DUE OCTOBER 16
First off, let me address the fact that some midterm assignments necessitate a higher word count than others, this is because in cases where the midterms require more words, the final requires less technical difficulty. Some midterm assignments (The CEO Business Plan for example) will serve as a part of the final as well as a midterm grade.
IMPORTANT: All midterms should open with a page that addresses the following:
What kind of computer are you using for your research:
- Model
- Year
- Operating System
What experience do you have with computers/software?
100-150 words
Within the context of your midterm/final project what are you
challenging yourself to accomplish that you did not know how
to do before starting this class
150-200 words
Software Archeologist Template
Readings:
Preserving Virtual Worlds
https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/handle/2142/17097
Formerly Proprietary Software now Open Source
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Formerly_proprietary_software
Midterm Components (1350 words):
- Summary: Summary of the software package you are researching, and why you chose it
- Introduction: Explain first steps toward utilizing this software.
- Cultural and Economic Significance of Software you are exploring: Do some peliminary research into the history of the software and why you see it as significant.
Plan for final:
You will have two options, I will give you my suggestion based on the Proposal B component of your midterm:
Option 1: Create a walkthrough of use
Write a step by step walkthrough of how you did or did not get the software to work.
I recommend you get a piece of software working before you begin even the midterm write-up process. If you do not get the software working you will not get an A.
Option 2:
Write in-depth analysis of code repo Access an open source repository of your selected software package’s code and write a step by step analysis of said code.
CEO Template
Readings:
SBA: Create Your Business Plan
http://www.sba.gov/writing-business-plan
How To Start a Media Company with No Job Experience or Seed Capital
http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-start-a-media-company-with-no-job-experience-or-seed-capital-2010-8?op=1
Buzzfeed Letter to Employees
http://cdixon.org/2012/07/24/buzzfeeds-strategy/
Midterm Components (2400 words):
For your midterm I ask that you write out a business plan focusing primarily around some form of new media/social media content deliverables, you should not be planning to build a company based on a piece of software you do not have the power to build. Unless you are at an expert level and understand how to create a simulated Agile workflow.
In the context of this assignment you will need to create a business plan
that focuses on content. An example might be a company that will deliver 5 to 10 minute animations that will run on youtube with sponsored advertising mixed into the media. Another example might be a political podcast that aims to reach a specific demographic.
You can get creative on the construction of the business plan, but if you
want to be on the safe side follow the SBA templates for at least the following:
- Executive Summary
- Company Description
- Market Analysis
Plan for Final:
Your final will be less strenuous because of the necessary lengthiness of your business proposal/plan. I will ask that you write up your business plan in html and also add assets to strengthen the appearance of your new brand. If you believe your work is strong enough to initiate a crowd-funding campaign with Kickstarter, I will encourage you to try it out.
Publisher Template
Reading:
Researching the Copyright status of a Book: Protected or Public Domain?
http://copyright.columbia.edu/copyright/files/2010/08/researching-the-copyright-status-of-books.pdf
Project Gutenberg
http://www.gutenberg.org/
Midterm Components (1350 words):
Option 1: Write a full report on the novel you will be formatting as an html deliverable.
Option 2:
Find 3 examples of texts that you believe have been expertly formatted in html, write a detailed analysis of the formatting, how you intend to format the public domain novel you have chosen. An example might be The World of Hannah Arendt.
Plan for Final
- Create a Cover Image for your book in Gimp
- Follow THIS TEMPLATE
As stated in the raw HTML comments in the template, if you choose to do significant
work on styling your page with CSS or with a web framework like Bootstrap you are
not expected to include a report on the text. However, even if you do some very minor
styling, you should still write the 3 page report if you expect to get a high grade. If you have styled the page, you may just link to a copy of your final midterm write-up.
Producer Template
Reading:
VLC Screen Recording Tutorial: http://pctonic.net/use-vlc-as-a-screen-recording-tool
Quicktime Screen Recording Tutorial: http://etc.usf.edu/techease/4all/getting-started/creating-screen-recordings-with-quicktime-player/
How to create sreencasts: http://diythemes.com/thesis/how-to-create-screencasts/
Midterm Component (1350 words):
Write up a proposal for a screencast, news recording, music selection, fashion design, comic book, etc. This will look different depending on what sort of media you want to look at. In this proposal please create sections and describe different components as to why you are moving toward this task
Say I’m doing a podcast:
What will the theme be? Why have I chosen this theme?
Who will the audience be? Why do I think they’ll be interested in this content?
What will my first episode be about? What will my next 5 be about (even if for the final you are only producing one screencast)
If you need more suggestions for filling out the initial proposal bring that up in proposal A (the first half of your midterm assignment), and I’ll try and offer you some suggestions.
Plan for Final:
Create a piece of content that is at least 5 minutes in length.
Create a digital space for that content (preferably an HTML document)
This could be a portfolio of original images hosted on an image hosting site
This could be a screencast tutorial showing something like rudimentary HTML, how to
draw an animal, how to create a spreadsheet in Excel, etc
This could be a video interview or a short news piece using the campus green screen
room.
—
Blogger Template
Reading:
The Sixteen Most Popular Tumblrs http://www.buzzfeed.com/katienotopoulos/the-most-popular-tumblrs#fr3w8b
Midterm Components (1350 words):
Option A) Pages on what kind of blog you’d like to make and why. Include links to twitter profile and to your initial space for hosting your blog.
Option B) Simply write up your first 7 blog posts in full (and also include link to twitter profile and initial space for hosting the blog.
Plan for Final:
Create a blog page using one of the following methods:
Tumblr Blog
Wordpress Blog
Jekyll blog
Create a twitter account especially for your blog.
Create a logo in Gimp
select a templated size for your images
For your final create at least 20 posts with at least 200 words in each one, half
of them should have pictures, all either original images, public domain images, or
images that constitute fair use.
Developer Template
Midterm Components (1000+ words)
Make a case in at least 1000 words as to how you will go about creating this project. Make it incredibly clear that you have enough experience to choose this track. If it is not clear I may ask you to reconsider and choose another option for Proposal B.
Plan for Final:
- Create a Github Repo with the following:
- A detailed README.md file
- Complete code to an original or forked OS software deliverable
Your initial README can be as short as 1000 words, but be warned
if you have little to show at the end of the semester for the final
you will be graded as such.
a fully functional piece of software written in any kind of language
This program can not be something you’ve already developed, nor
can it merely be a cloned repository from someone else (that will
equate an F), but it can be a fork of a piece of software.