Complete Package of Information
2013 MCWT Foundation Website Design Competition for High School Girls
Table of Contents
Page 1 of 18
Announcement and Timetable
Page 2
Theme and Rules
Pages 3 - 5
Registration Materials –
Formatted for completing on
computer (Preferred)
Pages 6 - 7
Registration Materials –
Formatted for completing by
hand
Pages 8 - 9
Training Day Registration
Page 10
Parent Release Form –
Formatted for completing by
hand
Page 11
Parent Release Form –
Formatted for Inserting JPG
Signature
Page 12
Frequently Asked Questions
(FAQ)
Pages 13 - 16
Resources for Contestants
Pages 17-18
The MCWT Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit
MCWT Foundation 2013 Website Design Competition
For High School Girls in Michigan
The Michigan Council of Women in Technology Foundation is excited to announce its
8th Annual Website Design Competition for high school girls! This unique
opportunity allows female students to develop and display both their creative
abilities and their programming skills. High school girls in Michigan are challenged to
create a website addressing the 2013 theme: “Ancestors: OMG!”
MCWT Foundation
2013 Website Design Competition Schedule
Event
2013 Dates
Competition announcement faxed and emailed to schools to alert them to the
Fall competition
May, 2013
Competition information and application posted to mcwt.org, along with Training
Day registration form
Thursday, Aug. 29
Competition officially opens with announcement of the 2013 theme
Thursday, Aug. 29
Reminders of the competition via electronic communications to schools and PR
Sept. 3-28
Registration deadline
Wednesday, Oct. 2
Registration deadline for training classes
Thursday, Oct. 3
Training classes (optional) in website design software, troubleshooting, usability,
and audio & video insertion, held at Davenport University’s Livonia Campus
Saturday, Oct. 12
Training classes (optional) in website design software, troubleshooting, usability,
and audio & video insertion, held at Michigan State University in East Lansing
Saturday, Oct. 26
Website development time for contestants
Aug. 29 – Mon., Nov. 11
Index Page upload deadline
7 PM Thursday Nov. 7
Completed Web Site upload deadline
8:59:59 PM Mon., Nov. 13
FTP disabled
9:00 PM Monday Nov. 13
Judging of first round
Nov. 15 – Nov. 25
Announcement of finalists
Nov. 28 via email to all
contestants and teachers
Finalists' oral presentations and Final Judging, followed immediately by
presentation of prizes; Location: Blue Care Network Auditorium in Southfield
Saturday, Dec. 7, 9 AM
Page 2 of 18
The MCWT Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit
Theme and Rules for 2013 Website Design Competition for
Michigan High School Girls



Two Categories: Beginner and Advanced
See chart below to decide which category is appropriate for you.
Contestants may compete as an individual or in a team of two girls, with no change in
how the teams are judged.
Competition Theme: Ancestors: OMG! Create a website that reveals surprises about three of your ancestors.
These surprises may be shocking, funny, historical or unique. Note: If a contestant prefers, she may examine
someone else’s family tree and create the website using that person’s ancestors.
Background: MCWT Foundation is sponsoring its 8th Annual Website Design Competition for high school girls. Each
year a theme is chosen for the websites that allows the contestants to focus on a specific topic of interest. This year's
theme is “Ancestors: OMG!” It is open ended enough to encourage creativity, thoughtfulness, and a little research.
Website Development: We ask for honesty and integrity from our contestants. Teachers will be asked to verify that
a contestant’s work is her own. Also, Finalists may be asked technical questions regarding the development of her
website.
Pre-made templates are not allowed. Entries using a pre-made template will be disqualified. If you use design
software, make sure you begin with a blank page, NOT a template that may be offered. A contestant can create her
own template from scratch, save it, and reuse it for each page. Just be sure to start with a blank page. It goes
without saying that a “Go Daddy”-type template would be disqualified, but even software such as Microsoft Publisher
offers template choices. When offered a template, instead, choose “blank page.”
All pages must have the “.html” file extension. The use of a Cascading Style Sheet (.css) for text formatting is
allowed. Teams in the Beginner category using other authoring languages such as php, Flash or including Flash
movies will be disqualified. Teams in the Advanced category are allowed other authoring languages and must include
brief original video or sound or animation.
