As the assignment explains, you have three broad objectives:

• write and design text for online presentation (write web content).
• use digital images (and if desired, video and audio).
• recognize and use basic HTML and CSS syntax.

As you work toward those objectives, you have the opportunity to aim for the grade you want to earn. The options below outline what you need to do for the grade you want to receive. No one, in my experience, aims for a D, so I have not included any options for below-average work. If you really want a D, just create a super sloppy website and put little to no effort into your work. If you want an F, do nothing.

Average Work

C project: Create a WordPress web portal that will serve as the home for your work in this course. Your audience is Traci and the rest of the class, but remember that your blog is public and available to anyone with an Internet connection. Your site meets the following requirements:

• Your site has a minimum of five pages: an about page, a site information page, and pages for each class project:
  • Project 2: Interrogate an Interface
  • Project 3: Remix a Story
  • Final Exam: Revision Plan
• Your site uses the tools (like widgets) in WordPress well and shows an understanding of how to choose features that fit the purpose of the site.
• The site’s navigation is User Friendly, consistent, and well-organized.
• All hyperlinks work correctly and link to active content (no 404 pages).
• All graphics and other content that are not your own work are documented, with credit given to the author/creator.
• Your site is complete, is well-written, and includes no spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors.
• The site demonstrates that you put in some effort, but relies primarily on linguistic and visual modes of communication.

C- project: A C project that has a few flaws in spelling, grammar, or punctuation, OR that has problems with site navigation and hyperlinks, OR that seems incomplete or underdeveloped.

C+ project: A C project that shows a bit more effort. You might include photos of yourself or things you care about to add detail to the content or use design elements (like headings, layout, etc.) to make the site more visually appealing.

Above-Average Work

B project: Complete the C+ project, but include use color and layout to take your work to the next level. Your project uses linguistic, visual, and spatial modes to communicate with readers. The details on the About and Site Information pages provide full, well-developed information. Your site also meets the following additional requirements:

• All of photographs, graphics, sound and/or video enhance the purpose of the website, create interest, and move beyond simple clipart or decorations.
• All media are high quality images or sound and are balanced with the rest of the site.
• Selects high quality graphics and multimedia when appropriate to enhance and clarify the content.
• Colors have been chosen with attention to their cultural meaning and the overall effect on the page.
• Negative (or white) space is used to create a simple, well-balanced design.
• The website is easy to read. Fonts, point size, bullets, italics, bold, and indentations for headings and sub-headings enhance the site.
• Consistent format and design extends page-to-page.
• The site shows you have worked hard and put in a reasonable amount of effort.

B- project: A B project that has one or two of the following problems: (1) a few flaws in spelling, grammar, or punctuation, (2) problems with consistency, or (3) layout or design has minor errors.

B+ project: A B project that shows a bit more effort. You might use visual or spatial aspects to highlight important information on the site, or work to include four modes of communication on at least one page.

Excellent Work

A project: Complete the B+ project, but also uses at least four modes of communication on most pages to communicate with readers. Your site also meets the following additional requirements:

• The site includes extra resources that complement the information on the portal. For instance, each page might include a footer with a working email link to the author of the website or contact person and copyright information.
• The site includes extra page(s) with relevant information (e.g., a related portfolio or embedded work), or it might include a contact form. Add something impressive or unique that shows you can go beyond the basic requirements.
• Overall, all parts of your project should should be free of spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors.
• The site shows you have worked very hard and put in a considerable amount of effort.

A- project: An A project that has one of the following problems: (1) one or two errors in spelling, grammar, or punctuation, (2) problems with consistency or navigation, or (3) additional resources are only cosmetic changes (they are not a substantial addition). Note: Any work that is incomplete or that contains multiple errors will not earn an A or an A-.

Professionalism Reality Check

No grade is guaranteed. Your work needs to be error-free, fully-developed, and ready to share with the intended audience. Here are a couple of examples:

• The writer was aiming for a B and used linguistic, visual, and spatial modes, but the finished website was full of typos. It was clear the writer didn’t proofread at all. Even worse, the text on the about page was only one sentence and provided very little information about the site’s author. The writer didn’t show the effort the project required. The project earns a C rather than a B.

• The writer was aiming for a C and created a WordPress blog with the basic pages, but the finished text was written in all lowercase letters and had several typos and punctuation errors. The images on the site were so large that they didn’t fit on the computer screen. The reader had to scroll right to left, and up and down to see the entire image. Again, the writer didn’t put in the effort. The project earns a D.

The lesson here is this: put in the effort and do your best work. Be sure to proofread your project before you submit it.