Projects
There are two web projects that you will complete during this course. The first one is an Online Research Proposal, and the second is a Research-Based Web Site on your approved topic of choice. To learn the process of designing and building a web site, you will be guided step-by-step in the creation of your Online Research Proposal. The modules and assignments are aimed at the creation of the Proposal web site. Once you have successfully completed the Proposal site, you will have the skills needed to design and build the Research-Based Web Site Project on your own. Complete descriptions of the projects and the deadlines are listed below.
Web Site Assignment: Online Research Proposal with Bibliography
Deadline: Thursday, February 10, 9:30 AM
Your design proposal should be the equivalent in length of a one to two page discussion of the major topics your technology web site will cover. It should mention your artifact’s antecedents, invention, possible alternatives, and its interaction with American society and culture. It should also include a description of the basic layout for your research-based web site on your particular piece of American technology.
Your bibliography (on a separate web page or pages) should include both primary and secondary sources. You should have at least 10 sources, of which at least 5 must be non-Internet sources. It should be clear that you have done some serious scouting of material for your paper and that you will have enough to write the research-based content.
Bibliographic citations should be done using the standardized format for historians. Use The Chicago Manual of Style (there is a copy in the History Department Suite in 209). For citations of web sources, see Simpson Library’s excellent examples for the new Chicago style (15 th edition) at http://www.library.umw.edu/citesource.html.
This research proposal and bibliography make up part of your grade in this class. Take it seriously. Both your proposal and bibliography should indicate that you have done a fair amount of work on your project and that you will have enough material to create a full research-based web site.
If you have any questions please contact me before the proposal is due.
Web Site Assignment: Research-Based Web Site
Each student will create a research-based web site about the history of an artifact of technology that she or he finds interesting.
All assignments due at (or before) the beginning of class
1) Web Site Topics due: Thursday, January 20
--Email your planned topic for approval. [Remember, you cannot choose a topic that we cover in class.]
2) Proposal web site (with bibliography) due: Thursday, February 10
3) Home page due: Thursday, March 17
4) Completed web site due: Thursday, March 31
--Each student will do a peer review of two of their classmates’ web sites, due to me and the author by class time on Thursday, April 7.
5) Final revised web site due: Thursday, April 14
Areas each web site should cover:
1) Background – should include information on antecedents or influences.
2) Invention – Explain why this artifact was invented and what perceived “need” it fulfilled.
3) Adoption of the artifact of technology – should include any alternatives to the technology and an explanation of why one technology succeeded over others.
4) Impact of the technology on American economy, military, society and culture. [Not all of these may be applicable to your technology.]
5) Footnotes/Endnotes and Bibliography – Cite the sources for all quotes, ideas, information, or pictures.
Although there might be slight differences for each topic, these are the basic content areas that each web site should cover.
Presentation
Web sites allow historians to present information in new ways, so take advantage of them. Part of your grade on this project is based on its presentation.
1) A good web site is clear and well organized, making it easy to navigate and get information.
– Pages on the web site should be appealing, consistent and laid out in a logical manner for the topic.
– The content should be appropriate for your audience, clear, and well written (with no errors in grammar or spelling).
2) A good web site also takes advantage of the possibilities of the Internet without letting them interfere with the communication of information
– This should not just be the text of a research paper dumped onto a web page.
– Use hypertext connections in logical, and helpful ways.
– Use pictures and graphics, where appropriate and available.
Remember, a web site’s “bells and whistles” should not overwhelm the information covered. Presentation is not an acceptable substitute for content.