CAPP 310 Course Syllabus

Prerequisite: CAPP 100A or IFSM 201. An introduction to concepts and methods of desktop publishing. Highlights include the design and layout of a publication, the choice of computer hardware and software, the integration of computer graphics, the drafting and editing editing of a publication, and methods of interfacing with high-level printing equipment to produce a final document. Extensive use of computers.

Looks good, feels good. In many ways that is what we want people to say about the documents we produce day in and day out. I have had a Macintosh computer for 14 years (Ha, ha, ha - no not the same one). I mention this only because you will find much of the DTP world still uses high-end Macintosh computers and software.

Over the years I have used a variety of software packages, mostly high-end word processors, to produce computer and logistics newsletters, business flyers, advertising, banners, letterhead stationery, business cards, greeting cards, etc. I have worked with PageMaker and experimented with Quark Express in the past, but avoided the complexities in each of them. Publisher is a good, compromise tool that removes a number of barriers to "Desktop Publishing for the Rest of Us". I know you will enjoy this fine book. In particular this and your other books by Robin Williams - the renowned communicator and page design expert, not the comic or the singer - emphasize good layout and design practices for all documents. They provide a wide range of examples and you will be searching for even more during the term, but in print and on the WWW.

But you need to remember that with the printed word, more than the spoken, proper adherence to rules of style, grammar and punctuation are important. There are a variety of on-line helps to keep you content excellent at all times. Use them. (One such site is the Purdue University Online Writing Lab.)

Required Texts

Simone, Luisa. Microsoft® Publisher 2000 by Design. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Press, 2000. (1-57231-953-4) <P2K>

Williams, Robin. The Non-Designer's Design Book. Berkeley, CA: Peachpit Press, 1994. (1-56609-159-4) <NDDB>

Williams, Robin. The PC is not a Typewriter . Berkeley, CA: Peachpit Press, 1992. (0-938151-49-5) <NTW>

During the course I ask you to find and comment on articles or web sites related to the weekly discussions. This serves to supplement the assigned readings and involve you more directly in exploring the principles and practice of desktop publishing.

Course Requirements

This practical, discovery class depends upon active, consistent student involvement. Check our WebTycho classroom and your email at least once every two days and respond to queries within one day if possible, two at the maximum (even if just to say when you will be able to give a more complete answer to the request). I will try to allow you time to explore the subject both individually and in small groups while giving you feedback on completed assignments.

There will be both individual and small group work. In addition to studying the assigned texts, you must satisfactorily complete the following:

a. Weekly or biweekly assignments to be shared and critiqued with other students.

1) Use WebTycho conference and study group areas. We will use email as a back-up system.

2) Find and share at least one different article or web site a week with the class.

3) Complete individual assignments as shown in the Schedule and Assignments Sheet.

b. A Journal on your reactions to and progress through this course submitted twice monthly.

c. Participate in small group discussions and serve as Recorder at least once during the course.

d. Use MS Publisher 2000 or suitable, modern desktop publishing software. You will in addition need to use, from time to time, graphics and image/photo manipulation software, as well as drawing and paint software. You will find this software in the nearest UMUC computer lab or on the Internet as shareware or freeware.

That is our mission in this course. Whether writing on rice paper, parchment, rocks, the walls of buildings, billboards, or the phosphor of a cathode ray tube, those who strive to add meaning to words by the way in which those words are presented share a common purpose. We hope to enrich the lives of others just that little bit more - to bring a smile to a face, a tear to the eye, a sense of "being there".

1) Access to a software compression program such as WinZip is also needed. (It must be able to archive files with a .zip extension.)

2) Access to certain hardware and software often used in multi-media publishing, especially on the web, is not mandatory (see below)

3) Exceptions to this requirement are possible if alternative arrangements can be made for reliably sharing files which include embedded graphics.

e. Six homework projects: This will be your opportunity to apply the techniques of desktop publishing from design to creation and, if you choose your topics wisely, practical application. (See the last third of Simone's text for a more detailed discussion of these projects. Use the text exercises for practice, but create your own documents for turn-in.)

