English 209

Dr Dean Taciuch -- Spring 2005 -- George Mason University

English 209

We spend more time writing and reading online than we did five years ago. The skills we use are familiar, but writing for online readers presents new challenges--some technical, and some critical. English 209 is a four-week course designed to address some of these technical and critical skills:

The purpose of the course is not to teach specific software applications, but to focus on the design and rhetoric of electronic documents. You will write and critique in an electronic environment using linked documents, images, and other types of media.

If you do not have a Mason webpage, this course will show you how to set up and maintain one. If you already have a web site, this course can help you use the site more effectively for your course work and for your own projects.

Skills: Technical

set up your server space on the Mason server
create directories and set permissions on the server
upload files and manage your site
create and link HTML pages using Netscape Composer (or another editing tool of your choice)
find appropriate content using search engines and library databases
insert and attribute images and other media content
use links to create a sequence of pages on your site

Skills: Critical

critique web pages and other hypertexts based on usability and other criteria
learn about site design including ordering of pages and use of appropriate navigational aids
work on design issues, including color, aesthetics, and readability
learn to identify and navigate legal and ethical issues such as copyright and fair use
learn how to present your text for an online audience