Texas State University  School of Journalism and Mass Communication
Web Design and Production  MC 3390  Spring 2007
Professor: Dr. Cindy Royal
Email: croyal@txstate.edu; ph. 245-3481
Course Web site: www.cindyroyal.com/webdesign
Office Hours, OM 224
T/TH 12-1:30pm; W 4:30-6:30pm
and by appointment
Section: 253; Index # 313396
Time: T/TH 9:30-11:10am
Location: OM212
Graduate Assistant: Dee Kapila, deepina@txstate.edu
Most course materials and announcements will be delivered through the course Web site
www.cindyroyal.com/webdesign. TRACS (http://tracs.txstate.edu) will be used primarily for
communication and posting grades. You will need your Texas State NetID and password to
access the TRACS.
Required Textbook
Robin Williams and John Tollett, The Non-Designer's Web Book. 3rd Edition. Berkeley, Calif.:
Peachpit Press, 2005. Available at Bookstore and online.
Course Description
This course is designed to instruct students in Web site construction and design. Students will
learn HTML coding and then be introduced to popular Web design and graphics programs
including Dreamweaver, Photoshop, and Flash, as well as the multimedia programs Quicktime
and iMovie. The course will cover the usage of graphics, sound and video and discuss the
appropriateness of multimedia on Web sites for journalism, advertising, public relations, and ecommerce. Students will work on several small Web projects that will lead to a final multimedia
project. The goal is to emphasize more than just the skills associated with individual programs,
but the integration of several programs into designing effective and attractive Web sites.
In addition, the class will address social and theoretical implications of technology, such as the
digital divide, cyberlaw, e-commerce, and Web content credibility and accessibility.
Purpose
The purpose of this course is to prepare students for the requirements of a multimedia design
world. In addition to gaining production skills, students will learn about features of the
multimedia and online communication environment and develop an appreciation for the future of
communication technology.
Objectives
Upon completion of this course, students will possess:
 an understanding of HTML, Flash and other Web design technologies
 a broad perspective on the Web design and communication environment
 the ability to create Web sites that are functional and well designed
 the ability to produce engaging multimedia to accompany sites
Email
You must use an active Texas State email account. Communication via TRACS and/or
Blackboard uses your Texas State email, and the university is required to send grade
information out only through the Texas State email system. Make sure you check your email on
a regular basis, as schedule changes will be communicated there as well as on TRACS.
Course Requirements
1. Student Bio - set up a site with at least four pages with bio info., links, and one image
(photo). One page will be an assignment page that will hold links to other projects.
2. Student Bio Redesign - Use Dreamweaver and Photoshop to redesign the personal site you
made with html.
3. Credibility Assignment - Select one online journalism Web site and review and analyze for
credibility based on Web site evaluation lesson; this is a written assignment.
4. Hobby or organization site-set up a Web site for a hobby or organization that you are
affiliated (no more than 5 pages total). Must be a new site, not a redesign of an existing site.
5. Social Impact Flash Site - use animation to set up a site that deals with an issue of social
impact of technology (i.e. virtual workplace, tech layoffs, media convergence, online dating,
online adoptions, music downloading, Microsoft antitrust).
6. Final Multimedia Reporting Project - Use all the skills gained during the course to complete
an extensive project. May use html via Dreamweaver, Photoshop, Flash, iMovie, or any
other program that we have discussed this semester. Project will be submitted in two parts:
a draft including multimedia elements and then final completed project.
Late Assignments and Attendance
Assignments for this course are challenging and fun, but the class moves very quickly, so you
will not want to fall behind. Missed assignments will receive a grade of F. A student may turn in
one (1) assignment late during the semester, if there is an excused reason with prior
arrangement with professor. Any other late assignments will receive a grade of F.
Attendance is important in this course. You may have three absences without penalty
throughout the semester. For the fourth and fifth absence, your final course grade will be
reduced by 10% each. After the fifth absence, you wll be encouraged to drop the course or you
will receive an F. There are no excused absences; sickness and work-related absences must be
covered within the three. Because we cover so much ground in this class, it is no coincidence
that the best projects historically have been turned in by the students with the best attendance.
Students (and teachers, too) often learn best from one another, so an open environment is
encouraged. Ask questions and help each other.
We will start class at 9:30am. It is important that you show up on time, as announcements tend
to be made early, and you could miss valuable information. If you arrive later than 9:35am, you
will be marked as late. This can effect your participation grade, as well as your ultimate course
grade.
Grading
Basic assignments (6) 60%
Short Web site and News presentations (2) 10%
Final multimedia reporting project 20%
Participation 10%
Grade Scale
90-100 A
80-89 B
70-79 C
60-69 D
< 60 F
There is no extra credit available for this class. Please contact the instructor early in the
semester if you are having problems with any of the course requirements.
Supplies and Equipment
You will need a USB storage device to save a backup of your files. You will also receive access
to a shared folder on the department server, but it is best to have a backup on disk.
