PROJECT - Build an Informational Website

When you’re building a website from scratch, the vast majority of the time, you know exactly why you are doing it. Usually a customer, client, or superior has very clearly laid out the specifications and required content and features for a website and all you have to do is give it structure and put it on the Internet. The other possibility is that you, yourself have an idea and a plan for a website that you would like create.

For this project, you are your own client. You are going to build a website whose purpose is to inform its readers about some topic. You will be allowed a lot of freedom for choosing your topic, so it’s a good idea to clear the topic with the instructor, so that you can brainstorm possibilities together. A discussion board for this purpose will be made available.

The Project:

1. Choose a topic and format. Somet things to consider
   • Topics can include
     • anything that you are already an knowledgable about
     • Something you are interested enough in to do a little research
     • Something technology related.
     • If you took the previous course, perhaps you might want to use your topic for the term project and expand it.
   • Formats can include
     • Encyclopedic (tutorial, educational, informative) - Suited to sharing a skill or some esoteric knowledge
     • Public service announcement (PSA) - You are doing this for the public good
     • Entertainment - Maybe you’re just sharing your interest in a hobby

Some thoughts on how to proceed.

1. Plan your site first. Select a topic, have a think about how you want to structure the site (this will make building it a lot easier).
2. Post your ideas on the discussion board in the coars portal.
3. Generate your content before you start building the site. Use a word processor or other text editor to craft and revise the language that you will include on the site. Find the images you want to use. Get more than you will need.
4. Unless you are confident with some other service, it is recommended that you use Google Sites for this. But if you wish, you may use another service.
5. You may delete your submission after grading is completed, and you are free to have it blocked from search engine perusal. But it does have to be published and able to be linked directly on the Web.

Requirements:

1. The site must consist of at least four pages, though probably not more than 6.
2. Each page must have some sort of multimedia. Eiter embedded videos, images, or other media.
3. No low effort submissions. Put the time in to make it interesting. Use relevant images. Care about the project. This is why it’s so critical that you choose a topic that you actually care about and have opinions about.
4. To that end, each page must consist of a few hundred words of text. Consider shooting for 1000 words total, but no less than 500.
5. Consider using the home page as a table of contents that links to the other pages.

Your submission will be in the form a URL on the course portal.

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