in such a way that images, sound, and video become integral to supporting your

Part of what you will doing here is migrating traditional research, paper-writing, and presentation skills into a web-based environment. But don’t think of this simply as an “online report.” Think of it instead as a supercharged term paper: an opportunity to mix media in new, creative, and innovative ways in order to make an argument more effectively than you could with just the written word. You want to push the boundaries and format of traditional research paper writing as far as you can. The key here is to use the medium. As much as possible, let the unique characteristics of the multimedia hypertext environment set the agenda for how you approach this assignment.

So what, specifically, is the assignment? By now your instructor should have given you a list of possible Web Essay topics/questions or provided guidelines for creating your own. The final product for this assignment, which your instructor will evaluate and grade, is a hypertext or multimedia environment that can be viewed using a web browser. In short, you will design and assemble a website that presents your research and arguments in response to the topic or question of your choice. Think of it as a research paper, but one that you complete in the form of a website—incorporating, as much as possible and as appropriate, multimedia content such as links to other websites, graphics, charts, tables, sound, video, etc.

You may know a lot about web design. You may know absolutely nothing. Don’t worry: you are not going to be graded on your technical prowess! Rather, your instructor is looking to see if you have put some thought into how your research and ideas can benefit from presentation via a new medium. Even if you have never even thought about making your own website before, this support site will provide you with everything you need to get started on your Web Essay. If you don’t yet possess the relevant skills, you’ll be shown where at GMU (and beyond) you can go to learn them. You can also take a look at some examples of other web essay-type sites and assignments.

For the most part, the level and kind of multimedia technology you incorporate into your site is up to you. Remember: your grade is not based on the quantity of trendy multimedia you incorporate. Rather, you are aiming to use technologies to effectively present knowledge. In this regard, a plain vanilla HTML site designed by a first-time user that helps us to better understand the topic at hand is going to score higher than a bells-n-whistles, technicolor Flash monstrosity of little relevance. Don’t let IT get in the way of your point; use it to make your point.

Technical requirements. The sky is pretty much the limit for this assignment, but in order to ensure a modicum of compatibility and access, you are required to make sure that your final website meets the following criteria:

The final website must be hosted on a server accessible to GMU faculty.

The full range of media you employ should be viewable through a standard web browser with minimal need for extra plug-ins. Users should not need to purchase additional software in order to fully appreciate your site.

Academic/intellectual property requirements. As with any kind of academic output, certain norms and conventions apply to the Web Essay. Some are quite specific to its unique medium:

All sources (regardless of media) need to be cited. Any language or words that are not your own should be clearly indicated as such as per the usual conventions. Guidelines for citing online sources can be found in the resources / training section.

The bulk of the site’s intellectual content, and certainly its overall narrative structure, should be your own. Resist the temptation to rely too heavily on links to other people’s sites in order to support your argument—i.e. avoid a cut and paste approach, or excessive use of hyperlinks.

Be sensitive to intellectual property and privacy issues. Some multimedia content is copyrighted an cannot be used without permission. Other types can be used so long as you are not making money from doing so (i.e. your educational use of this material should not be a problem). Further information about these issues can be found in the resources / training section.

You are welcome to enlist the help of the STAR Lab or tech-savvy friends in assembling your website, but it is expected that the overall design and academic substance of the site will be your own. The University Honor Code applies to this assignment.
The due date of your assignment will have been determined and announced by your classinstructor. Any other questions regarding the assignment should be directed to him or her.

The due date of your assignment will have been determined and announced by your class instructor. Any other questions regarding the assignment should be directed to him or her.