The websites may become part of, or be linked from, the MCWT Foundation sites at www.mcwt.org or at
www.mcwtfwebdesign4girls.net . Because of this, we require that you limit personal information in your website. You
may disclose your name, your school, or perhaps even your photo, on the page that includes your sources or
references. You must avoid addresses, dates of birth, phone numbers, email addresses, personal website links, etc. to
protect your privacy.
In addition to the chart of rules (below), helpful resources are posted at www.mcwtfwebdesign4girls.net
. These resources include:



Frequently Asked Questions that clarify many of the rules of the competition
Instructions called “The Process” telling how to upload your final website design. Private
passwords for uploading will be sent individually and privately to each contestant.
A chart of online resources, including several tutorials
Page 3 of 18
The MCWT Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit
RULES FOR EACH CATEGORY
Beginner Category
Advanced Category
If you (and your teammate, if any) are in your first semester
or first trimester of web design (or similar) classes, then you
may enter the Beginner category. You may, at your option,
enter the Advanced instead.
If you (or your teammate, if any) have completed one
semester or trimester of design (or similar) classes, then
you must enter the Advanced category of this competition.
FIVE PAGES total: One page must be your home page. Three
pages must be dedicated to your discussion of three
ancestors. The 5th page must list:
FIVE PAGES total: One page must be your home page.
Three pages must be dedicated to your discussion of three
ancestors. The 5th page must list:
a) The computer classes you are taking or have taken;
b) HTML code you used and perhaps altered from other
websites, the page of your website it is on, and a description
of how you altered it, if you did. See FAQ and the Resources
page for more information.
c) Software used, if any, including image-editing software d)
Any other sources you need to reference
a) The computer classes you are taking or have taken;
b) HTML code you used and perhaps altered from other
websites, the page of your website it is on, and a description
of how you altered it, if you did. See FAQ and the Resources
page for more information.
c) Software used, if any, including image-editing software;
d) Any other sources you need to reference
The use of web page templates is not allowed. You may use
design software, though, IF you choose "blank page" to begin
the project. The use of Adobe Flash software is NOT allowed in
the Beginner category.
The use of web page templates is not allowed. You may use
design software, though, IF you choose "blank page" to
begin the project. Adobe Flash is allowed, but not required.
At least one external link is required and it must open in a new
window. The link must be relevant to the topic.
At least two external links are required, one of which must
be a link to social media. The links must open in a new
window. The non-social-media link must be relevant to the
topic. See our “Frequently Asked Questions” page for info on
Social Media links.
You may NOT provide any links to personal websites or
personal social media pages. You may NOT include “email
me” links. These rules are to protect your privacy.
You may NOT provide any links to personal websites or
personal social media pages. You may NOT include “email
me” links. These rules are to protect your privacy.
Primary and secondary navigation options must be obvious to
your audience and the links must work.
Primary and secondary navigation options must be obvious
to your audience and the links must work.
The site’s hierarchy must be clear and the page names must
be descriptive.
The site’s hierarchy must be clear and the page names must
be descriptive.
Pages must display accurately and load quickly in Internet
Explorer 8 or higher.
Pages must display accurately and load quickly in IE 8 or
higher, plus Chrome and Firefox.
Images must load correctly. Original images will be scored
higher than non-original images. See FAQ and the Resources
page for more information.
Images must load correctly. Original images will be scored
higher than non-original images. See FAQ and the
Resources page for more information.
Alt Tags AND Title Tags on images are required. See FAQ and
the Resources page for more information.
Alt Tags AND Title Tags on images are required. See FAQ
and the Resources page for more information.
Page 4 of 18
The MCWT Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit
All pages must have a distinct title in addition to the title of
the website.
All pages must have a distinct title in addition to the title of
the website.
The filenames that precede '.html' may not contain special
characters, spaces, or capital letters. The filename of the first
page (home page) must be 'index.html'. The filenames must
be similar or identical to both the title on the page as well as
the navigation button labels.
The filenames that precede '.html' may not contain special
characters, spaces, or capital letters. The filename of the
first page (home page) must be 'index.html'. The filenames
must be similar or identical to both the title on the page as
well as the navigation button labels.
No audio, video, or animation is allowed. This means NO
scrolling or any other movement.
