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TC/HUMANITIES 151: VISUAL COMMUNICATION

MW: 12:30-1:45, Speare 113
Instructor: Dr. Clinton R. Lanier
Office: Fitch Hall 106, 5
Phone: 835-6949
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Office Hours: M-W 10-11, 2-4

COURSE TEXTS AND RESOURCES
Walsh, Lynda. The Handbook of Visual Communications: A Web Primer for Technical Professionals. Online at http://infohost.nmt.edu/~crlanier/151/151toc.html

Gimp software download: http://www.gimp.org/
Gimp software Manual: http://docs.gimp.org/en/

Wink software download: http://www.debugmode.com/wink/download.php

OBJECTIVES
Technical Communication 151 focuses on learning the language and politics of graphic media. The course goals are as follows:

  • Develop a vocabulary for discussing and analyzing the visual aspects of documents
  • Recognize the political and rhetorical force implied by the choice of a certain visual presentation
  • Identify and analyze the audience(s) targeted by a particular visual presentation
  • Create visually effective documents and graphics.


During the course of the semester you will be learning the theory behind visual communication through the reading of the main text and handout, while also applying design theory by learning important tools outside of class. Each Monday will be spent in class while each Wednesday will be spent on your own in outside labs.


POLICY ON ABSENCES
Your daily, punctual attendance is expected.  Two absences will be considered excessive and may lower your final grade by at least one full letter grade.  If you miss four classes, you’ll likely fail the course.   Coming to class late or leaving early disrupts everyone and should be avoided.  Arriving more than fifteen minutes late for class will be marked as an absence; arriving under fifteen minutes late three times will be marked as an absence.  For an assignment to be considered for full credit, you are accountable for submitting work due on its assigned date whether you are in class or not.  It is also your responsibility to see me about handouts or changes to the class schedule you missed due to an absence.  

POLICY ON LATE PAPERS
Due dates for assigned work are clearly noted on the course schedule.  It is expected that you will comply with those due dates.  Should there be circumstances that prevent you from submitting a major writing assignment on its due date, it is your responsibility to notify me and to discuss with me a mutually acceptable alternative.  Otherwise, a late major writing assignment will be graded down one full letter grade and will only be accepted one day late;  papers will not be accepted later than one day.  No homework assignments will be accepted late for credit.

POLICY ON ACADEMIC HONESTY  
Integrity is expected of you in all academic work. The guiding principle of academic integrity is that your submitted work must be your own with, of course, accurate attributions to, and citations of, others’ work where appropriate.  Failure to adhere to this principle will result in failure on the assignment and other consequences as per University policy, which can include failure in the course, suspension and/or expulsion from the university.

FORMAT FOR ASSIGNMENTS

  • All written assignments should be submitted in hard copy unless otherwise specified. NOTE: You are responsible for keeping disk copies of your assignments as a backup.
  • All writing assignments should be submitted in a two-pocket folder (no plastic binders or report covers, please) and should include notes, research/reference materials, if appropriate, drafts, and exercises related to the finished product. Note that this means saving or printing out hard copies of drafts in progress. This material is considered part of the assignment, so failure to submit it will affect your grade. Both the folder and your work should display your name.
  • All documents longer than one page should include page numbers. Your name should appear on all pages.

Documents that do not meet these and other assignment-specific requirements will not be graded.

ASSIGNMENTS
20%     Redesign of a document or a full-color graphic with 1-2 page analysis
40%     Final document incorporating both text and graphics (in groups)
10%     Mid-term Exam
20%     Final Exam
10%     Participation, including all in-class work, quizzes, and attendance

CLASS SCHEDULE
8/26     

8/31   

  • Install Gimp Open-source Software from http://www.gimp.org/ and run it, start looking at controls and tools.

9/9

9/14

  • In-class exercise: Chapter 2 of Walsh text

9/16

9/21

9/23

9/28

  • Guest Presentation: Understanding layers in Gimp

9/30

  • Gimp Tutorial 5
  • Gimp Tutorial 6
  • Assignment: Create a shape using paths, similar to that in tutorial 6. Make the shape different from that in the tutorial (i.e., don't simply use the file provided).

10/5

10/7

10/12

  • Study for Mid-term Exam
  • Work on Mid-term Project

10/14

  • Mid-term Exam
  • Mid-term Project due

10/19

10/21

10/26

10/28

 11/2

11/4

  • TBA

11/9

11/11

  • TBA

11/16

  • CONFERENCE TIMES 10:00--12:00

11/17

  • CONFERENCE TIMES 10:00--12:00

11/18

  • CONFERENCE TIMES 10:00--12:00

11/30

  • TBA

12/2

12/9

  • Final Exam, Final Projects Due

Class Presentations