Syllabus

HU2645: Graphic and Information Design

Fall 2008

MWF, 10:05-10:55

Bldg.11 (Walker Arts & Humanities) Rm. 134

On-line space: http://hu2645.wordpress.com/

 

Contact Information

Instructor: Wendy K. Z. Anderson

Office: 334 Walker Arts and Humanities Center

Phone: 487.3240

Email: wkanders@mtu.edu

Office Hours: MWF 10-11am or by appt.

(Syllabus and Calendar are tentative and subject to change. Please check on-line syllabus for latest changes. Any hard copy may be obsolete, so be sure to bring it with you to each class to record all changes.)

 

REQUIRED TEXTS AND MATERIALS

1.    2 gig Flashdrive.

2.    Course Readings on Blackboard and online space.

3.    2 software programs of your choice.

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course is a computer-intensive introduction to the principles for creating clear, effective graphic and information communication. We will apply rhetoric and visual theory to better understand elements and principles of design. Students critique the work of other designers in terms of the work’s audience and intended effect, and they construct and critique their own design projects as well. At the end of the semester, you will produce and turn in a portfolio of your best work of the class. Successful portfolios will include at least 4 revised major projects and 4 revised minor projects (blog posts).

 

COURSE GOALS:

Ø     to critically consider the mediated environments we participate in.

Ø     to develop thoughtful consideration of others’ ideas and positions.

Ø     to analyze and creatively develop effective written and visual communication.

Ø     to use reasoning and evidence to support arguments.

Ø     to plan, create, and give rationale for your design decisions for two or three dimensional layouts for different audiences and contexts.

Ø     to further MTU’s mission to promote diversity, creativity, leadership, and teamwork

 

COURSE EXPECTATIONS

Course schedule

This course is underdevelopment. In this course we will try out software programs. By the end of the semester you will be expected to choose two software programs (at least) that will be useful in your future career to design a project. I do not expect you to be an expert at the programs, but to feel comfortable in them by the end of the semester. This course will be learning for all of us. My hope is that we work to learn together. We will try to capitalize on each other’s strengths and help each learn through our challenges.

 

The semester is broken into 4 units: Rhetoric, Principles/Elements of Design, Visual Elements of Textual Design, & the final unit based on the themes that arise during the semester (approximately 4 weeks a piece). I plan to adapt the course calendar to the student interests in the course and, as such, will provide a working calendar by the 3^rd week of class. A typical week will consist of two theory/discussion days and one lab day. The lab days will be tailored to student interest.

 

Assignments

In order to accomplish the course goals, you must come to each class prepared.  This means coming to class on time, as well as completing your readings and outside assignments. In terms of minor assignment, you are expected to post 10 weeks (out of the 14 week course) over the semester in response to the readings and class discussion. In terms of major assignments, you will be required to complete a Rhetorical Critique (100 points), Graphic Representation (100 points), Information Design (100 points), Multi-Medium Project (100 points), and a Course Portfolio (200 points) with peer critiques for each assignment. During finals week you will give an Oral Exam for your instructor and two peers about your portfolio.

 

Assignment	Number	Point Allocation	Total points per category
Blog Posts	2-3 per week		100
Rhetorical Critique	1	100	100
Graphic Representation	1	100	100
Information Design	1	100	100
Multi-Medium	1	100	100
Course Portfolio	1	200	200
Peer Critique	4	25	100
Lab Day Work	1	100	100
Oral Exam		100	100
Course Total:			1000 points

 

GRADE SCALE

Your points will be translated into percentages; your final grade will be calculated according to the following percentage scale:     

1000-900   A

899-800     B

799-700     C

699-600     D

599-below   F

 

Although such instances are rare, I reserve the right to reward students who have shown dramatic progress with higher grades than the scale suggests. On the other hand, I will not give a student a lower grade if all projects are completed and absences do not exceed the maximum allowed.