One instance of up to 15 seconds of ORIGINAL sound or
video or animation is mandatory in the Advanced category
and it must relate to the topic. Mouse-over animation or
scrolling navigation is allowed, but would not count toward
the mandatory audio or video or animation.
Announcing the winners in the Beginner Category: Twelve
(12) finalists will be chosen. All 12 finalists, their families and
their teachers will be invited to the Finals Day ceremonies on
December 7. All will receive Finalist Certificates. The six (6)
Beginner-category winners will be announced at Finals Day.
* First Place - $400
* Second Place - $250
* Third Place - $200
* Honorable Mention – (3) $50
Announcing the winners in the Advanced Category: Twelve
(12) finalists will be chosen. All 12 finalists, their families
and their teachers will be invited to the Finals Day
ceremonies on December 7. These 12 will present their
sites to Finals Judges on Finals Day using MCWT laptop
and screen. All 12 will receive Finalist Certificates. The six
(6) winners will be announced at Finals Day.
*
*
*
*
First Place - $750
Second Place - $500
Third Place - $300
Honorable Mention – (3) $75
Questions? Email Barbara Kalbfleisch BarbKalb@mcwt.org (for Southeast Michigan contestants)
Or Michelle Jennings mjenning@inghamisd.org (for Mid-Michigan contestants)
Page 5 of 18
The MCWT Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit
MCWT FOUNDATION 2013 WEBSITE DESIGN COMPETITION REGISTRATION
REGISTRATION DUE BY END OF THE DAY ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2013
Competition deadline is Monday, Nov. 13, 2013
School Name
School Address, City, Zip
School Phone
Principal’s Email
Teacher/Sponsor Name
Teacher/Sponsor Cell or
Other Phone
TEAM ONE
Teacher’s Email
☐ Beginner
☐ Advanced
(Note: Girls may enter singly or with one teammate.)
Student Name
Email Address
Home Address, City, Zip
Phone
Student Name
Email Address
Home Address, City, Zip
Phone
TEAM TWO
(Note: Girls may enter singly or with one teammate.)
Student Name
☐ Beginner
☐ Advanced
Email Address
Home Address, City, Zip
Phone
Student Name
Email Address
Home Address, City, Zip
Phone
TEAM THREE
(Note: Girls may enter singly or with one teammate.)
Student Name
☐ Beginner
☐ Advanced
Email Address
Student Name
Email Address
TEAM FOUR
Student Name
☐ Beginner
☐ Advanced
Email Address
Student Name
Email Address
Page 6 of 18
Home Address, City, Zip
Phone
Home Address, City, Zip
Phone
Home Address, City, Zip
Phone
Enter
grade
9-12
Enter
grade
9-12
Enter
grade
9-12
Enter
grade
9-12
Enter
grade
9-12
Home Address, City, Zip
Phone
Enter
grade
9-12
(Note: Girls may enter singly or with one teammate.)
The MCWT Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit
Enter
grade
9-12
Enter
grade
9-12
TEAM FIVE
(Note: Girls may enter singly or with one teammate.)
Student Name
☐ Beginner
☐ Advanced
Email Address
Home Address, City, Zip
Phone
Student Name
Email Address
Home Address, City, Zip
Phone
Note: Use an additional form if you are entering more than five teams.
Enter
grade
9-12
Enter
grade
9-12
Teachers: Contestants may enroll in classes to increase their skills in web design, usability, and
troubleshooting. Individual assistance with a contestant’s site will be offered. Students should bring workin-progress (if any) with them. The Day of Instruction will be in a full computer lab. You may attend with
your students, if you wish. Classes are offered at no charge. The first is Saturday, October 12, 2013, on
the campus of Davenport University in Livonia. The second is Saturday, October 26, 2013, on the campus
of Michigan State University in East Lansing. Contestants may attend either – or both—Training Days.
Both will be from 9-1. Details will be sent to the contestants who note that they will attend.
MCWT Foundation offers a self-directed web design tutorial for contestants. We ask that
contestants review the tutorial in advance of the Day of Instruction, in order to determine what
you most hope to learn. The tutorial can be found at:
http://www.mcwtfwebdesign4girls.net on the Resources page
Note: Attendance at the Day of Instruction is not a requirement for participation in the
competition. If, however, a student signs up to attend the Day of Instruction and, for some
reason, finds she cannot attend after all, she MUST alert MCWT Foundation prior to the
Wednesday before the class. The reason we do this is because our instructors are busy
professionals who plan their lessons around the number of girls expected. In addition, MCWT
Foundation provides snacks & lunch for the girls who attend, so we need to order food for the
correct number of girls and teachers in attendance .