We will discuss Web hosting options in class. For most of you, I am going to recommend going
through www.doteasy.com to obtain your own domain for only $25 per year. There are other
hosting options, but many students prefer to get their own domain so that they can use it for
resume/portfolio later on.
Students should also have a TX State email account that they check frequently. This will be the
main method of course communication.
Equipment Checkout
We have two digital still cameras and two DV camcorders assigned to this class. Please contact
me in advance if you want to check one out. You will be allowed to keep it from one class period
to the next (i.e. checkout on Tues, return on Thurs.), so plan your shoots accordingly. On the
day you return a still camera, you must download your photos and delete them from the memory
stick at the first available lab time and return the camera to the Instructor (n/a for camcorders,
as you will be using your own tape). To reserve a camera for a specific date, email me.
You MUST return the camera(s) in full working order on the following class period. It is
important to respect other classmates' needs to use the equipment. No Excuses will be
accepted. Failure to return the equipment on the next class period will result in an automatic
reduction of 10% from your final course grade, and your equipment checkout privilege will be
revoked for the remainder of the semester.
You are responsible for the equipment that you checkout. Failure to return any equipment due
to loss, damage, theft or any other reason will result in the replacement value of that equipment
being charged to your TX State account.
Student Conduct
In this class, you should feel comfortable to participate and express opinions and ideas. Please
respect the opinions of others and be considerate of their need to contribute and learn. Turn off
cell phones before entering class, and do not take calls during class. Do not use your phone for
text messaging during class. Surfing the Web, checking email, IMing or other non-related
activities during class are not acceptable. Please do not have private conversations with your
neighbors during class time, whether the instructor or other students are talking.
Any student who does not adhere to these conduct policies will be asked to leave the
classroom. In general, please be respectful of others desire to learn and help to create a fun
and beneficial classroom environment.
Student work will be displayed on the Web, which means that it will be available to anyone with
Internet access and a browser. Please see the instructor if you have any concerns about
posting your projects to the Web.
Academic Honesty
Students are required to submit original work in this course unless otherwise specified in the
assignments. This includes text, content, graphics and photography. Students may use clip art
from "free" clip art sites with appropriate credit and identification, but are encouraged to design
their own artwork (grades will be higher for using original work as opposed to another's artwork).
The School of Journalism and Mass Communication commits itself to the preparation of mass
media professionals and scholars. Such a mission demands the highest standards of academic
honesty and integrity. Violations of academic honesty, including but not limited to plagiarism,
unauthorized collaboration, collusion, deception, conflict of interest and theft, are not tolerated
and can lead to severe penalties. Disciplinary actions for violations of the standards for
academic honesty are outlined in the Texas State Academic Honesty Statement, printed each
year in the Student Handbook. The policy is also available at
http://www.mrp.txstate.edu/studenthandbook/rules.html#academic.
Note to Students with Disabilities
Texas State University seeks to provide reasonable accommodations for all qualified individuals
with disabilities. This university will adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local laws.
Students with disabilities who need special accommodations should contact the Office of
Disability Services (ODS) at (512) 245-3451, and register with that office. ODS is located in
Suite 5-5.1 at the LBJ Student Center. If you are a student with a disability certified by ODS
and you require accommodations in this class, it is your responsibility to notify the professor no
later than the fifth class day of this semester so that accommodations can be discussed and
promptly provided.
Instructor may notify you of changes or updates to policies in this syllabus throughout
the semester.
Texas State University  School of Journalism and Mass Communication
Web Design and Production  MC 3390  Spring 2007
Schedule of Topics
This is a brief outline of topics to be covered in this class. Please see the course outline on the
class Web site (www.cindyroyal.com/webdesign) for readings, assignments, and handouts.
Jan. 16-18
Introductions, History of Internet and Web, Search Engines
Jan. 23-25
History of Web continued, Basic Design Issues, Linking and Interactivity
Jan. 30/Feb. 1
Design continued, Work on Project 1
Feb. 6-8
Project 1 Due, Stylesheets, Web Editing, Using a Digital Camera
Feb. 13-15
Graphics, Troubleshooting, Work on Project 2
Feb. 20-22
Project 2 Due, Web Credibility, Online Journalism, GIF animation
Feb. 27/Mar. 1
Credibility Assignment Due, Advanced CSS, Work on Project 3
Mar. 6-8
Project 3 Due
Mar. 12-16
Spring Break!
Mar. 20-22
Social Issues of the Internet, Flash Animation
Mar. 27-29
Work on Project 4
Apr. 3-5
Project 4 Due, Intro. to Multimedia
Apr. 10-12
Using iMovie, Using a Camcorder, Multimedia in Flash
Apr. 17-19
Dynamic Content and Web Programming, Final Project Draft Due
Apr. 24-26
Work on Final Project
May 3
Final Project Due