English 5010/6010

Document Design

Course Goals | Required Texts and Technologies | Projects | How to succeed | Conduct | Grading Policy | Attendance | Dropping the Course | Due Dates and Submissions | Technology Requirements | Plagiarism | ADA and Religious Holiday Statement | Back to Index

Schedules for Fall 2011: 5010 6010

Schedule for ENGL 5010

Schedule and readings subject to change

Schedule for 6010

Schedule subject to change

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Course Goals

A document conveys meaning in many ways. What a document communicates visually, beyond the verbal component, is often as important as the written words themselves. This course will approach document design as a rhetorical practice and consider the idea of a “document” broadly as a container for meaning in a variety of media, including print and online and also in material and cultural artifacts. To achieve this view of document design, we will read a variety of scholarship, including work on visual rhetoric, visual perception, technical communication, and cultural studies. Students will study real-world scenarios and users and produce documents to meet those user's needs. As such, this course will entail both hands-on and analytic work.

By the end of the course, you should be able to:

• Demonstrate an awareness and understanding of the impact of visual rhetoric on society
• Apply and discuss principles of design
• Apply and discuss theories of design
• Discuss how differences in design affect your message
• Utilize tools in document design to create rhetorically savvy documents

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Required Texts and Technologies

5010

Miles A. Kimball and Ann R. Hawkins: Document design: A guide for technical communicators

Document Design companion website

Robin Williams: The non-designer's design book

6010

Miles A. Kimball and Ann R. Hawkins: Document design: A guide for technical communicators

Document Design companion website

Robin Williams: The non-designer's design book

Donald Norman, Emotional Design

Both

Access to a computer

MS Office Suite or Open Office

Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Indesign, or Gnu Image Manipulation Program (GIMP) | (GIMP Win 7 64 bit version)

A Prezi education account

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Projects

Rhetorical Analysis (10): In this assignment you will analyze the design of a document or website to determine the effectiveness of the document for its intended users. Your deliverable should be a 2-3 page memo in memo format in which you rhetorically analyze your document in terms of audience, purpose, and context. Consider how the document attempts to persuade the reader in terms of ethos, pathos, and logos, how the document is intended to function (and if it does so effectively), and the document's individual design elements. Be sure to provide specific evidence from both the document and relevant literature, provide at least one visual to illustrate your claim(s), and cite references in APA format.

Flyer/Advertisement/Motivational Poster (10): In this assignment you will design and present a single-page document designed to motivate an audience to think or feel a specific way about an issue you feel to be important. You will design at least 2 versions during the course of the assignment. These will be critiqued in class. You will then select one final design and submit it along with a 1-2 page memo giving a detailed description of the design and testing process and a final justification for your design choices. Your discussion should include explanation of how you attempt to rhetorically motivate an audience (logos, ethos, pathos), and your choices for individual design elements. Be sure to provide specific evidence from both the document and relevant literature and cite references in APA format. Excellent examples of these sorts of motivational designs can be found on activist websites, such as those run by PETA, Green Peace, Sierra Club, etc. To get started you may want to simply try typing "environmental ads" (or whatever modifying factor you want) into a search engine.

Instructions (10): In this project you will design and test a set of instructions that utilize the theories and principles we are studying in class. Design and test an instructional document for a problem encountered by some element of our local population (anything from use of computers to gameday parking), alternatively, you may design a set of instructions for a simple, easily-conducted-in-the-classroom process. After usability testing you will finalize your design and submit it along with a 2-3 page usability report giving a detailed description of the design and testing process and justifications for your choices. Your usability report should follow the IMRAD structure. Be sure to provide specific evidence from both the document and relevant literature and cite references in APA format. You will turn in your instructions both in hard copy and electronically. You may submit your report electronically only.

Found Document Presentations (10): During the semester you will be tasked with presenting to the class documents (or photos/copies of documents) you have encountered in your day-to-day life that you believe illustrate key points from readings or class discussion. You will present the document along with a brief (~10 minute) presentation about the document and what you found significant.