Page 7 of 18
The MCWT Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit
MCWT Foundation 2013 WEBSITE DESIGN COMPETITION REGISTRATION
REGISTRATION DUE BY END OF THE DAY ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2 2013.
Competition deadline is Monday, Nov. 13, 2013.
School Name
School Address,
City, Zip
School Phone
Principal’s Email
Teacher/Sponsor
Name
Teacher/Sponsor
Cell or Other
Phone
Teacher’s Email
TEAM ONE:
Beginner or
Advanced?
(Note: girls may enter singly or with one teammate)
STUDENT NAME
EMAIL ADDRESS
HOME ADDRESS and CITY with ZIP
PHONE
STUDENT NAME
EMAIL ADDRESS
HOME ADDRESS
PHONE
STUDENT NAME
EMAIL ADDRESS
HOME ADDRESS and CITY with ZIP
PHONE
STUDENT NAME
EMAIL ADDRESS
HOME ADDRESS
PHONE
TEAM TWO:
Beginner or
Advanced?
Page 8 of 18
The MCWT Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit
TEAM THREE:
Beginner or
Advanced?
STUDENT NAME
EMAIL ADDRESS
HOME ADDRESS and CITY with ZIP
PHONE
STUDENT NAME
EMAIL ADDRESS
HOME ADDRESS
PHONE
There is no limit on the number of teams that may enter from each school. Make copies to create extra registration
pages if necessary.
DAY OF INSTRUCTION OFFERED AT NO CHARGE
Teachers: Contestants may enroll in classes to increase their skills in web design, usability, and
troubleshooting. Individual assistance with a contestant’s site will be offered. Students should bring workin-progress (if any) with them. The Day of Instruction will be in a full computer lab. You may attend with
your students, if you wish. Classes are offered at no charge. The first is Saturday, October 12, 2013, on
the campus of Davenport University in Livonia. The second is Saturday, October 26, 2013, on the campus
of Michigan State University in East Lansing. Contestants may attend either – or both—Training Days.
Both will be from 9-1. Details will be sent to the contestants who note that they will attend.
MCWT Foundation offers a self-directed web design tutorial for contestants. We ask that
contestants review the tutorial in advance of the Day of Instruction, in order to determine what
you most hope to learn. The tutorial can be found at http://www.mcwtfwebdesign4girls.net
on the Resources page.
Note: Attendance at the Day of Instruction is not a requirement for participation in the competition. If, however, a
student signs up to attend the Day of Instruction and, for some reason, finds she cannot attend after all, she MUST
alert MCWT Foundation prior to the Wednesday before the class, or else she will be dropped from the competition. We
do this because our instructors are busy professionals who plan their lessons around the number of girls expected. In
addition, MCWT Foundation provides snacks & lunch for the girls who attend, so we need to order food for the correct
number of girls and teachers in attendance.
Page 9 of 18
The MCWT Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit
The following students will attend the Day of Instruction:
Enter names of students attending
1
Enter girls’ full name.
2
Enter girl’s full name.
3
Enter girl’s full name.
4
Enter girl’s full name.
5
Enter girl’s full name.
6
Enter girl’s full name.
7
8
Enter girl’s full name
Enter girl’s full name
Check the location(s) she will
attend
☐Davenport in Livonia (10/12)
☐MSU in East Lansing (10/26)
☐Both locations on both dates
☐Davenport in Livonia (10/12)
☐MSU in East Lansing (10/26)
☐Both locations on both dates
☐Davenport in Livonia (10/12)
☐MSU in East Lansing (10/26)
☐Both locations on both dates
☐Davenport in Livonia (10/12)
☐MSU in East Lansing (10/26)
☐Both locations on both dates
☐Davenport in Livonia (10/12)
☐MSU in East Lansing (10/26)
☐Both locations on both dates
☐Davenport in Livonia (10/12)
☐MSU in East Lansing (10/26)
☐Both locations on both dates
☐Davenport in Livonia (10/12)
☐MSU in East Lansing (10/26)
☐Both locations on both dates
☐Davenport in Livonia (10/12)
☐MSU in East Lansing (10/26)
☐Both locations on both dates
Will you, as the teacher, attend the Day of Instruction as well?
