Grading and Assignments

Your "letter" grade will be based on the following components.

  1. Attendance, Participation, Collective Contribution: 10%

    All students are expected to attend class, do the readings, participate in discussions and to contribute to the class website.

  2. Short Assignments: 40%

    Information Design> Powerpoint Presentation (10%) Due 9/02

    I am looking for you to "experiment" with creating a presentation using this program. It can take a more conventional or avant-garde approach. The content is your choice, I suggest a "biography" but any topic is open. Remember that it is to be 5 minutes long, approx. 12 screens. Use the tools of Powerpoint appropriately, and with a purpose, not ad-hoc. I am also looking for creativity, good use of the program, information deisgn, and composition aesthetics. Consider you overall design, slide layouts, colour pallette etc.

    We will present these in class over several weeks. submit it on a CD and be sure to include all files in order for it to run correctly. Be conservative in your use of graphics, sound, and other M-M files.

    Analysis/critique-> Pointe-à-Callières Museum on location - Old Montreal (10%) Due 2/03

    (Visit the museum during class time on February 16th or during that week. Student price $6.50)

    Based on what you know about museum design from class, the course readings and your tour of the Pointe à Callières museum, discuss the following in 500-800 words:

    • What kind of experience does the Pointe-à-Callières museum lead you to have?
    • Discuss the overall design of the museum as well as one specific display to illustrate your perspective.
    • Cite course readings and refer directly to points discussed in class. Imagine and describe how you would design a display to further extend and expand the museum experience for the Pointe-à-Callières museum. If you like, you can work on the report as a group (2-3), with each person commenting on the overall design, and each of you choosing a different display to focus on, depending on your interests. In this case, you may hand in a group report which will be longer, depending on the size of the group. Make sure that you indicate who contributes to which parts of the report. It must be typed, 12pt font and double spaced.

    Presentation OR "Imagineering" (20%) Due 30/03

    Presentation » 15 minute presentation on an ID topic, in teams (topics to be discussed in class) (20%) Due 30/03

    OR

    “Imagineering” » a proposal approved by the professor by the end of January. (20%) Due 30/03

  3. Analysis » Communication Arts Annual WINNERS.20% Due 9/03

    Visit the Communication Arts Magazine website HERE. Choose one of the winners of the 2004 Interactive Annual.

    Using the text as a reference, analyze your choice using at least 5 of the sections from the text.

    Relate each section to your choce and cite examples. It must be typed, 12pt font and double spaced. 5-8 pages.

  4. Final Research Paper - 30% 10-15 pages. Due 6/04

    A major paper developed according to the interests and abilities of the students and based on the course topics. Choose something that is of interest to you in ID; graphics, icons, signs, displays, maps, manuals, websites, blogs, etc.

    The paper must be word processed, double spaced, and must include ideas/readings from class. Papers must also include appropriate citations/footnotes/ endnotes/ bibliography/ works cited information.

    Papers must make use of materials not covered in class (in other words, students are expected to do research) and must use scholarly sources (such as journal articles). No extensions of this deadline will be given (with the exception of a documented medical emergency).