ENG 328-001 | spring 2023 | 2:30-3:20 | CAND 1140
Dr. Marc C. Santos
www.marccsantos.com
marc.santos@unco.edu
Ross Hall 1140B
Office Hours: Thursdays 1:00 to 3:15. I will often be in the Ross 1240 computer lab so that I can easily review your designs and help you with technological questions. I am also available by appointment on Friday’s from 10:00 to 12:00.
Course Introduction
Welcome! My goal this semester is to expose you to the terminology and tools germane to document design. We will be using digital tools–including image editing and digital publishing software–to construct persuasive images and design accessible and stylistic documents. As a rhetorician, my approach to design is driven by genre, a set of formal and content expectations. We will develop methods, driven by genre research, to aid in our composing process. My hope is that this class will help you whether you pursue a career in publishing, professional research, or social media marketing–trajectories that benefit from understanding foundation design principles and having proficiency in visual editing and publishing software.
We will begin the semester with a series of 5 mini-projects, beginning with Canva and then moving into Adobe Photoshop and eventually InDesign. A major outcome of this course is making you comfortable with InDesign, since it remains the dominant technology used in all levels of professional design and publishing. We will cover a range of visual genres: flyers, presentations, charts and graphs, infographics, professional reports, and full-size posters. As we work with these typical genres and documents, we will be learning the fundamentals of visual design–how to make engaging, accessible, informative, and “slick” visuals. We’ll also be talking about file types and expectations–things like bleeds and gutters.
At the mid-point of the semester, we’ll switch into three longer projects. All three of these projects are tied to a community partner. First, we will design an issue of UNC’s The Crucible literary magazine. The Crucible‘s editorial staff will choose the winner. Second, we will design the program for the Fall 2024 Go West Film Festival. My class has been designing the festival’s program for the past few years; later I’ll share winning designs by Molly Riggs, Emma Sneden, and Sam Byerly. This project draws upon all the technical skills we will have practiced over the course of the semester: layout, typography, color, and precision. I love both of these projects because they provide multiple opportunities to design something that will get used in the real-world. No matter your level of proficiency, my aim is for you to leave the class with at least one piece you could include in a portfolio or discuss in a cover letter or interview.
The third project is a bit smaller in scope than the others. I’m calling it Designing Your World. It asks you to design and produce something for someone. Both the purpose and audience for this project will be up to you. We will discuss this project more when we return from spring break.
I don’t expect that you have any experience with photography, design, or any of these technologies. While a 300-level class, ENG 328 is designed for novices who are using these materials for the first time. My belief is that you can learn the fundamentals of design in a few weeks, even if mastering design’s aesthetics takes a life-time. Even if you are an absolute technophobe and novice, you should be able to leave this class knowing how, in the words of Steve Stockman, to create something that does not suck. However, previous student evaluations have indicated that even those those who are already proficient and looking to develop mastery and/or portfolio-quality materials have found the course instructive and useful, especially because it can act as a lab in which you can experiment.
Required Materials
There is one book you will need to purchase by Week 4 of the semester. Unfortunately, because my life has been a bit messy the past month, I forgot to order it to the bookstore. If anyone needs me to order it to the bookstore, please let me know and I will. But it is generally far cheaper to rent the book on Amazon (if you buy used, just make sure you have access to download the lesson files–those are important).
- Anton and DeJarld. Adobe InDesign CC Classroom in a Book.
Additionally, you will likely pay $5-20 dollars on the Designing Your World project.I include paying for professional printing to familiarize you with the intricacies of developing a digital file to print with a bleed (this will make more sense soon).
Coursework
Mini Projects:
- Week One: Canva or Photoshop, Redo Layout Sin (flyer on campus)
- Week Two: Designing an Infographic: Canva or Photoshop, Office Doors
- Weeks Three and Four: Photoshop and InDesign, Flyer for IFS
- Weeks Five and Six: InDesign Restaurant Menu
Major Projects:
- Weeks Seven, Eight, and Nine: The Crucible spring 2024 issue
- Weeks Ten, Eleven, Twelve, and Thirteen: Go West Film Festival program
- Weeks Fourteen, Fifteen, and Sixteen: Designing Your World
Grades
- Mini-projects: 40%
- Crucible: 15%
- Go West Film Festival: 20%
- Designing Your World: 10%
- Adobe InDesign Exercises, classwork, homework: 15%
In addition to the mini-projects and major projects, you will complete chapters from the Adobe InDesign in a Book.
Assessment
This class uses a hybrid grading scheme. If you turn in an assignment and it meets the fundamental criteria I lay out in the class notes, then you are assured a “B.” To earn an A, you will have to produce something of higher quality. As in any composition class, I will provide feedback on your designs and you will have an opportunity to revise and resubmit them if you would like to earn a higher grade.
I think of this class as a workshop–the idea is to provide you a forum where you can try, fail, learn, and grow. Hence why I make the path to earning a “B” relatively easy. I know working with technology can create anxiety and frustration, and I’d like to nullify them as best I can. While the path to an “A” is a bit more difficult, no one has ever complained that my approach to assessment is unfair, and I’ve been teaching this class for about a decade now. Put in some effort, let me know when you are struggling, and your grade will take care of itself. If you have any questions, you can always email me or come to office hours.
