INFORMATIONDESIGN

WRT437/637 | SPRING 2014

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Bi. Kiista Kenneuy
0ffice: BBC 228
0ffice Bouis: NonWeu 2:1S - S:1S
Email: kiistau1syi.euu
Chat: uikiistakenneuy (gChat)
I typically ietuin emails within 48 business houis. If you see me online you'ie welcome to
ping me, but aftei 6 pm I may not iesponu.
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Ball of Languages 2u1 anu BBC 227. Check the couise scheuule foi uays.
0ui piimaiy online couise space is locateu at kiistakenneuy.netWRT4S7S14. Youi usei
name is the piefix of youi S0 email auuiess anu the initial passwoiu is wiiting. (You'll want
to change the passwoiu at youi fiist log-in.) You will also neeu to set up fiee accounts foi a
numbei of info uesign apps that we'll be exploiing. We'll talk moie about this as we begin
to use each one.
234%3-45 ,"6 2784'$-34#.
Infoimation Besign (WRT 4S76S7) is a hybiiu couise that meets in both a physical
classioom anu asynchionously online. Togethei, we'll exploie basic piinciples of
conveying infoimation visually anu infoiming auuiences thiough mixeu moues of
communication. Since this class fulfills a Bistoiies & Theoiies iequiiement within the
Wiiting majoi, we will spenu a faii amount of time consiueiing histoiical examples anu the
theoietical elements that make these soits of uocuments woik. We'll also woik inuiviuually
anu collaboiatively to cieate a vaiiety of infoimational texts. When we finish up in Nay,
you shoulu have gaineu the following expeiience anu skills:
!"#$%% #'()*+,-'( ."/ ," *)0+,-,) -'( 1"'2)3 4'5"*6-,4"' 4' 6#%,47%) 24+#-% 5"*6+
-'( ,)8,#-% 9)'*)+: You'll be able to conuuct ihetoiical analysis in oiuei to ueteimine
which genie anu meuium is best foi the situation you'ie auuiessing. You'll uevelop a bioau
vocabulaiy anu unueistanuing of these concepts as well as the ways that uiffeient moues of
communication (piint, uigital, piojecteu) shape the ways we convey infoimation.
!"#$%% .-2) %)-*')( ,)1.'4;#)+ ,.-, .)%7 3"# 1*4,41-%%3 -'-%3<) -#(4)'1)+ -'( ,.)4*
'))(+: You'll unueistanu auuience factois anu how to aujust youi ueliveiy to bettei
convey infoimation in ways that aie effective, usable, anu accessible. You'll also know how
to uesign basic usability testing that help ensuie you'ie effectively ieaching youi auuience.
!"# /4%% .-2) +,*)'9,.)')( 3"#* /*4,4'9 -'( 1"67"+4,4"' +=4%%+: Specifically, you will
have gaineu expeiience in communicating piofessional anuoi technical topics in ways that
involve minimal text anu heavy visuals.
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6-'47#%-,) 24+#-% ()+49'+> -+ /)%% -+ +.-*) ,.)6 "'%4'): We won't uo piofessional-level
uesign woik, but you will use a numbei of tools uesigneu foi casual uesigneis anu
publisheis of infoimation. You'll unueistanu what they aie, what to uo with them, anu how
they might be ueployeu in vaiious piojects. Iueally, you'll also have gaineu the confiuence
to continue evaluating futuie technologies as they emeige.
94:$# ,"6 ;,$4%-,0#. <=%-'4# 0-#$46 ,%4 3-, >+,?("@
Baei, Kim. !"#$%&'()$" +,-)." /$%01$$02 3%'45)6 744%$'65,-8 9$:;()$"-8 '"< !"-4)%'()$" =
>? @'-, 9(;<),-. Beveily, NA: Rockpoit Publisheis, 2u1u. $11.S8
Kium, Ranuy. @$$: !"#$.%'45)6-2 A##,6()B, @$&&;")6'()$" C)(5 +'(' D)-;':)E'()$" '"<
+,-).". Inuianapolis: Wiley, 2u14. $26.67
Reynolus, uaii. F%,-,"('()$" G," +,-)."2 9)&4:, +,-)." F%)"6)4:,- '"< H,65")I;,- ($
A"5'"6, J$;% F%,-,"('()$"-K (2nu Euition) Beikeley: New Riueis Piess, 2u14. $24.S1
0'uiauy, }enn & Kenn visocky. H5, !"#$%&'()$" +,-)." L'"<1$$0. Cincinnati, 0B: B0W
Books, 2uu8. $26.S9
0thei mateiials will be maue available online via PBF on oui class Blackboaiu site. You'll
neeu the most iecent veision of Auobe Reauei in oiuei to access these files. It's available
foi fiee at http:www.auobe.compiouuctsieauei.