☐ Yes
☐No
Email this completed form, saving it labeled with your school name, to BarbKalb@mcwt.org
Deadline: Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Page 10 of 18
The MCWT Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit
MCWT Foundation 2013 Website Design Competition
Parent Release – Formatted for Scan/Email or Fax
PUBLIC RELATIONS AUTHORIZATION – I authorize the release of my daughter's name and photograph
for use in advertising campaigns, newspapers, or other media sources, including television, in
connection with school activities, awards, or honors. Further, I authorize MCWT to provide a link to my
daughter's website if she is selected as a Finalist.
Using your computer or CLEAR printing, please complete all but the signature line. Then print, sign,
and return to barbkalb@mcwt.org or fax to 248-254-7012. Please put your daughter’s name and
school in the subject line.
Student's Name
Student’s High
School
Parent's Name
Parent's Phone
Number
Parent’s Email
Address
Parent's Signature
A signed release form must be sent prior to the upload deadline. A
contestant will NOT be eligible for the Finals without this release.
Choose from the following:
1. Scan or take photo of the signed form and then email to BarbKalb@mcwt.org (Preferred)
OR
2. Fax the release form to 248-254-7012
Page 11 of 18
The MCWT Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit
MCWT Foundation 2013 Website Design Competition
Parent Release – Formatted for JPG Signature
PUBLIC RELATIONS AUTHORIZATION – I authorize the release of my daughter's name and photograph
for use in advertising campaigns, newspapers, or other media sources, including television, in
connection with school activities, awards, or honors. Further, I authorize MCWT to provide a link to my
daughter's website if she is selected as a Finalist.
Using your computer, please complete all but the signature line. Then insert a photo of your signature
and return via email to MCWT.
Student’s Name
Parent’s Name
Parent’s Phone Number
Parent’s Email
Student’s High School
Enter student name
Enter parent name
Enter phone
Enter parent email address.
Enter H.S.
.
Parent Signature: Please take a photo of your signature and enter the jpg (photo) file below:
A signed release form must be provided in order for your daughter to participate in the competition. This
form must be received prior to the upload deadline or the contestant may not be selected as a Finalist.
Save the file with your daughter’s name and attach it to an email to Barbara Kalbfleisch:
BarbKalb@mcwt.org
Page 12 of 18
The MCWT Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit
Frequently Asked Questions
Supplemental Information to the Website Design Competition Rules
If it’s in here, it’s a rule! Our chart of rules clearly references this FAQ document.
How will the websites be judged?
BEGINNER Category: One round of judging will occur. Judges will focus on the technical quality, content,
and usability of the websites. They will also examine the website’s adherence to the competition
requirements for the Beginner category. Multiple judges will view each site. Scores from each judge will be
totaled. We will announce the top 12 on Nov. 28, 2013. All contestants will be notified of the results via
email, whether she is a finalist or not. The 12 finalists, with their parents and teacher, will be invited to
Finals Day on Saturday, December 7, 2013 at Blue Care Network Auditorium in Southfield. At Finals Day,
the six winners will be announced and presented with their ranking and prize money.
ADVANCED Category: Two rounds of judging will take place. The first round will focus on the technical
quality, content, and usability of the websites. It will also examine the website’s adherence to the
competition requirements. Twelve Advanced Finalists will be chosen to compete in a second round on
Saturday, December 7, 2013. All contestants will be notified of the results via email, whether she is a
finalist or not. On “Finals Day,” the 12 Finalists will present their websites to the Finals Judges panel. On
that day, winners will be selected not only on their designs but also on their oral presentation to the
judges. Parents and teachers of Finalists are invited. At Finals Day, the six winners will be announced and
presented with their prize money.
What could cause an entry to be disqualified?
All pages must be authored in HTML and have the “.html” file extension. The use of a Cascading Style
Sheet (.css) for text formatting is allowed. Teams in the Beginner category using other authoring
languages such as php, Flash or including flash movies will be disqualified. Teams in the Advanced
category are allowed other authoring languages.