 

Note about Incompletes:  The mark of ‘I’ is inappropriate if, in the instructor’s judgment, it will be necessary for the student regularly to attend subsequent sessions of the class. I will give an Incomplete only in cases of extreme emergency.

 

CLASS PARTICIPATION & ASSIGNMENTS: Participation is one of the most important components to the success of the course. All reading and outside assignments are to be completed prior to class and solely by the student (unless other instructed as collaborative work). This means reading carefully and critically, bringing materials to class, and coming prepared to engage with the ideas and your class and work in the lab on lab days. Class investigations are participatory assignments that include critical and active discussions as well as in-class collaborative work.

 

ATTENDANCE: Attendance is welcomed, expected, and mandatory. To best utilize our time, come to class on time. You are considered absent if 1) you are more than 15 minutes late and/or 2) you are unprepared for class. There will be regular in-class work to record your attendance and preparation for class. You may miss three sessions without penalty.  For every class after the first three, I will lower your final grade by fifty points. After three absences you must attend a conference with me to discuss whether you should continue in this course. Seven absences constitute automatic failure of the course.

 

WRITING DEADLINES & SUBMISSIONS:  You are expected to submit assignments by the deadlines listed. All written work is due at the beginning of class (online) unless otherwise noted. In order to be considered for a grade, all assignments are to be complete, of the minimum word count, and must conform to MLA documentation and format (word-processed, 12 point legible font, double-spacing, with one inch margins). No out of class papers will be accepted if they are handwritten and all assignments must be accompanied by a computer flashdrive. Late assignments will only be accepted with the specific, prior agreement of the instructor. No exceptions!!!

 

CONFERENCES & CONTACT: I am open to discussing matters pertaining to the course, readings, and your writing; please feel free to contact me via email or phone as well as in person. I hope you will also take advantage of my office hours and email.

 

UNIVERSITY POLICY

Discrimination

Michigan Tech complies with all federal and state laws and regulations regarding discrimination, including the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.  If you have a disability and need a reasonable accommodation for equal access to education or services at Michigan Tech, please call the Dean of Students Office, at 487-2212.  For other concerns about discrimination, you may contact your advisor, department head or the Affirmative Action Office, at 487-3310

 

Academic Dishonesty

Cheating:  All written work submitted for a grade in this course must be the product of your own composition. Ideas generated due to reading and group discussion may provide the inspiration for your work, but should not be the sole ideas represented. With collaborative projects, of course, ideas should be representative of the group’s work.

 

Plagiarism is the act of presenting as your own work another individual’s ideas, words, data, or research material. The concept applies equally to written, spoken, or electronic texts, published or unpublished. All ideas and quotations that you borrow from any source must be acknowledged: at a minimum, you should give the name of your author, the title of the text cited, and the page number(s) of the citation. The only exceptions to this requirement would involve what is familiar and commonly held (e.g. the fact that the earth is round). You should know that penalties for plagiarism are severe and can entail suspension from the University. Students are responsible for reading and understanding the University policy on Cheating and Plagiarism set forth in Michigan Technological University at http://www.studentaffairs.mtu.edu/dean/judicial/policies/academic_integrity.html.

 

Insults, slurs, or attacks of any kind will not be allowed in my class. Any student who engages in this type of behavior in the classroom will be permanently removed from the class. In other words, forced to drop the course, in addition to other possible punishment given by Michigan Technological University (See the Michigan Technological University Community Code of Conduct (Available at http://www.sa.mtu.edu/dean/judicial/policies/code/conduct9.html). In order to have an effective teaching and learning environment we must practice both respect and tolerance, without question.

 

THE WRITING CENTER

The MTU Writing Center (Walker Arts & Humanities Room 107) is a superb resource. The staff is willing to help no matter what stage you’re at in your paper, from brainstorming to putting on the final touches. Since writing a good paper entails having other people looking at it and giving you feedback, visits to the Writing Center are highly recommended. See http://www.hu.mtu.edu/wc/ for more information.

Syllabus Is Tentative And Subject To Change.