20 & 8/22

W2: 8/27 & 8/29

W3: 9/3 & 9/5

W4: 9/10 & 9/12

W5: 9/17 & 9/19

W6: 9/24 & 9/26

W7: 10/1 & 10/3

W8: 10/8 & 10/10

Course Introduction & Overview W9: 10/15 & 10/17 Reading: Carroll, Chapter 10 (236-251)

Reading: Carroll, Chapter 1 (3-22); Writing Practice W10: 10/22 & 10/24 Reading: Carroll, Chapter 11 (252-297)

No class Monday (Labor Day); Reading: Carroll,

Chapter 2 (23-54); Digital Writing PracticeW11: 10/29 & 10/31 Blog / Wiki Workshops

Reading: Carroll, Chapters 3-4 (55-96) W12: 11/5 & 11/7 Beyond the Web: Writing for Mobile Devices

Reading: Carroll, Chapters 5-6 (97-134) W13: 11/19 & 11/21 No class this week for Thanksgiving

Reading: Carroll, Chapter 7 (135-167); Blog

AssignmentW14: 11/26 & 11/28 Workshops

Reading: Carroll, Chapters 8-9 (168-235); Wiki

AssignmentW15: 12/3 & 12/5 Workshops

No class Wednesday (Dr. Lucas out of town) Exam Week Final Projects Due

Dr. Gerald LucasWeb: http://litmuse.net/ Email: [email protected] AIM: drgrlucas Office (H/SS-117) Hours: MW 1-3:30pm; TR 1-2pm; By Appointment

The best way to contact me is via email. I make every effort to reply to email quickly. However, please note that I do not reply to emails on the

weekends. Thanks for your understanding.
http://litmuse.net/http://litmuse.net/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://litmuse.net/http://litmuse.net/