Semester Project: Informational Website

PURPOSE: To design, develop, and publish an informational website using recommended design practices. You can choose from a variety of themes, as long as it is your original work. Examples include: an avocation, your original literary or artistic creations, or something worthwhile that you are well-informed about. You may even use a research paper from another class, if you can prove that you wrote it. The idea is to create a website that contains worthwhile and original information for visitors. Please keep in mind that this is not a fictitious website; the information must be real.

To best manage your project, it will be split up into four milestones – much like a real-world project development cycle. The milestones are worth the following percentage of your final grade.

Web Site Topic Approval	3%
Planning Analysis Sheet	3%
Site Map	3%
Final Website Project	16%
TOTAL	25%

NOTE: If you wish to create a commercial website instead of this one, you may do so. However, you will have to publish it on a server other than students.cofc.edu. Also, your commercial website must meet all of the criteria listed above.

PROJECT MILESTONES

Web Site Topic Approval:
Prepare the proposal as a webpage with CSS layout of at least 1 column. You may use a fixed or relative width for your column. You can write it in either a narrative or bulleted format. Remember to link it to your Assignments Page.

• What is the purpose of the site?
• What do you want the web site to accomplish?
• Who is your intended audience?
• What opportunity, problem, or issue is your site addressing?
• What type of content might be included in your site?
• List 3 similar sites, and specify whether each example is based on content or design inspiration.

- At least one sample site should be related to your proposed content.

- Also, at least one sample should provide you with some design inspiration. (Don’t worry—I’m not going to hold you to this in the end.)

• Remember, the page must look pleasant and use a columnar layout.

GENTLE WARNING: Content inspiration does not mean that you can copy other people’s websites. For the most part, you must come up with original content for your website. You may use some researched information, but must cite and document it appropriately.

DUE ON

February 27

Planning Analysis Sheet:
Write a plan that includes the following subheadings. Be sure to link it to your Assignments Page.

• Website goal: Describe 2 or 3 specifics that you wish your site to accomplish. (Note that if you did a good job of defining these in your Topic Approval, you may still have the same goals.)
• Web Host and URL: If you are going to create a commercial website, which host are you using and what is your URL?
• Navigation menu: List the titles of the main pages that you are planning for your website. You are required to have at least six pages. (e.g. Home, History, About Me, etc.)
• Information and resources:
  List what you need, and where you will obtain them (facts, text, graphics, sounds, etc.)
• And remember, the page must look pleasant and use a columnar layout.

DUE ON

March 17

Site Map:
Create a sitemap that storyboards your website. This sitemap shows the hierarchy of pages and relationships between the pages. You may use a visual sitemap generator such as https://try.powermapper.com/demo/powermapper.aspx if you wish. Alternatively, you can create the sitemap in Word, PowerPoint, or attractively hand drawn. Link your sitemap to your Assignments Page. Please note that if you use Powermapper, it generates an image, which you can simply link on your Assignments Page.

DUE ON

April 10

Final Website Project:
Finish publishing your website to the students.cofc.edu server. For grading purposes, you must place a link to it on your Assignments Page.

DUE AT FINAL EXAM TIME

1:30 class =
2:30 class =

You must publish your project to the students.cofc.edu web server. The requirements to earn at least a C on the final website are listed below:

• NO TEMPLATES
• The homepage must be called index.html
• The layout must be more than one column. Or you could use card style.
• A total of six pages or more
• Proper identity at top of each page; although your home page can look different from secondary pages.
• Consistent main navigation
• Keyword metatags
• One page utilizing tables effectively
• Hyperlinked e-mail
• External hyperlinks
• All HTML and CSS pages must be validated at https://validator.w3.org and https://jigsaw.w3.org
• Fragment IDs on pages that are longer than two screens
• Your site must be viewable at different resolutions, and in different browsers without significant differences.
• DO NOT use a form unless it is both functional and meaningful.
• If you choose to use YouTube or other un-original videos, make sure there are no more than two (unless they belong to you). The reason is that YouTube videos are not your original content.
• Suggestion – but not required: Use a multi-line footer, perhaps containing a few of your social media accounts if you wish to share. But don’t link them to generic websites.

In order to earn a higher grade, you must demonstrate a thorough knowledge of HTML using proper coding, attractive imagery, and effective layout. Also, be sure to follow the recommended web site design practices at https://terrymorris.net/bestpractices . In summary, if you simply stick with the minimum requirements, without attempting any challenging HTML5, CSS, and CSS3 features, it may mean that you have earned an average grade of "C".