This schedule is subject to change based on student needs. Please check it regularly to stay up-to-date on assignments.

The following abbreviations are used in the schedule below:
DDTC- Document Design: A Guide for Technical Communicators by Kimball & Hawkins
NDDB- The Non-Designer's Design Book by Robin Williams
All other readings available as PDFs linked from the schedule below

TH 8/22:
Class Activities

• Introduction to course and one another
• Syllabus overview
• Design and technology experience writing activity
• Design Center introduction and overview

T 8/27:
Reading

• Shriver "What is Document Design?" (PDF)
• DDTC Chapter 1 "What is Document Design?"

Class Activities

• Use sample designs to discuss readings
• Directions for Design Idea file

TH 8/29:
Reading

• DDTC Chapter 3 "Theories of Design"
• Kostelnick & Roberts "Rhetorical Background" (PDF)

Class Activities

• Discuss reading
• Look at samples in Design Idea files
  
  

T 9/3:
Reading (PDFs)

• Ben McCorkle- "The Annotated Obama Poster"
• Sonja Foss- "Theory of Visual Rhetoric"
  

Class Activities

• Directions for Annotated Visual Analysis assignment
• Quick examples for technologies to complete assignment:
  • Webpage with hotspots
  • UGH example from Tapestry
  • Look at Tapestry editor
• Discuss readings
  • StreetCV
  • Pottery Barn bedroom ideas vs. Anna's Linens bed-in-a-bag
    
    
    

TH 9/5:
Reading

• Kristin Arola- "Rhetoric, Christmas Cards, and Infertility: A Season of Silence"
• “Visual Rhetoric: Writing about Photography”
  

Class Activities

• Discuss readings
  • Ansel Adams- Moonrise over Hernandez, NM
  • Ansel Adams- Manzanar baton practice
    
    
• Dorthea Lange Depression-era Photos
  1. Destitute pea-pickers, migrant mother of seven- photo
  2. Migrant mother- photo
  3. Unemployed family from the Rio Grande Valley- photo
  4. Family without food and work about to be returned to Oklahoma- photo
  5. Men on "skid row" in Modesto, CA- photo
  6. Migrant children from Oklahoma on CA highway- photo
  7. Oklahomans in potato-pickers' camp- photo
  8. Squatters along highway near Bakersfield, CA- photo
  9. Dustbowl refugees along the highway- photo
     
• Most iconic photos of the decade (2000-2009)
• 40 of the most powerful photos ever taken
  
  

T 9/10:
Reading

• Barthes "Rhetoric of the Image" (PDF)
• Kinross "The Rhetoric of Neutrality" (PDF)
  

Class Activities

• discuss readings
• Analysis using readings and case study of the California Avocado Commission's rhetorical approach
  
  
  

TH 9/12:
Class Activities

• Tutorial on editing image and creating a simple website for Visual Analysis assignment
• In-class workday- bring image for Annotated Visual Analysis assignment

T 9/17:
Class Activities

• In-class workday- bring image for Annotated Visual Analysis assignment

TH 9/19:
Class Activities

• In-class workday- bring image for Annotated Visual Analysis assignment

T 9/24:
Class Activities

• Draft due for in-class peer feedback- Annotated Visual Analysis assignment
  

TH 9/26:
Reading

• NDDB- "Working with Type"- pages 145-200
  

Class Activities

• Type analysis activity
• Watch "Font Conference"

T 10/1:
Reading

• DDTC Chapter 6- "Type"
  

Class Activities

• Watch Helvetica
• discuss film and readings
  
  

TH 10/3:
Class Activities

• Photoshop demo- part 1
• Using Photoshop handout
• Revised Annotated Visual Analysis assignment due

T 10/8:

TH 10/10:
Reading

• NDDB- pages 1-90

Class Activities

• Directions for Flyer Design assignment
• in-class CRAP principle activity
  
  
  

T 10/15:
Reading

• NDDB Chapter 8- "Extra Tips & Tricks"

Class Activities

• Photoshop demo part II- layers, transformations, adjustments, color, and filters
• Work on Flyer Design assignment
  

Last day to drop with a "W"

TH 10/17:
Class Activities

• In-class workday for Flyer Design (bring flyer and draft ideas on paper)

T 10/22:
Reading

• DDTC Chapter 2- "Principles of Design"
• DDTC Chapter 5- "Pages"

Class Activities

• Discuss readings
  

• In-class workday for Flyer Design (bring flyer and electronic files)
  

T 10/29:
Class Activities

• Draft due for peer review- Flyer Design

TH 10/31:
Reading

• DDTC- Chapter 4 "The Whole Document"

Class Activities

• Directions for Undergraduate Program Advising Brochure assignment
  • Content and Technical Guidelines for Brochure
  • InDesign Template for brochure (CS version 6)
  • InDesign Template for brochure (CS version 4 and above)
  • NMSU logo for project
  • Brochure panel layout guides- inside and outside
• Look at samples of mini menu designs
• Work on revisions to Flyer Project
  
  
  

T 11/5:
Class Activities

• In-class work/design time- project planning
  
  

11/7:
Reading

• DDTC Chapter 7- "Graphics"
• RWDW Chapter 2- "Taking Advantage of Clip Art" (PDF)
• RWDW Chapter 3- Working with Photographs" (PDF)

Class Activities

• Discuss readings
• Graphic Uses Scavenger Hunt
• Look at online design resources and create a lightbox
  • iStockphoto
  • Stock.xchng
  • Clipart.com
  • Creative Commons on Flickr
  • Getty Images
  • Acid Fonts
    
    
  
  

T 11/12:
Readings

• DDTC- Chapter 9 "Lists, Tables and Forms"

Class Activities

• In class work/design time- Undergraduate Program Advising Brochure

Revised Flyer and Reflection Memo Due

• InDesign Demo with InDesign Workshop handout
• In class work/design time- Undergraduate Program Advising Brochure
  
  
  

M 11/25 - F 11/29:

Class cancelled for break

T 12/3:
Class Activities

• In class work/design time- Undergraduate Program Advising Brochure- revise based on peer and instructor feedback
  

TH 12/5:
Class Activities

• Course review and class wrap-up
• In class work/design time

T 12/10:

Share final Undergraduate Program Advising Brochures

Final Revised Undergraduate Program Advising Brochure and Reflection Memo Due