For your final project, you will research some topic related to computer science, and present your results as a small web site. The scope of your work should be similar to what you would do for a ten page paper, but your presentation should be suitable for the web rather than the linear narrative form of a term paper. You may work on your project with one other person from the class if you wish. Alternatively, you may wish to use this project for your writing portfolio. If you choose to do so, then you must work individually. See the bottom of this web page for more information regarding portfolio submissions.
Here are your deadlines:
Friday, Nov. 14, class time. Hand in a one page proposal that includes a description of your topic, an outline of how you plan to present your topic via the web, and a list of any questions you have for me about your topic. I will get feedback to you by email by the end of that day.
Monday, Nov. 17, class time. If I asked you in my feedback email to submit a second version of your proposal, it will be due no later than class time on Nov. 17. I don't ask for many resubmissions, but if your topic is unclear or you neglect to discuss your web organization plans, I might ask for clarifications. The goal of the proposal is for you to have a clear plan early enough to enable you to do a good job on the project.
Sunday, Nov. 23, 3:30-6 PM. Lab presentations of your web pages. Each project team will load up their web page on a machine in the lab, and team members can swap off walking around and checking out each others' projects. I'll also evaluate projects during this period. This will be a chance for you to demonstrate to me and to the rest of the class what you have put together. Attending this session is required, and you will also submit evaluation forms on each other's projects.
Topics could be technical (e.g. how a particular technology, science, or concept works), or non-technical (e.g. the Digital Divide, copyright issues, etc.), or a combination of the two.
If you would like to include this work as part of your writing portfolio, you may do so. I've spoken with Carol Rutz (the Director of the College Writing Program) about this assignment, and she has indicated that it is perfectly ok to print out your web pages and submit them. It is understood that your web pages will not be formatted as cleanly as your other portfolio submissions, due to the nature of the beast.
One thing that will unfortunately be missing when you print out your web pages are your links. The readers of your portfolio will not be able to see your artistry in choosing good sites to link to, apart from seeing underlined words in your web page. If you wish, Carol has enthusiastically suggested that you "annotate" your submission to indicate where your links point.
Here is a link to the writing portfolio authentication form. This assignment would satisfy the following portfolio categories:
Let me know if I can answer any questions. Good luck!