1) Postcard Announcement (Project 1 or P1)

2) Display advertisement for a phone book or directory (P2)

3) Résumé (P3)

4) Full-page flyer, either announcement or advertisement (P4)

5) A full-page multi-column newsletter or tri-fold brochure (P5)

6) One other significant project approved by me, different from the first five and not web-based (i.e., it must be a print-based document). (P6)

f. An open-book, take-home mid-term exam accessed on-line during the 8th week of Term 1, 2000-2001 (9 - 13 Oct. 2000). This will be mostly a short answer exam covering specific learning objectives of this course.

g. An open-book, take-home final exam. This will be a two part exam. You will have about a week on Part 1 which will have you demonstrate certain techniques we have learned. The short answer portion covering other learning objectives of this course will be accessed on-line during the 7th week of Term 2, 2000-2001 (2 - 8 Dec. 2000).

Access to a color scanner, digital camera, image digitizer, image capture software and hardware, etc. will be useful but is not required. The vast majority of the course will be focused on the printed page, not the electronic one. Moreover, there are many, many sources of freeware or shareware images on the Internet.

There are also numerous sites offering freeware or shareware downloadable fonts. In due course, you might also desire to experiment with font creation or modification. That is perfectly alright, but it is not required in this introductory course.

You will, however, need to screen all outgoing and incoming files for viruses and malicious code. Neither you nor I want the "agro" that comes with having to sanitize our computer systems. You definitely do not want to pass a virus via WebTycho. So keep your anti-virus programs current and use them. Naturally anyone who passes on viruses will be cut-off from the course until they can correct the problem. Persistent or recurring problems are cause for removal from the course.

Our term break is only one week this time, 14 - 20 October 2000.

Evaluation:

Learning Methods: This distance learning course has very broad guidelines. It is offered in asynchronous format so that you can study on your own and join the class as and when you can. But this does not mean you can skip a week and make it up later. Remember, CONSISTENT, QUALITY participation and effort are essential if both you and the class as a whole are the reach our goals.

Commit yourself to 9 hours each week for this course for the next four months. We spend the first week to ten days establishing reliable communications (and allowing for books to get to students who registered late). If you have your texts, get acquainted with them. Survey the holdings of your library (whatever facilities you have) and email me the cheery or grim news. Start your journal and make weekly or more frequent entries which chronicle your journey through this course. Arrange to review and study any texts you do not have. (Order them from a bookstore if necessary. See my separate note on this subject.)

This UMUC Distance Education course is delivered on the UM WebTycho site on the WWW augmented as needed by email with attachments. All course documentation and policies can be found on my web site (right here). Just follow the "Yellow Brick Road."

Within broad guidelines, you are in control of this course. During the first two weeks of the course, I will need you to consider and share with each other what is needed for this course to be a high quality learning experience for you. In addition, I need you to share with the group what your personal and professional goals are in taking this course. To the extent possible, I wish to arrive at a consensus on these goals and determine how you and I can, with relative objectivity, know you have achieved these goals. As needed, I will adjust the assignments and evaluation instruments.

I intend to spend most of my time answering your questions and engaging in both small and large group discussion on questions and some of the less obvious concepts in the readings. But you will control this.

I NEED YOU TO TELL ME WHEN YOU HAVE PROBLEMS either with the delivery method or the course content. Speak up early. Do not fall behind. Work ahead if possible. Do some work on this course every day or two. Set aside time to do this. If confused, in doubt, or in need of a clarification on any aspect of the course, contact me first.

Bring your questions to our electronic discussion during the first week of class.

Come to class and prepare to learn a fascinating, practical skill. You will never look at the printed word the same again.

Instructor / Lecturer Contact Information		Biographic Sketch
Current Courses	Professional Interests	Phil's Place
Previous Courses	Personal Interests	email me

Desktop Publishing

CAPP-310 (3)

Course Syllabus

( 3 sem. hours via Electronic Communications)

[If you have specific questions about this course, please email me.]

Course Goal - To enable you to

Design eye-catching and attention-getting publications, and elements thereof, using computerized desktop publishing software,

Develop valuable skills in the use of color, styles, fonts, graphics, images, and "white space" to enrich the meaning of the written word, and,

Become proficient in using Microsoft® Publisher 2000™ or a similar DTP software package for microcomputers.

Required Texts

Course Requirements

Evaluation: