Writing for Digital Media, Summer 2019/Week 1: May 28

From Gerald R. Lucas
Syllabus RQ1 RQ2 RQ3 W1 W2 W3 W4 W5 W6 W7 W8  
58774 & 59513 NMAC 3108.01–.02 Online Summer, 2019
Audio introduction.

Welcome to our first week’s study in Writing for Digital Media. This week, we will set up our needed accounts and begin with some basics of writing and editing for the screen. Each week’s assignments will have a similar set-up. Work your way through each point below. As you read, take notes, as you will want to apply your reading to your assignments — especially your writing. Keep track of any questions you have, as you’ll have the opportunity to ask them this week.

Read

Your understanding of weekly readings should be apparent by your writing. In other words: be sure to use what you learn in your reading each week in what you write.

  • Writing Today” discusses the differences between traditional academic writing and writing for digital media.
  • Carroll, chapters 1 (“Writing for Digital Media”) and 2 (“WDM Strategies”) — pay close attention to these foundational chapters. All writing for digital media begins with strong writing and an understanding of audience.
  • Writing Top Ten” offers ten strategies to keep in mind when writing for digital media.
  • Editing Wikipedia” (pp. 1–5) will introduce you to editing Wikipedia.
  • Writing on a Wiki” gives an overview of Wikipedia editing. You might go through the links at the end of the article.

Do

Be sure you do these assignments during the first week of the course — the sooner, the better. Failure to do so will result in your being submitted as a “no-show” and dropped from the course.

Write

  • For your first journal entry, introduce yourself. You might talk about why you’re taking this class, what you hope to get out of it, and the most interesting thing about yourself.
    • Comment on someone else’s introduction using the proper Wikipedia talk page conventions.[2] You should use these conventions throughout the semester for journal comments and discussion posts.
  • For your second journal entry, discuss any aspect of what you have learned so far. Try to stay positive in this and all of your other writing this semester. You’ll likely be a bit overwhelmed at first, but just take a deep breath and reflect on the possibilities, challenges, and potential outcomes of the course. What have you learned so far that you didn’t know before?
    • Comment on someone else’s post.
  • Optional: post any questions you have about the course so far in our class help page. If are are confused about anything, be sure to speak out. This will be the best place to get help; please consider posting all questions to this forum instead of emailing so everyone can benefit by the answer.

Notes

  1. You might also have a read through of Setting up your account and personal workspace.
  2. Find everyone’s journal on the RQ2 page or on my talk page. If your journal is not listed here, you did not follow the instructions above.