Unannounced Quizzes: (twenty percent of the total grade)

To inspire you to read and retain the material we cover in this class, I will conduct several brief multiple-choice quizzes, each on a particular day's reading. Each quiz will be designed to test only that you've read and considered the assignment for that day. I will record only your four top scores for this component.

Online Resume: (ten percent of total grade)

This assignment helps you develop and practice your HTML skills while helping you advance in a present job or get a new one. Given the traditional nature of most resumes, it is particularly important to regulate the use of "bells and whistles" to the expectations of your likely audience. Note: I will not grade the content of your resume; rather I will evaluate your ability to professionally translate textual information to the online medium. Please ensure that this assignment is clickable from your course homepage.

Here's where you can learn more about the online resume.

Annotated Bibliography: (ten percent of total grade)

This bibliography is your opportunity to demonstrate the depth of research you've undertaken for your course project. At least five citations in APA format must draw from a wide range of sources, including newspapers, magazines, scholarly journals, and online material. Each source will be annotated with a brief paragraph that outlines the content of the piece and its potential use in your project. Please ensure that this assignment is clickable from your course homepage.

Here's an effective online bibliography by Stacy Jurgens who employed ten references to support her claims. [Note: some of her links may no longer be active.]

Collegial Review: (ten percent of total grade)

The development of the course project will include collegial feedback. Toward the end of our course, you will be asked to review two of your classmates' sites "under construction." In your half-page review for each student, list and explain three positive attributes of the site. You will also list and explain three opportunities for improvement. When in doubt, use the grading criteria for this assignment.

Course Project: (twenty percent of total grade)

In this assignment, you will construct a reader-friendly, content-focused web site that develops and defends an original argument about CMC theory and/or practice. In terms of writing, this assignment should be equivalent to a 5-7 page paper. The project shall be composed of (1) an introduction page that states your thesis, (2) a background page that explains key terms and provides a history of your issue, (3) a multi-step argument page that persuades the reader to accept your thesis, and (4) an implications page which answers questions like, "what does this mean for contemporary public life?" or "what's the next policy step?" I strongly suggest you organize your implications around themes such as technology, identity, and/or culture. You shall also attach a references page edited from your online bibliography.

Here's a potential thesis statement: "Online psychotherapy techniques can help individuals maintain mental health." Note that for each section and subsection that follows, you should provide an active-voice topic sentence that meets the requirement of that component and directly relates to the thesis stated in your introduction page. Thus, if your thesis is "internet hate sites must be regulated by the federal government," one argument might begin with the following topic sentence: "An historical overview of media law reveals several precedents to support the claim that the federal government should regulate hate sites."

Remember, This site should not merely be an online-paper. Rather, you should strive to employ the unique qualities of this medium to communicate effectively with a potentially global audience. Please ensure that this assignment is clickable from your course homepage and provide a paper copy of your project.

Here's where you can learn more about the course project.

Midterm and Final Exams: (thirty percent of the total grade)

I will offer two examinations that invite you to synthesize the knowledge you've gained in this class. The exams will be composed of multiple choice, true/false, and matching questions.