Digital Publishing > Course Schedule

> HTML cheat sheet. HTML syntax; A visit to W3Schools. HTML file-naming conventions. Elements, Tags and Attributes. The DOCTYPE, HTML, HEAD, TITLE, META, BODY, EM, STRONG, P and H elements. Color codes.

> Homework: Watch Introduction and Sections 1-3 of this Lynda.com video.

February 3
DUE: Final Topic and Resource list (all should be printed out; be sure to include URLs for all websites)

READING DUE: Learning Web Design, Chapters 5-6.

> Resource gathering: Setting up Google news alerts

> Tech time: HTML special characters; The BR, HR, A (HREF, NAME; MAILTO), BLOCKQUOTE, OL/UL elements; Adding comments to HTML code. Publishing your Web site. Using Filezilla to transfer files to the server. Directory structure

> Lab: Setting up an HTML home page

> Homework: Watch Sections 5-6 of this Lynda.com video.

February 5

DUE: Bring your USB drive with you to class!

READING DUE: Learning Web Design, Chapters 7-8, 10, 23-24.

>Windows CTRL (Mac COMMAND) keys:

Ctrl + A: highlight the entire contents. For example, if you are in a folder, it highlights all items. If you are in a webpage, it highlights the entire page.
Ctrl + C: copy selected contents
Ctrl + F: find something
Ctrl + O: open something
Ctrl + P: print a document
Ctrl + R: refresh current application. For example, if you are in a web browser, it refreshes the webpage.
Ctrl + V: paste whatever you just copied
Ctrl + X: cut selected text
Ctrl + Y: redo
Ctrl + Z: undo
Ctrl + F5: does a hard refresh in a web browser. A hard refresh means that browser would requery the website for page contents, without using its cache.

> Tech time: Preparing images for the web: Resizing and optimizing. Using Flickr Creative Commons photos. Embedding photos from Getty Images. Creating an icon for your website's browser tab.

> The IMG tag; HTML tables (the TABLE, TR and TD elements); Embedding YouTube videos.

> Lab: Updating your HTML home page

February 10

REQUIRED VIEWING BEFORE CLASS: Learning to Write for the Web

Writing for the Web

> The First Rule of Web Club

> Sample website text creation (group work)

February 12

DUE: Text for final project

> Text review

> HTML exam review

February 17

DUE: HTML Exam

READING DUE: Learning Web Design, Chapters 11-13.

SUGGESTED VIEWING: Introduction to CSS

> Organizing projects: Create your wireframe; Wireframe Showcase

> Tech time: Cascading Stylesheets (CSS) Pt. 1; CSS Zen Garden; CSS Syntax; How to attach CSS to an HTML document; The HTML DIV and SPAN tags (more here); The Difference Between ID and Class

February 19

READING DUE: Learning Web Design, Chapters 14-16.

REQUIRED VIEWING BEFORE CLASS: CSS Layouts: From Float to Flexbot and Grid; Old CSS, New CSS

SUGGESTED VIEWING: Dreamweaver CC Essential Training

> Using the LinkedIn Branding Canvas

> Tech time: Cascading Stylesheets (CSS) Pt. 2: CSS basics; CSS backgrounds; CSS flexbox; CSS Grids; Acceptable fonts; Using Google fonts.

> Create a stylesheet to use with your Tiger home page.

> Using Adobe Dreamweaver

> Using the CSS template

February 24

Note: February 24 is the last day to withdraw from 7-week courses with a grade of "W."

DUE: Final version of personal homepage styled with CSS

> Creating a professional header for your website. Making your header responsive.

> What is JavaScript and why you should use it. Front end vs. back end development. Why JavaScript Is Eating HTML

> Maps for storytelling

> 2020 Presidential Election Map

> Map example from The Baltimore Sun: Baltimore Homicides

February 26

DUE: Portfolio

> Legal issues in digital publishing.Legal and liability issues for publishing an online news site.

Final project benchmarks: Index page created with text placed and sidebar/footer area filled. Updated files saved to Tigerweb.

March 2

> Search Engine Optimization (SEO): 10 Ways Journalists and Newsrooms Can Conquer SEO; A Journalist's Guide to SEO; Image Alt Text Vs. Image Title : What’s the Difference?; The Periodic Table Of SEO Ranking Factors; The Journalist's Guide to Analytics; Web Words That Lure the Readers; 4 Simple Steps to Optimize Your Photos for Search Engines

Final project benchmarks: Index page finished (logo replaced, colors updated, photo(s) replaced, all sidebar/footer elements finished). Copies saved for subpages. Updated files saved to Tigerweb.

March 4

The state of the art in digital journalism:

> Trend spotting: the best and worst of ‘Snowfall’ design

>The Book of Tebow

> NSA Files: Decoded

> Machines for Life

> China's Maritime Disputes

> Planet Money Makes a T-shirt

> The Wilderness Downtown

Final project benchmarks: All subpages finished. Updated files saved to Tigerweb.

March 9

DUE: HTML/CSS pages; Multimedia