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You will giaueu on six components ovei the couise of the semestei.
1. Census Infogiaphic: Su points
2. App of the Week Talk: Su points
S. visual Resume: 1uu points
4. Infoimation Package: 4uu
S. Final Piesentation: 1uu points
6. Weekly Blogging : Suu points
Total available points: 1uuu
Since this is a couise in the uepaitment's Piofessional & Technical Wiiting aiea, youi woik
will be giaueu as though you weie submitting it to youi immeuiate managei.
A
A-
940-1000
900-939
A manager would be very lmpressed wlLh your work and remember lL when a
promouon ls dlscussed. ln our course, Lhls means your nal producL has excellenL
conLenL, clean LexL, and excellenL documenL deslgn. Addluonally, your work ls
Lhorough, coherenL, well-supporLed, and organlzed ln a useful fashlon. lL
demonsLraLes a superlor undersLandlng of audlence, purpose, and rauonale.
8+
8
8-
880-899
840-879
800-839
A manager would be saused, buL noL parucularly lmpressed. 1hls means LhaL your
producL meeLs Lhe baslc sLandards of wrlung and overall producuon, as well as
demonsLraLes a sLep forward ln your learnlng process. lL ls sumclenLly developed,
organlzed, and supporLed, and you have demonsLraLed a solld undersLandlng of
audlence, purpose, and rauonale.
C+
C
C-
780-799
740-779
700-739
A manager would be dlsappolnLed, and would requlre you Lo revlse Lhe documenL
before a cllenL sees lL. ?our work may have clear buL undeveloped ldeas, or lL may
noL engage or aecL Lhe reader. lL llkely conLalns some errors ln loglc, mechanlcs,
or grammar.
u 600-699 A manager would be Lroubled by Lhe poor quallLy of your work and llkely noLe lL ln
your annual revlew. 1he level of wrlung sklll forces Lhe reader Lo work Loo hard Lo
undersLand your ldeas. 1he LexL may have lncompleLe lnformauon, lack clear
organlzauon and deslgn, and have serlous grammar or mechanlcal lssues.
l 399 and
below
A manager would sLarL looklng lnLo replaclng you. ln Lhls case, your work does noL
L Lhe asslgnmenL parameLers, ls so underdeveloped as Lo demonsLraLe
lncompeLence, or ls mechanlcally and grammaucally lncomprehenslble. 1he mosL
llkely rooL cause ls a pronounced lack of concern abouL audlence percepuons of
Lhe wrlLer as a professlonal.
?,,)'(-'1) -'( @'%4') A-*,4147-,4"': You shoulu be paiticipating fully anu consistently
each week. Since this class ielies so heavily on in-class uiscussion anu woik, it is not
possible foi you to make up misseu woik oi woik aheau.
M,( &, 1, B,%N #%'"02 !# N$; '%, ('0)". (5)- 6:'-- 1,6';-, ' 5N1%)< 6$;%-, -,,&- :)0, :,-- C$%08
N$; &'N C'"( ($ %,6$"-)<,% "$CK Since much of the paiticipation is wiitten, you will likely
uo moie wiiting than in many of youi othei classes. Because we only see each othei once
each week, you neeu to be blogging anu otheiwise consistently contiibuting in oiuei to
make suie the iest of us know you'ie theie anu pulling youi weight.
B%"994'9C Because online communication is so cential to oui woik, it counts foi as much as
two of the cential assignments uo. You shoulu plan on wiiting at least one substantive post
each week. Beie is a checklist of aspects to incluue uuiing the weeks we'ie iesponuing to
ieauings:
! It shoulu have a goou title. "uoou" means uesciiptive anu oiiginal. "Week 0ne Post" is
not a goou title.
! It shoulu be insightful, aiticulate, on-topic, anu cleaily uemonstiate an unueistanuing
of the ieauings anuoi woik of the week, uepenuing on what we'ie up to.
! It shoulu substantiate asseitions anu contain citations as appiopiiate. Paienthetical
citation is fine. Ex: (Biauy, 2u12, p. 2).
! It shoulu be at least 2Su woius long if you aie an unueigiauuate anu 4uu woius long
if you aie a giauuate stuuent.
! !( -5$;:< 1, 4$-(,< 1N O4& $" P%)<'N. Late posts will lose two points each uay.
! Thoughtful comments on at least two of youi colleagues' posts aie uue by Sunuay at
miunight, which is when oui woikweek concluues.
0n the weeks we aie posting things that aien't ieauing iesponses, uiffeient ciiteiia will
apply, anu we'll talk about that class.
If youi contiibutions meet these basic iequiiements, you'll ieceive up to 2u points each
week. You can feel fiee to post moie, of couise. Extia woik (eithei in posts oi comments)
means up to thiee auuitional points pei week. If you see something inteiesting anu
peitinent to the couise in the news, on YouTube, oi elsewheie, post a link anu let us know
about it!
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D-,) /"*=C Wiitten assignments aie uue by the beginning of class oi at the time specifieu
foi online submission. Najoi assignments (i.e. not blog posts oi weekly assignments) aie
ieuuceu by one lettei giaue pei 1;-)",-- <'N. This means that if you aie unable to complete
an assignment that is uue on a Fiiuay, the points will not be ieuuceu until the following
Nonuay. Tuesuay woulu be the seconu late uay, anu so on. If you'ie going to be late, you
might as well take the time to uo the best woik possible. All assignments must be
completeu in oiuei to pass the couise.
I uo not give incompletes except in instances of uocumenteu illness oi the ueath of close
ielatives. If you aie in the B oi F iange at miuteim, you anu I will scheuule a confeience.
This may be a time foi you to withuiaw fiom the class oi sign a contiact with me stating
that we've uiscusseu the mattei anu you intenu to continue the class.
That saiu, nobouy wants you to uo well moie than I uo. If you have questions oi iun into
pioblems as we go along, let's talk anu make suie you'ie able to stay on tiack.
E)1.'"%"93 -'( A*42-13C All couise mateiials will be posteu on oi linkeu fiom the blog,
which seives as oui cential couise hub. All of oui online uiscussions will take place theie,
anu we'll peei ieview some mateiials theie as well. Youi iuentity will be shielueu thiough
the use of pseuuonyms, but you shoulu iemembei that the blog is a public uocument, anu
the social meuia applications we will use aie also public. Nevei foiget that '"N$", can ieau
them. If you have any conceins about the iole of technology in this couise, you shoulu
contact me within the fiist week of the semestei. You shoulu also plan to take auvantage of
email, chat, anuoi face-to-face appointments foi questions that come up along the way.
A*"5)++4"'-%4+6C It goes without saying that in the classioom, we shoulu all auheie to
basic stanuaius of politeness anu piofessionalism. This extenus to the woik you uo online.
Even if you'ie woiking at home in youi bunny slippeis, you'ie still at woik when you'ie
uealing with this class. Remain piofessional at all times. Bisagieements will inevitably pop
up as we talk thiough oui topics, but they shoulu be hanuleu iespectfully, as shoulu peei
ieviews. Respect woiks both ways; I uo my best to be couiteous anu faii in all situations
anu at all costs. If you evei feel that you've been tieateu otheiwise, please come anu talk to
me about it.
F*-() G4+7#,)+C If you have a question about youi giaue, please wait 24 houis befoie you
uiscuss it with me. Take some time to think about the situation anu caiefully foimulate
youi aigument. When we talk, you shoulu have a specific iationale foi why you ueseive a
highei giaue. Then scheuule a time to talk with me anu we'll uiscuss it.
H"%%-I"*-,4"'C Thioughout this class, you'll inteiact with anu uevelop piojects togethei. As
in the woikplace, this soit of woik means that you will have to finu ways to get along. I
expect foi you to be able to use youi social skills to iesolve youi basic uiffeiences on youi
own. Bowevei, if you finu a paiticulai collaboiative situation to be unieasonable oi
uniesolvable, please notify me so that I can help you iesolve it. If you finu youiself
consiueiing taking this step, use this test: in a ieal job, woulu this be an issue woith taking
to youi boss anu soliciting manageiial inteivention. If so, then it's time to let me know. If
not, then finu ways to woik it out youiselves.
E.) J*4,4'9 H)',)*C Expeiienceu consultants at the Wiiting Centei (1u1 BB Ciouse Ball,
on the Quau) aie available to woik one-on-one with you at '"N stage of youi wiiting
piocess anu with '"N kinu of wiiting you'ie cieating. Whethei you neeu help
unueistanuing an assignment, biainstoiming iueas, ievising subsequent uiafts, oi
ueveloping euiting stiategies, face-to-face anu online chat appointments aie available foi
2S- oi Su-minute sessions thioughout the semestei. Appointments can be ieseiveu up to
six uays in auvance via theii online scheuuling piogiam, WC0nline. In auuition, uiop-in
appointments aie welcome Nonuay thiough Thuisuay fiom 1u:uu a.m. to 2:uu p.m. anu
biief conceins, questions, oi uiafts (max of S pages) can be emaileu to consultants via theii
eWC seivice. Foi moie infoimation on houis, location anu seivices, please visit http:
wc.syi.euu.
?1-()641 K"')+,3C The acauemic community iequiies ethical behavioi fiom all of its
paiticipants. Foi wiiteis, this means that the woik we claim as ouis must tiuly be ouis. At
the same time, we aie not always expecteu to come up with new iueas; we often builu oui
thinking on the iueas of otheis. We aie expecteu, howevei, to cieuit otheis with theii
contiibutions anu to cleaily inuicate the bounuaiies of oui own thinking. In cases wheie
acauemic uishonesty is uetecteu (the fiauuulent submission of anothei's woik, in whole oi
pait, as youi own), you may be subject to a failing giaue foi the pioject oi the couise, anu
in the woist case, to acauemic piobation oi expulsion. Foi a moie uetaileu uesciiption of
the guiuelines foi auheiing to acauemic honesty in the College of Aits anu Sciences, go to:
http:acauemicintegiity.syi.euu
L,#()', J*4,4'9C All texts wiitten in this couise aie geneially public. You may be askeu to
shaie them with a peei, the class, oi with me uuiing classioom activities oi foi homewoik.
You will also be askeu to sign a consent foim iequesting the use of youi wiiting foi
piofessional uevelopment, teachei tiaining, anu classioom instiuction within the Syiacuse
0niveisity Wiiting Piogiam.
L7)14-% M))(+ -'( ?11"66"(-,4"'+C Stuuents who neeu special consiueiation because
of any soit of uocumenteu uisability shoulu make an appointment to uiscuss it with me.
The infoimation you shaie will iemain confiuential. You shoulu also contact the 0ffice of
Bisability Seivice (0BS) foi an appointment to uiscuss youi neeus anu the piocess foi
iequesting accommouations.(http:uisabilityseivices.syi.euu, locateu in Room Su9 of 8u4
0niveisity Avenue, oi call (S1S) 44S-4498.) Syiacuse 0niveisity anu I aie committeu to
youi success anu to suppoiting Section Su4 of the Rehabilitation Act of 197S. This means
that in geneial no inuiviuual who is otheiwise qualifieu shall be excluueu fiom
paiticipation in, be uenieu benefits of, oi be subjecteu to uisciimination unuei any piogiam
oi activity, solely by ieason of having a uisability.
N)%494"#+ @I+)*2-'1)+C S0's ieligious obseivances policy, founu at http:
supolicies.syi.euuemp_benieligious_obseivance.htm, iecognizes the uiveisity of faiths
iepiesenteu among the campus community anu piotects the iights of stuuents, faculty, anu
staff to obseive ieligious holy uays accoiuing to theii tiauition. 0nuei the policy, stuuents
aie pioviueu an oppoitunity to make up any examination, stuuy, oi woik iequiiements
that may be misseu uue to a ieligious obseivance pioviueu they notify theii instiuctois
befoie the enu of the seconu week of classes. Foi fall anu spiing semesteis, an online
notification piocess is available thiough NySliceStuuent SeivicesEniollmentNy
Religious 0bseivances fiom the fiist uay of class until the enu of the seconu week of class.