DaveStanton.us

About the Course

This is a course in which you will have a chance to apply the journalism skills you have learned in other classes and pick up some new skills related to the World Wide Web.

We will produce for The Gainesville Sun a publication called Newszine. Your work will involve selecting and editing stories, photos and multimedia content via a content management system. Newszine is a dynamic news publication intended to represent typical systems used in newsrooms throughout the world.

You will learn how to use on-line resources to post existing stories and create packages with additional content, multimedia and context. We will cover advanced CSS and dynamic site planning. Students are required to have previous XHTML and CSS experience. The basics will not be taught in this class. We will also discuss the alphabet soup of Internet technologies: XML, RSS, PHP, ASP, MySQL and more.

Course and University Policies

Description

This course examines the technologies and methods for online news production in the United States and around the world through the use of an applied newsroom. Let's make one thing clear from the outset: This is not an "easy" course. I expect a lot from my students; that's how you learn. It is likely this class will consume more of your time than you anticipate.

Objectives

Demonstrate skills in a critical, decision-making role in a newsroom.
Understand the process of working within a content management system (CMS) typical of a large-scale publication.
To better understand a variety of journalistic skills including audio, photo, and video capturing and editing.

Attendance and Attitude

Students are expected to show respect for one another and for the instructor. Attendance and punctuality are essential. Any absence without prior clearance or medical proof will result in a 5-point reduction of a student’s final grade. We only meet once a week, so this policy in non-negotiable. Quizzes will be administered at the beginning of the class periods. You cannot make quizzes up if you are late or absent. All attendance and grading questions will be answered during the instructor’s office hours. Do not bring these topics up during class or via e-mail. The instructor will not respond.

Deadlines

Late assignments will not be accepted. Assignments will only be accepted at the beginning of the class periods unless otherwise requested by the instructor. As with attendance, advance notice and documentation of illness or personal emergency is the only exception to the deadline policy.

Academic Honesty

Dishonesty of any kind will not be tolerated. Cheating hurts you, hurts our college and hurts the industry. Any dishonesty will be reported to Student Judicial Affairs, and the student will receive a failing grade for the course. The university’s Academic Honesty Guidelines provide additional details. You are expected to know and understand these guidelines completely. You are encouraged to ask the instructor for clarification if you are in doubt.

Students with Disabilities

Reasonable accommodations will be made for any students with disabilities. If you have a disability, the Dean of Students Office will give you official documentation. You must provide this to the instructor. More information is available at the Dean of Students Office’s Disability Resources page.

Book Requirements

Weekly reading assignments are indicated in the Schedule

Required Books

Potts, K., Sable, R., & Smith, N.. (2007). Textpattern solutions: PHP-based content management made easy. Berkeley, CA: FriendsOfEd (Apress). ISBN 13: 978-1-59059-832-0

Associated Press Stylebook. 2006 or later.

Quizzes cover assigned AP Stylebook sections and required readings. The AP Style book is sold in most stores, though I assume you already own it. "Textpattern Solutions" can be ordered through Amazon.com

Grading Criteria

For descriptions of the assignments, see Required Work

Total: 100 points

Assignments

10 points — Weekly quizzes
20 points — CSS Zen Garden template
30 points — Newszine work and projects
40 points — CMS-driven publication site

Grading Scale

90 – 100 : A
88 – 89 : B+
80 – 87 : B
78 – 79 : C+
70 – 77 : C
68 – 69 : D+
60 – 67 : D
Less than 60 : F

Course Schedule

Key Dates

Aug. 23 — Classes start
Aug. 29 — Drop/Add ends
Dec. 5 — Classes end

UF Holidays

Sept. 3 — Labor Day
Nov. 2 & 3 — UF Homecoming
Nov. 12 — Veterans Day
Nov. 29 — Thanksgiving

Weekly Schedule

• Week 1 | Aug. 28
• Course introduction and scheduling

• Week 2 | Sept. 4
• Quiz: Open book
• Reading: Khoi Vinh's "Grids Are Good"

• Week 3 | Sept. 11
• Quiz: Open book
• Reading: Smashing Magazine's "CSS Float Theory"
• Reading: Dave Shea's "Photographic Palettes"
• Reading: Andy Clarke's "CSS Production Notes"

• Week 4 | Sept. 18
• Quiz: ABC
• Reading: Jeff Croft's "Elegant Web Typography"

• Week 5 | Sept. 25
• DUE: CSS Zen Garden template

• Week 6 | Oct. 2
• Quiz: DEF
• Reading: TXP ch. 1—3

• Week 7 | Oct. 9
• Quiz: GHI
• Reading: TXP ch. 4—5

• Week 8 | Oct. 16
• Quiz: JKL
• Reading: TXP ch. 6—7
• Assignment: Mission statement and examples from Web sites
• Assignment: Have a demo section functional for your Textpattern site

• Week 9 | Oct. 23
• Quiz: MNO
• Reading: TXP ch. 8—9

• Week 10 | Oct. 30
• Quiz: PQR
• Reading: TXP ch. 12

• Week 11 | Nov. 6
• Quiz: STU
• Reading: TXP ch. 10—11
• Assignment: CMS site sketches

• Week 12 | Nov. 13
• Quiz: WX
• Quiz: XYZ

• Week 13 | Nov. 20
• Quiz: Business

• Week 14 | Nov. 27
• Quiz: Sports
• Assignment: CMS site beta testing

• Week 15 | Dec. 4
• DUE: CMS-driven publication site

Required Work

Weekly Quizzes

The weekly quizzes are intended to test your AP Stylebook knowledge and ability to edit copy. A question or two may also come from assigned readings. An extra credit question related to current news may be added at the discretion of the instructors. No late or make-up quizzes will be given. The lowest two scores will be dropped.

CSS Zen Garden Template

This assignment serves as both a refresher for CSS you already should know and an introduction to more advanced techniques. The grading emphasis is on clean, manageable code. This technical component will comprise approximately half of your grade. The other half is split between your design aesthetic and design/coding creativity.

Newszine Work and Projects

During this portion of the class, you will be evaluated as employees of a professional, commercial, interactive newspaper. You will be evaluated on your productivity and quality of work as a member of a team, just as you would be as a worker at a media business.

CMS-driven Publication Site

At the end of the semester, the teams will present a database-driven site to the instructors. The concept of teamwork is important. When you leave the university and get a job, you will become part of a team. And you will learn that a business succeeds based on the performance of the team, not just the individual members. Each of you will evaluate every member of your team, including yourself, at the end of the project. The instructors will adjust grades accordingly. Grading criteria will focus on clean code, logical structure, efficient usability and creativity.