Web design software is allowed but entries that use a pre-made template will be disqualified. If you use
design software, make sure you begin with a blank page, NOT a template that the software offers. For
example, “Go Daddy” or Microsoft Publisher-type templates would be disqualified. A contestant may create
her own template from scratch when using software. Your software must be listed on page 5 of your site.
What if a girl has never created a website but wants to enter the competition?
The MCWT Foundation offers links to several free online tutorials. Look for this information on the
Resources section further down on this complete package of information or on the Resources page at
www.mcwtfwebdesign4girls.net. In addition, two optional free Training Days will be offered. The first is
Saturday, October 12, 2013, on the campus of Davenport University in Livonia. The second is Saturday,
October 26, 2013, on the campus of Michigan State University in East Lansing. Contestants may attend
either – or both—Training Days. Both will be from 9-1. Details will be sent to the contestants who note
that they will attend.
Page 13 of 18
The MCWT Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit
What happens at Training Day?
The training is conducted by technology professionals in computer labs with wireless connections.
Contestants will learn, as a group, about Web Design Software and Website Usability. Then, each girl may
work on her own website while our MCWT mentors assist with individual questions. Davenport University’s
computer lab has PCs. MSU’s computer lab contains Macs. When you register for the competition, your
teacher will ask you if you are planning to attend the training, noting your attendance at Training Day the
registration form.
A light snack is provided upon arrival. A full lunch will also be provided at no charge.
May we use HTML code snippets or pre-made elements that we find on other sites to create
cool effects on our own website?
This question requires a complicated answer. Professional website designers today often use code created
by others. Our Resources page even includes sites that offer sources for HTML code. Our Advanced
contestants actually need code created elsewhere to fulfill the “social media” requirement. Facebook, for
example, provides code that can be copied and pasted into your website to create the Facebook logo.
But here comes the complicated part. This is a website design competition, not a copy & paste
competition. If the site from which you learn about HTML code to create a special look is primarily a site
for training or instructional or tutorial or educational purposes, AND you cite it on your Credits/Resources
page, then you will not be disqualified.
Be cautious of sites that have advertisements or links to downloads, in addition to its offer of free code
snippets. An example of a site that you should avoid is Glittergraphics. It offers cool effects and graphics
but requires no thinking or learning on your part. It has advertisements on it, too, including some with
offers that may be inappropriate for teens. It even offers a download of a free photo editor. But clicking
that download link may cause malware to be inserted into your computer. It may make other changes,
too, such as installing its own tool bar on your computer. We cannot rule out “any site with ads” because a
legitimate training site may display small advertisements. You should ask your teacher for advice if you
have any questions.
Is a website entry scored higher if it contains special effects?
Not necessarily. Although a teen may think something is cool or tricky, our judges want to see things that
enhance the design of the website and not just decorate it. If your site is selected as a Finalist, you may
be asked to orally demonstrate your understanding of any special code you used or modified. Beginners,
remember that your category does not allow anything that is animated or that bounces or scrolls!
What can a contestant do to create interesting elements?
Your teacher can offer great advice. You could also visit www.webmonkey.com, which has tutorials and
html code suggestions. Also, visit www.video.google.com and search for tutorials about the technique you
want to try. Be sure to check the Resources link on mcwtfwebdesign4girls.net for more sites to explore.
Page 14 of 18
The MCWT Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit
Is a photo of an ancestor considered to be an “original image” even if the contestant did not
personally take the photo?
Yes. You and your family own the image.
What browser will be used by the judges?
First Round Judges will use their own computers. The contest rules state that Beginners must review their
site in Internet Explorer 8, so our judges will use IE8 for any Beginner Category contestant’s entry.
Advanced contestants must review their sites in IE8, Chrome and Firefox. Free services such as
www.browsershots.org can test your website using different screen resolutions, browsers, etc. Judges will
not use a tablet to view the websites.
I know I must be careful of plagiarism. How should sources be noted?
The competition does not have a mandated format for how you should acknowledge your sources. It does,
however, require one page of the website for your sources, references, explanations and a description of
the classes you may have taken in school and a brief summary of what you learned in the classes. For
reference, visit www.plagiarism.org. If a source for an image requires you credit the source on the same
page as the image, then you must honor that requirement. Keep in mind that original images will be
scored higher than non-original images.
How do I know if an image I find on the internet is copyright-protected?
This is a tricky legal question. You may see sites that offer “free” images or “stock” images. That does not
mean “no permission needed from artist/photographer.” In general, sources must be credited and
permission must be requested. Even Flickr! A safe thing to do is read the “Legal” or “Terms of Use” page
at the bottom of any image site. The SAFEST thing to do is create your own original images (drawings,
photos, etc.). Review http://creativecommons.org/about for more information about using images. You
may want to actually quote the Creative Commons statement OR provide a link to it as proof. It appears
that each photographer can specify how the photo is used and this photographer allows sharing for noncommercial use. The judges will see that you were thoughtful about your use of the photo -- making sure
it is available to the public for non-commercial use.
My school’s computer lab screens are pre-set to 1280 by 1024 resolution. What screen
resolution do the judges use?
In Round One of the judging, each contestant’s site will be viewed by multiple judges. Each judge uses
his/her own computer. If you are a beginner, we suggest you use a Tables format and use percentage
sizes instead of set widths for the columns. This lets it automatically resize to the viewer's computer's
settings. If you use Cascading Style Sheets, an elastic layout also uses percentages or ems for widths. You
should set a max-width style to ensure that the content is not too long.
I am having trouble uploading my site to the contest’s host URL. Help!

Dreamweaver can be unreliable for uploading files. Please try using Filezilla. http://filezillaproject.org/ In addition, review the instructions in our free online tutorial at
www.mcwtfwebdesign4girls.net
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Confirm you are typing www.mcwtfwebdesign4girls.net in the host text box in Filezilla. Additionally,
check to make sure you are paying attention to the capitalizations in your username and password.
To view your website on the web, use the following link:
www.mcwtfwebdesign4girls.net/XXXXXXXX/index.html
IMPORTANT! REPLACE THE EIGHT X'S with your own username.
Note that we have a 2-part upload deadline. By requiring just the index page to be uploaded a few
days early, it allows contestants to work through upload glitches that inevitably happen. Revisions
can be made to the index page, as well as to any of your other pages, until the final upload
deadline at 8:59 PM on Nov. 13, 2013.
I am having trouble seeing my site online.
Confirm you are uploading your files to their proper locations on the server. Your index.html and all other
HTML pages should be all together in your server space and your images should go in the pre-made
images folder inside that.
May I use a video from YouTube in my site?
Beginners may not use any type of video on their entries. Advanced contestants are allowed to use video,
but it must be original and only up to 15 seconds long. It must be embedded in the website. Judges
should not have to click on a link to see your video. Our servers can’t handle lots of long videos from all
our contestants, so that is why we limit the length. If you use YouTube to store your original 15 second
video, then you may embed it in your site without using a link.
What does it mean when you say Advanced contestants must incorporate social media in a
link?
Incorporating linked icons to blogs, social feeds and other social media such as Facebook™, Pinterest™,
Twitter™, Digg™, Delicious™, or Tumblr™ demonstrates to the judges how tech savvy you are. Your link
may be a “badge” (symbol) of the social media website to which you are linking. Remember, though, that
we need to protect your privacy. So, please don’t link to your personal pages, unless the page is
specifically about how you are creating this website for the competition. You could link to the site’s sign-in
page or even to MCWT’s Facebook or Twitter page.
May a Beginner use mouse-over appearance changes on her navigation buttons? The rules say
"Primary and secondary navigation options must be obvious to your audience..." but how can a
Beginner do this without violating the "no animation/no movement" rule?
Beginners may have mouse-over effects on navigation buttons without violating the "no animation for
Beginners" rule; but, any mouse-over effect is limited to a change in the color of or the outline of the
navigation buttons.
If two girls are working as a team, whose ancestors are used?
You may feature one ancestor from one girl and two from another. Or, if you wish, you may feature all
three from one girl.
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Resource Websites and Tutorials
Please explore these website design resources first, before searching for a design tool with
Google or Yahoo or Bing. Too often, you could be directed to a spam site or advertising site
without your knowledge.
Site Resource
URL
Description
MCWT Foundation
http://www.mcwtfwebdesign4 Tutorial for Kompozer, our recommended design
girls.net/tutorial/player.html
software
Kompozer
http://www.kompozer.net/
Filezilla
http://www.filezilla.com
ChristensenAcademy.org
Microsoft’s DigiGirlz
Usereffect.com
Kompozer is the recommended free download
software, especially for those in the Beginner
category. It is a complete web authoring system
that combines web file management and easy-touse WYSIWYG (“What you see is what you get”)
web page editing, without needing to know HTML
or web coding.
Filezilla is the recommended free downloadable FTP
file transfer software for the competition.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i
FTvH_5PhWY
Excellent 4 minute video explaining the
difference between alt tags (attributes) and title
tags (attributes)
http://www.microsoft.com/about/di Beautiful and simple website design tutorial,
versity/programs/digigirlz/onlinecou made by Microsoft’s DigiGirlz group, including
basic HTML instruction
rse/web/course.aspx
http://www.usereffect.com/topic/25- A checklist of best practices
point-website-usability-checklist
Terrymorris.net
http://www.terrymorris.net/bestpr
actices/index.htm
W3schools.com
http://www.w3schools.com
Websiteoptimization.com
Css3generator.com
http://www.websiteoptimization. Enter your site’s URL where indicated. It will
estimate loading speed and give tips for
com/services/analyze/
improvement.
Online
code generator for current CSS3 effects
http://www.css3generator.com
Jqueryui.com
http://www.jqueryui.com
Jquery information and downloadable libraries
Browsershots.org
http://www.browsershots.org
Enter your site’s URL where indicated. It will
alert you to any compatibility issues when your
webpages are seen in popular browsers.
Fontsquirrel.com
http://www.fontsquirrel.com
Free fonts and webfont generator
Freemake.com
http://www.freemake.com
Free downloadable multi-media conversion
software
Microsoft.com
http://windows.microsoft.com/e
n-us/windows-live/moviemaker#tl=overview
Free Windows Live video editing software.
Web Monkey
http://www.webmonkey.com/code
-snippets/
Provides free html code snippets
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A checklist of best practices
A site with tutorials explaining a wide range
. of web development essentials
The MCWT Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit
Web Monkey
http://www.webmonkey.com/2010/ To add a color to your web page, you’ll need to
use what’s called the hex code. This page shows
02/color_charts/
all the colors and their hex codes.
Web Monkey
http://www.webmonkey.com/2010/ The most common HTML tags and their proper
syntax
02/html_cheatsheet/
Tineye.com
www.tineye.com
Learning Express Library –
a State of Michigan site
http://www.learnatest.com/LEL/ind Free software tutorials
ex.cfm/general
HTML Goodies
http://www.htmlgoodies.com/introd Non-technical information about building a
uction/intro/
website
HTML Goodies
http://www.htmlgoodies.com/
Good site to search for HTML information and
explanations
Ehow.com
http://www.ehow.com/how_84728
24_build-website-powerpoint2010.html
A simple explanation for building a website
using Power Point. Just be sure to start
with a blank page! No templates allowed in
our competition.
SourceForge
http://sourceforge.net/directory/os: Reliable source for open-source (free) software
windows/freshness:recentlyupdated/
JQuery
http://jquery.com/
Advanced contestants may find this helpful for
animations, buttons, etc.
ColorMatters.com
http://www.colormatters.com/color
-and-design/basic-color-theory
Simple discussion of the color wheel, intended to
help understand color combinations
InternetBrothers.com
http://internetbrothers.com/tiptoo
l.htm
Need help getting started on your website? This
offers easy-to-understand guides for beginners.
HTML Dog
http://htmldog.com/guides/html/be Nice site, broken up into small tutorials for
beginners
ginner/
NewMediaBytes.com
http://www.newmediabytes.com/20 Offers definitions and illustrations of terms such
as Title Tag
08/12/28/understanding-webbrowser-anatomy-terms/commentpage-1/
GIMP
http://www.gimp.org/
GIMP is the GNU Image Manipulation Program. It
is a freely distributed piece of software for such
tasks as photo retouching, image composition
and image authoring.
BibMe
www.bibme.org
Free auto-fill automatic bibliography maker
WikiMedia
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki Free Creative Commons images (but remember:
this competition’s judges give higher scores to
/Main_Page
original photos/images higher than images from
the web)
WikiVersity
http://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Web_ Tutorials for website design
design
Page 18 of 18
Use this site to see the original source of an
image. It’s a “reverse look-up” tool.
The MCWT Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit