Project Description
In this assignment, we discuss how to adapt information to a new context and engage in what is known as multimodal composition. To this end, you will work in groups to build a visually-appealing and user-friendly website for a hypothetical company, brand, or product that you are starting with your team. Your company will seek to creatively present your semester-long research by identifying and addressing a specific issue or issues within your group’s chosen topic.
Project Goals
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- Collaborate as a team to produce a comprehensive piece of work
- Value your personal literacy practices and use them to build confidence in your ability to pursue a specific field of knowledge
- Develop literacy in the narrative, academic, and professional genres of writing
- Discover elements of visually appealing design
Project Components
You are required to use Blogs@Baruch to design your website The website should include at least a home page, an “about us” page, and a “mission statement” page (see details below), but you are also free to add whatever else you’d like. I will create your group’s website and invite you to it so that I can also view, comment, and edit on your page. Here are more details about each component:
Proposal & Team Agreement: Each team will submit one proposal (300 words) explaining what type of company, brand, or product you are going to create and why. Remember, your project will be directly based on your other two major assignments (research & essay). That said, the first thing you’ll all need to agree on is what topic your group will research and write about this semester. Your choices are: Arts & Culture, Business, Entertainment, Environment, Health, or Science & Technology.
A good start for your proposal is to explain which topic you have chosen and why you have chosen it. If you don’t have a clear idea about your company, brand, or product, that’s fine. Ideas will take shape as you complete your research. A good place to begin is to imagine that you are pitching your idea to a team of investors. Finally, you are not bound to your original idea. You may want to alter your plan after conducting your research. That’s fine, and it’s not something that you need me to approve.
The Team Agreement is a contract of what kind of work each member is going to do. Each member should do approximately an equal amount of (a) writing and (b) making of other materials related to the website. Your team should submit one Team Agreement with all of your names on it. This agreement should clearly describe each team member’s role. I encourage you to put serious thought into this assignment.
Home Page: Your home page should be visually appealing, easy to navigate, and contain the links for the other two pages that you are required to build for the project: About Us and Mission Statement. You should feel free to customize your page and add whatever else you’d like.
About Us: This page should briefly describe your company as well as introduce your team members. Please include the following components:
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- A short description of your company. Here are a few ideas about what to include:
- Your company/brand/product name (and maybe a brief explanation about how you chose this name)
- A logo (you can make one or use an image that you find online)
- Why did you decide to start this company together?
- A mini-bio for each team member that also includes a photo and contact information (your @baruch.cuny.edu email is fine). Please explain who you are, what you study at Baruch, your future goals, and how you contribute to the team.
- A short description of your company. Here are a few ideas about what to include:
Mission: A brief statement (about 1-2 paragraphs) that clearly describes who your company is, what your company does, and how your company does it. This statement must be based on a synthesis of the main issues each of you have addressed in your research essays. This is where you clearly present your purpose to your audience. With that in mind, the language that you use should be tailored to communicate well with your intended audience. For example, if you are developing a video game, you might use more informal language and slang terms that are specific to that genre. You must also include an original hashtag for social branding purposes. The hashtag should convey your mission/identity to your audience. It should also be catchy and easy for your target audience to remember.
Note: Remember, you are free to add as many other components as you’d like; but keep in mind, the bulk of your final grade will be based on the three items listed above.
Project Tasks & Deadlines
Task 1: Proposal & Team Agreement (Due: 2/26)
Task 2: About Us (Due: 3/23)
Task 3: Mission Statement (Due: 4/30)
Task 4: Publish Final Draft (Due: 5/18)
Task 5: Project Reflection (Due: 5/18)
Grading: (3 points each, 30 total)
- Publish your website on time.
- Complete all project tasks (proposal, about us, missions statement, project reflection).
- Create, agree to, and stick to a team agreement for the project.
- Attend all group conferences as a team and prepared to discuss your project.
- Revise and edit the material on your website to make sure it is clear and free of errors.
- Incorporate elements of all of your group members’ research assignments—clearly and effectively.
- Describe your product’s purpose with detail and style.
- Show how your product appeals to a specific audience.
- Publish your work on a website that is user-friendly and visually makes sense for your genre.
- Write a project self-reflection and email it to me on time.
If you have any questions about this assignment, please feel free to leave a comment below!
Examples
Desiderol
Drug Museum
Bilingual Adventure Game
Resources
Learn WordPress – WordPress Tutorials for Beginners
Milanote