I want you to think carefully about your interests and needs in your personal and professional life. Based on your review of your situation, I want you to select one topic area on which you will focus your Internet explorations for this course.
You will explore selected Internet and multimedia resources concerning this subject using the tools and techniques we cover in this course and create a web site that brings together these sources. On your web site use the appropriate tools and techniques, which you already know and will learn in this course, to create a significant, meaningful, thought-provoking presentation. Please note that the intent of the project is for you to demonstrate what you will have learned from the methods and techniques presented in this course so grading will focus on that arena. (Additionally, you may be required to construct demonstration pages to confirm your ability to apply other page presentation strategies.)
Where sources other than your texts are used, please include a complete bibliographic reference and final summary of works cited. Follow the rules for citation of electronic sources and include appropriate URLs. I should be able to find any quote or paraphrase with relative ease in the original source. Just as importantly, unless the idea, details, graphics, etc., are uniquely your own (and presented for the first time in this report) or in that body of knowledge termed 'general' by a non-specialist, make sure you cite your sources. If you use some else's idea, exact words, graphics, etc., give them credit. If you use a paper you or someone else has written for a prior class or purpose, include it in your references. Be careful. Do not unintentionally plagiarize what has been called 'intellectual property.'
Internet practices, as noted in your book, reflect that it is accepted practice to imitate methods and techniques that you see on other web sites and pages as long as
Once you decide upon your topic you need to do the following:
After you have started your storyboard, you need to consider what tool you will use to create your web pages.
Start your home page with the total site in mind.
Be careful with fonts.
Check the appearance of the published pages. Even if you are using a relatively common place monitor and printer, recognize that each user will see your page differently because of the interaction of even standard equipment with unique individuals. That is, each person will see your web page differently. The beauty of HTML is that if we design our page properly, we will still communicate our essential points and many nuances to every viewer.
Conduct the phased project activities below and integrate the results into your Web site.
Conduct an Internet search concerning your topic using three Search Engines and one Meta-Search Engine on the WWW. In summary, you will
Establish criteria for evaluation of the search engines. This is best done beforehand, but commonly is produced retrospectively after one has seen what is possible.
Compare the search engines and the meta-search engine against each other using the criteria. First evaluate each engine. Then create a table to summarize your findings. Add a narrative to explain key points.
Comment on whether the "search engine" is organized as a true search engine or a directory. Evaluate which you prefer for your topic.
Focus on the URLs nominated by the search engines.
Cover the process of exploration for each search engine visited.
Post your paper describing the search process in the Assignments area of WebTycho.
Publish the web page(s) on your Web Site and link it (them) to your home page. The Link Page should fit naturally into your web site. The page evaluating search engines as it applies to your topic may not seem so appropriate to be included in your site, so place it within a folder (sub-directory) labeled capp385 and identified as phase_1.
I want you also to explore the more traditional resources that relate most directly to your topic of interest.
Search a variety of on-line libraries and more traditional databases indexed in libraries and on web sites.
Use the UMUC library as a jumping off point. Your SSAN and last name will typically suffice to log into the UMUC library. Go to LOG IN at that site. If you encounter problems contact our European Division Librarian. (Instructions are also available from your UM Field Representative.)
Compare and contrast the sources you find in this phase with those found earlier via Web Search Engines.
Assess the relative reliability of the information:
Prepare are report on the exploration process and post it to the Assignment Area of WebTycho. See the Schedule and Assignments sheet for timings.
Prepare a web page presenting the relevant sources you identified. Use a table to relate the sources to the library or database in which they were found. Publish the web page on your Web Site and link it to your home page. The resulting page may, nonetheless, not seem so appropriate to be included in your site. If that is so, place the page within a folder (sub-directory) labeled capp385 and identified as phase_2. See the Schedule and Assignments sheet for timings.
Explore Usenet Newsgroups and Email Discussion Groups (Mailing Lists) for Special Interest Groups (SIGs) concerning your topic.
Select the five most relevant newsgroups and five from the mailing lists and monitor them for four weeks. (Obtain a email address from one of the on-line providers (yahoo, hotmail, etc.) of free email addresses that you can check on the web. DO NOT use your normal email address unless you wish to maintain contact with these groups after the course is completed). Subscribe to the mailing lists during the monitoring period using your alternate email address.
Compare and contrast these different types of public discussion arenas.
Identify the different subtypes of newsgroups and mailing lists. Explain the differences.
Identify five Lessons Learned from your exploration of Newsgroups.
Evaluate the importance of these lessons for purposes of the project and for your future use of the Internet.
Repeat this process (steps 5 and 6 above) for Mailing Lists.
Prepare are report on the exploration process and post it to the Assignment Area of WebTycho. See the Schedule and Assignments sheet for timings.
Prepare a web page presenting the relevant sources you identified. Use a table to relate the sources to the library or database in which they were found. Publish the web page on your Web Site and link it to your home page. The resulting page may, nonetheless, not seem so appropriate to be included in your site. If that is so, place the page within a folder (sub-directory) labeled capp385 and identified as phase_3. See the Schedule and Assignments sheet for timings.
Explore the multimedia world as it relates to your topic. (This will be basic not advanced coverage of this subject.)
Remember that many sites grossly overuse animation, graphics and sound. You are exploring to see what is available and to select the best (or learn what you need to create that will be better).
Find visual images, still and animated, photographs/pictures, audio clips - video clips as well if they are out there.
If the images, etc. are not copyrighted - that is, if they are identified as available to be freely copied and displayed, you may upload the item to your site on the student server. Otherwise use a link to the site where the item was found. (Recognize that this is a fragile link as organization of the target site is out of your control.)
If you have a scanner, microphone and sound card, digital camera or imaging capability, you may create and use your own images, sounds, or video.
Get three of each major type of image:
Evaluate the sources of these files and the content and technical merit of the files themselves.
Incorporate the best of these files and links into your web site on the student server.
Place the others, or links to them, on a different, supplemental web page(s). Use a table to relate the images/files to the site on which they were found. Publish the supplemental web page(s) within your folder (sub-directory) labeled capp385 and identified as phase_4. Link it (them) to your home page. See the Schedule and Assignments sheet for timings.
Describe the multimedia exploration process in a report which you post to the Assignment Area of WebTycho. Identify five Lessons Learned from your exploration of multimedia on the Internet as it relates to your topic. Evaluate the importance of these Lessons Learned for purposes of the project and for your future use of the Internet. See the Schedule and Assignments sheet for timings.
Explore the world of IRC/ICQ (chat), instant messaging, Internet telephony and video-conferencing as it relates to your topic. (This will be basic not advanced coverage of this subject.)
This phase is optional in part because not everyone will have the needed hardware. Also students in deployed areas may be prohibited from using IRC programs.
Additionally, there is a real security concern. Be very alert to personal security when exploring this area. Do not list your full name or email address when you register; use only a nickname and perhaps a country where you are physically located. You typically need only reveal your desired nickname (something like "Boots" or "Choppers" is fine). Everyone is aware that electronic stalkers often start in chat rooms. Search out conferences that will be of particular interest to "customers" interested in your topic and web site. Discuss the topic with others in the chat room or on the audio/video conference, but avoid giving any information that will reveal your true identify. Indeed, it is common to assume a false identity in such chat rooms. Publish you ICQ registration number selectively only to those with whom you want to communicate using this medium.
Use IRC/ICQ and find people with similar interests.
Use Internet telephony to speak with others interested in your topic or other UM students.
Find links to sites needed or useful for audio and video conferencing, IRC/ICQ, instant messaging.
Use a microphone to capture voice messages for emails or documents, or for transitions for multimedia presentations.
Use a digital video or still camera to capture small frame images for inclusion in presentations, transmission by email or posting to web pages.
Identify five Lessons Learned, as it relates to your topic, from your exploration of these Internet communication alternatives and advanced multimedia options.
Evaluate the importance of these Lessons Learned for purposes of the project and for your future use of the Internet.
Report on the process in a report which you post to the Assignment Area of WebTycho. Discuss the pros and cons of using this method of communication to collect information and maintain communications with colleagues.
If appropriate, incorporate links for the things you have tried from those listed above (audio or video conferencing, IRC/ICQ, and Internet Telephony) into your web site on the student server.
If there are certain links for which you have no place on your pages at the present time, but which you might use in the future, put the links on a supplemental page. Publish the supplemental web page(s) within your folder (sub-directory) labeled capp385 and identified as phase_5. Link it (them) to your home page. See the Schedule and Assignments sheet for timings.
Return to: Course Requirements in CAPP 385 Syllabus
| Phil Richardson; prichard@faculty.ed.umuc.edu |
Revised 15 January 2000
|