Class Participation (10): This is a very hands-on class. Most classes will revolve around both lecture and activity. Your participation in these activities is vital to your success on the larger assignments. These assignments will be graded as pass/fail. Participation in class will involve:

• Hands-on design projects created during the course of the class (such as designing a logo, a business card, etc.)
• Leading class discussion (6010 only): Choose one of the discussion readings listed on the course schedule and be prepared to conduct a discussion which ties the article in to concepts we are working with in class. You should have a list of questions/topics prepared in order to facilitate discussion, and a handout or presentation designed in order to draw attention to key details, real-world examples, etc.

Reading Responses and discussion (15): Five times over the course of the semester you will be required to write a response of approximately 500 words to our course readings. You may focus on a specific question, or consider the readings as a whole. These responses are to be posted to our Blackboard Discussion Board at least 2 hours prior to class. These five posts are worth 3 points apiece (15 % of your final grade) so should be thoughtful, analytical, and should synthesize citations from the readings with your own insights. Please cite information appropriately (preferably in APA format).

Design Project (35): In this assignment you will work in pairs to locate a real-world client (a business, academic unit, or individual), assess the client's documentation needs, and then propose and design material to meet those needs. This project consists of a series of interrelated assignments:

• Proposal project memo (5, collaborative): In this memo you will propose your own final project. In a 1-2 page proposal memo, clearly outline what you intend to design, who the user will be, and how you plan on meeting your deadlines. You should clearly describe the client, the client's documentation needs, and outline how your team plans to address those needs. Be sure to provide specific evidence from both the document and relevant literature and cite references in APA format. In this memo you should:
  • Argue for the scope and focus of your work by showing what elements (if any) already exist
  • Explain the existing problem
  • Explain your design/redesign strategy and how this solves the problem
  • Propose a viable timeline and assessment criteria (how will you know when an element is complete, for example)
• Progress report memo (5, individual): In this 1-2 page memo, due midway through the project, you will describe your team's work on the project so far, any impediments you have encountered and how you have addressed those impediments, and each teammate's contribution to the project. In this memo, you should:
  • Describe your team's work on the project (including contact with client)
  • Describe problems you have encountered and how they have been (or will be) addressed
  • Describe each teammate's contribution to the project
  • Describe how you are usability testing your design(s)
• Final project and presentation (20, collaborative): In this presentation you will present the materials you have designed for the client as well and give a 10-15 minute oral presentation for the class in which you display your materials and discuss the design choices you made. While the deliverable of your project will be assessed against the standard rubric, the presentation compoent will be assessed against a presentation rubric. In this presentation, be sure to:
  • Explain and show the project
  • Explain your client's needs and how these needs were addressed by your design choices
  • Explain any usability testing that occurred over the course of the project
  • Discuss the relevant design elements of the project and their creation, intended rhetorical impact, and implementation
• Completion report (5, individual): This 2-3 page report in memo format asks you to sum up the project, make recommendations for future development of deliverables, and discuss lessons learned throughout the course of the project. You should also briefly discuss your design choices in relation to the readings and themes of the course, using citations where appropriate. You may use it as an opportunity to assess the contributions of the project team members and to reflect on the project as a whole.

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Grading

All major assignments must be turned in in order to pass this class.

Grades on assignments will be determined according to the following criteria:

• A (90-99%) The document is superior. It exceeds all the objectives of the assignment. The information is ethical, sophisticated, thorough, and ideally suited for the audience. The style is clear and appropriate to the subject, purpose, and audience. The organization and design of the document make the information understandable, accessible, and usable. The mechanics and grammar are correct. Typography and design elements are sophisticated, ethical, and appropriate to audience and purpose.
• B (80-89%) The document is good. It meets all of the objectives of the assignment, but requires minor improvements or contains only easily correctable errors in organization, style, design, grammar, or mechanics. Typography and design elements are good, ethical, and appropriate to audience and purpose.
• C (70-79%) The document is adequate. It omits useful information or requires significant improvement in organization, style, design, grammar, or mechanics. Typography and design elements are not entirely suited to audience and purpose, have questionable ethics, and/or require significant improvement in order to function for their intended purpose.
• D (60-69%) The document is disappointing. It meets some of the objectives of the assignment but ignores others; the discussion is inadequately developed, omits important information, or displays numerous or major errors in organization, style, design, grammar, or mechanics. Typography and design elements are poorly suited to audience and purpose, lack awareness of ethics, and/or largely fail in their intended purpose.
• F (0-59%) The document is unsatisfactory. It omits critical information, does something other than the assignment required, or displays major or excessive errors in organization, style, design, grammar, or mechanics. Typography and design elements fail to accomplish desired goals and/or lack ethical awareness.

Projects submitted more than 7 days after the due date will not be accepted for a grade (they will receive a zero), though I will be happy to look over the project and offer constructive commentary.

Team Assignments

Team assignments receive grades based on group and individual work. It is possible that unsatisfactory participation in team assignments will result in a lower participation grade or a lower grade on the team assignment itself. You may be called upon to evaluate your own or your team members' performance on group assignments.

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Policies

The following policies intend to help you develop and display professional work habits, both in individual and team work. These habits include meeting deadlines, doing required work, and regular attendance. Please read these policies carefully.

How to Succeed in this Course

• Submit work in the correct format. All documents for credit in this class must be in a specified format.

• Turn in work on time. Assignments are due at the beginning of class on the day specified in the syllabus. Late assignments will be lowered one grade level per day late.

• Do your homework. You will expected to complete all the assigned homework exercises, readings, and workshop activities. If you miss class, all missed homework must be turned in on the day you return. You may not make up homework after that time.

• Be prepared for class. Assigned readings are important and contribute to your ability to succeed in this course.

• Come to class. You benefit by attending regularly and developing professional work habits. See the Attendance Policy for more specific information.

• Arrive on time. Any student who arrives more than 15 minutes after the beginning of class will be considered tardy. Four tardies will be recorded as one absence.

• Make the grade. I do not give grades- you earn them. I will evaluate each document according to the degree to which it meets its stated objectives for its specified reader.

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Conducting Yourself in The Computer Classroom

Knowledge of word-processing techniques and electronic communication has become an essential part of being a writer in today's professional world. This class will assume that all students have a general knowledge of word processors, web browsers, and email applications. Most other computer-related topics will be covered in class. If you are unsure of your computer literacy abilities, contact me immediately.

Although we are often meeting in a computer classroom, the computers are not available for personal use before, during, or after class. Please do not log in to your computers until directed to do so.

It is expected that discussions will occur in the classroom; consequently, it is important to be respectful and listen to the instructor and your classmates.

"Listening" does not include answering a cell phone, texting, chatting to your neighbor, checking email, surfing the internet, etc.

Computer use (email, Facebook, games, etc.) not directly related to the class will result in your dismal from the classroom for the day. You will be counted absent.

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Attendance and Tardiness Policy

*While all students should plan to attend every class, graduate students, in particular, should not mis class. Ever.

You are allowed 2 unexcused absences in this class. All unexcused absences beyond 2 will result in a loss of 1 point from your final semester's point total for each absence.

The 2 absences that do not deduct points from your grade are not considered "allowed," "free," or "permitted"-- they only result in no points being deducted from your grade. Any quizzes or participation grades given on a day when you are absent without documentation will result in a grade of zero (0) for that quiz/participation assignment and may not be made up.

Do not show up late to class. If a participation grade or quiz is given during the first 15 minutes and a student arrives late, a grade of zero (0) will be received for that assignment.

A student will be excused from attending classes or other required activities, including examinations, for documented University-approved functions (such as competing in an athletic event), or the observance of a religious holy day and the time necessary to travel for this observance. The student will not be penalized for the absence and will be permitted to take an exam or complete an assignment missed during the excused absence. The policy applies only to the documented University-approved events and official holy days of tax-exempt religious institutions. No prior notification of the instructor is required, though is requested.

Other than exceptions related to university-related events and religious circumstances, only a note from a doctor or death notice for an immediate family member will result in an absence being excused. Personal circumstances are not considered acceptable for excusing an absence.

Please see The Tigercub for additional materials relating to what constitutes an "excused" absence.

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Dropping the Course

If you drop the course, you must do so in person at the Office of the Registrar. I cannot drop you from the course. It is your responsibility to make yourself aware of the drop dates.

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Due Dates and Submission Technology

You will fail the class if you do not attempt and submit ALL major assignments. Assignments more than a week late automatically receive a grade of zero (0). It is your responsibility to turn in your work on time. Computer-related excuses will not be accepted.

Hardcopy assignments are due by the beginning of the designated class period, unless specified otherwise. Electronic assignments are to be submitted through Blackboard. While computer errors do happen, it is your responsibility to make sure that your work is in the correct place at the correct time. Documents received via email, rather than Blackboard, will not be accepted for grading unless prior arrangements have been made.

Electronic documents must be saved in the following format: lastname_firstinitial_assignmentname.

Documents saved in the .docx format are generally compatible across systems. However, formatting is a major aspect of this class. To that end, you may wish to save your file as a .pdf to insure that all formatting appears to me exactly as you intended. There are several free options available to you, beyond those offered by most office software suites, including bullzip, pdfill, and cutepdf, among others. The excuse "it didn't look like that on my computer" will not be accepted.

If you are absent the day an assignment is due, I will not accept the work via email. You must make arrangements with me to submit work before the deadline or put your work in my department mailbox. You will lose ten percent (10 %) of the available points for the assignment per calendar day late. If extenuating circumstances apply (see below), your work will be due the day after your return from your athletic event or the day after you attend the emergency appointment or funeral.

I may give quizzes at any time during the class. These quizzes cover the specified readings, but they may also cover material introduced in previous classes/chapters. I do not offer make-up quizzes for any reason other than absences for university business (and only with proper university documentation), documented illness (a clinic must document the episode of illness if you have a chronic illness), or the death of an immediate family member. Additionally, late homework exercises will not be accepted under any circumstances.

Lastly, use of program templates is discouraged. These don't encourage you to learn the programs and generally result in dull documents.

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Basic Technology Requirements

Computers

You are expected to be familiar with the day-to-day operation of computers including email (and sending attachments) and standard software. If you are not familiar with basic computing skills, speak to me as soon as possible, so that we can familiarize you with basic procedures.

You are also expected to have regular access to computing technology whether it be your computer at home or the computers provided by the university. The statement, "I don't have access to a computer" is not acceptable.

Hardware and Disk Media Requirements

It is your responsibility to ensure that the computer(s) and disk(s) you use are functional and that you have, in the case of technological failure, backed up your data. Bring a USB drive to class, keep your work on it, and keep your work updated.

Email Requirement

You are required to have a viable @auburn.edu email account.

When sending email to me, your instructor, or to your classmates, please ensure the subject line is formatted as:

RE: ENGL 5010 - [Your Last Name]

Identifying emails from students is difficult, especially when sent from accounts outside of the university. Addresses such as "Yellow_Fluffy_bunny@yahoo.com" with subject lines like "I have a question" or "It's me from class" are generally used to transmit viruses and will be deleted without being read. Professional communication requires you to clearly identify your subject and your name.

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Plagiarism

Plagiarism includes any use of words or ideas of another writer that would allow readers unfamiliar with the source to assume that the words or ideas originated with you. THIS INCLUDES USE OF IMAGES. Policy does not allow me to judge whether an instance of plagiarism is accidental or deliberate. If I find in your work 1) another writer's work inserted without quotation marks or acknowledgment, 2) a close, unacknowledged paraphrase of someone else's writing, or 3) another writer's research or analysis presented without acknowledgment, then I will treat it like a plagiarized assignment and deal with it appropriately. Sanctions range from failing the assignment to expulsion from the university. I take the issue of plagiarism very seriously, and will enforce the university's plagiarism policies to their full extent.

Please see The Tigercub for official university policies relating to plagiarism and penalties.

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Special Needs

Auburn University makes reasonable accommodations for people with documented disabilities. I will adapt methods, materials, or testing for equitable participation. During the first week of class, set up a meeting with me. Bring the Accommodation Memo and Instructor Verification Form to the meeting and discuss what you need for equitable participation in this class. If you do not have an Accommodation Memo but need special accommodations, make an appointment with the Program for Students with Disabilities (Haley Center 1244; 334-844-2096; psd@auburn.edu or haynemd@auburn.edu). All communication between a student, the Program for Students with Disabilities, and his or her professor is confidential.

Religious Holidays

Students requiring to miss class due to the observance of an officially recognized religious holy day are asked to consult with me in advance so we can schedule missed work accordingly.

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