Objective: Use all the skills gained during the course to complete an extensive project. You will use WordPress as a CMS, iMovie to edit video and YouTube to host it, WP plugins to add a slideshow and any other tools we covered. The emphasis on this project is new information and reporting. It should not be a hobby, portfolio, personal or promotional site. Graphics and photography should also be your original work.
A draft of the interface of the final project will be due two weeks before the end of the semester.
Requirements:
Select a topic that lends toward an extensive use of your skills. Create a complete Web site using WordPress as CMS. Find a good theme to start and then customize.
This should be a journalistic reporting project. Arrange appropriate interviews, photos, or recording as necessary. Contact appropriate sources.
Carefully plan sections and organize your time to allow for creating appropriate graphics, obtain photos and other information.
- Make sure you have a link from your Assignment page to the home page of the new folder. (5 pts)
- Install the site under a new folder and convert that folder to a subdomain.
- Your site must include at least one video (or more) and one photo slideshow.
- Include at least 3 plugins/widgets – Photo content slider, Twitter widget, social sharing, etc.
- The site should include at least 5 different sections, represented by separate pages.
- Make sure your contact info and date is available on the site.
- Content is related and free of GSP errors.
- Site is well-designed and easy to navigate.
- Audio and/or video work as expected.
- Images and slideshows work as expected.
- Final presentation on 07 December.
- Extra consideration will be made if you include a data element (Google Maps, Google Charts, Wordle, Chartle, etc.)
Draft
- Create a detailed site map with the five sections, and the kinds of content you intend to have on each section.
- Discuss plan and progress for the 5 sections.
- Show plan and progress for interviews.
- Show plan and progress for photos.
- Show plan and progress for video.
- Show plan and progress for slideshow.
- Discuss what went into choosing the theme, and what elements are or will be customized.
- Discuss the choices of plugins/widgets.
- Give relevant and constructive feedback to classmates’ ideas and progress.
Presentation
The presentation must be no longer than 10 minutes, with 5 minutes for questions at the end. It can be a walk-through of the site, or a PowerPoint, depending on which format works best for the topic or your own comfort level.
These are the areas on which I will be grading the presentation:
- Clear introduction of the site and the premise.
- Discuss why the site topic is important.
- The presentation is well organized.
- The presenter is well prepared.
- There are strong visual components supporting presentation [not slides with excessive text or reading off long pages].
- Talk about your process, the things you tried, the ones that worked and those that didn’t.
- Give a clear conclusion of things learned in the project, both on the topic and the technical side.
- Ask good questions of other presenters.