Inclement Weather Final Exam Policy
This class does not have a final exam. The University requires we meet over exam week, so we will meet and share the Design Your World projects while eating pizza. Assuming no one is allergic to dogs, then Guinness will be here too. Do not feed him pizza. Maybe a bite of crust.
Attendance
First, this is a “hands-on” course, and much of the learning you will do in here comes from trying (and failing) to do things in class. I don’t lecture much, but class discussions are meant to explicate how to think like a professional designer. Essentially, there is no way to “teach” design; design is learned through trial, disequilibrium, struggle, failure, breakthrough, and perseverance. Class is a way for me to attempt to structure these experiences, and to facilitate discussions that help you make sense of them. Much writing studies scholarship emphasizes the importance of presence, effort, and labor; you need to be here and be working.
However, even in the best of times, it is simply unrealistic to demand someone show up to every class. Life happens in myriad unpredictable ways. And, of course, these are not the best of times.
So here’s my attendance policy: You can miss 4 classes this semester without penalty. Miss a 5th class and you’re grab caps out at a B. Miss a 6th class and you fail.
I generally do not “excuse” absences. You get 4-5 days to miss for any reason. You do not need to email me to tell me why you are missing class or to offer a doctor’s note for missing class. Those are your sick days, I would expect you are sick or you would be here.
If you have a serious illness or family situation that might cause you to miss a lot of class, then let me know ASAP. If you have a chronic illness that impacts attendance, then let me know. I am certainly willing to work with you in those situations. If you have an “A” and are forced to miss 5 classes due to an emergency, then I will see if there’s a path for you to retain your “A.” Note that I am much more willing to work with people who demonstrate effort in these situations.
Student Code of Conduct and Academic Integrity
All members of the University of Northern Colorado community are entrusted with the responsibility to uphold and promote five fundamental values: Honesty, Trust, Respect, Fairness, and Responsibility. These core elements foster an atmosphere, inside and outside of the classroom, which serves as a foundation and guides the UNC community’s academic, professional, and personal growth. Endorsement of these core elements by students, faculty, staff, administration, and trustees strengthens the integrity and value of our academic climate.
The Department of English at UNC has adopted the following policy regarding plagiarism. Pretending that another¹s work is one¹s own is a serious scholarly offense known as plagiarism. For a thorough discussion of plagiarism, see the Dean of Students website:
http://www.unco.edu/dos/academicIntegrity/students/definingPagiarism.html
Students who are caught plagiarizing will receive a final grade of “F” in the course. In addition, they will be reported to the Chair of the Department of English and the Dean of Students office for possible further disciplinary action. If you need help with understanding documentation systems and avoiding plagiarism beyond the instruction given in class and as seen in the UNC Code of Conduct, speak with the instructor or visit the UNC Writing Center’s web site for a series of PowerPoint tutorials at http://www.unco.edu/english/wcenter/academicintegrityindex.html. Instructors use experience and a plagiarism detection service, Safe Assignment, sponsored by the University, to aid in spotting cases of plagiarism. Plagiarism will not be tolerated.
Some but not all UNC instructors regard double or repeat submissions of one¹s own work as a form of plagiarism. If you intend to use in this course written material that you produced for another course, please meet with me first. Otherwise, you may be guilty of cheating. I am open to remediating and expanding previously completed work in this class.
Disability Accommodations
Any student requesting disability accommodation for this class must inform the instructor giving appropriate notice. Students are encouraged to contact Disability Support Services (www.unco.edu/dss ) at (970) 351-2289 to certify documentation of disability and to ensure appropriate accommodations are implemented in a timely manner.
Parental Accommodations
As a parent, I understand that life can come at you fast. If you would miss a class session due to babysitting issues, please don’t. Feel free to bring your child to class.
Title IX Resources
The University of Northern Colorado is committed to providing a safe learning environment for all students that is free of all forms of discrimination and sexual harassment, including sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. Students who have experienced (or who know someone who has experienced) any of these incidents should know that they are not alone. UNC has staff members trained to support students to navigate campus life, to access health and counseling services, to provide academic and housing accommodations, to help with legal protective orders, and more.
Please be aware all UNC instructors and most staff members are required to report their awareness of sexual violence to the Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance (OIEC). This means that if students tell an instructor about a situation involving sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, or stalking, the instructor must share that information with the Title IX Coordinator, Larry Loften. Larry or a trained staff member in OIEC will contact the reporting students to let them know about accommodations and support services at UNC as well as their options to pursue a process to hold accountable the person who caused the harm to them. Students who have experienced these situations are not required to speak with OIEC staff regarding the incident. Students’ participation in OIEC processes are entirely voluntary.
If students do not want the Title IX Coordinator notified, instead of disclosing this information to the instructor, students can speak confidentially with the following people on campus and in the community. They can connect you with support services and help explore options now, or in the future.
- UNC’s Assault Survivors Advocacy Program (ASAP): 24 Hr. Hotline 970-351-4040 or http://www.unco.edu/asap
- UNC Counseling Center: 970-351-2496 or http://www.unco.edu/counseling
- UNC Psychological Services: 970-351-1645 or http://www.unco.edu/cebs/psych_clinic
Students who are survivors, who are concerned about someone who is a survivor, or who would like to learn more about sexual misconduct or report an incident, can visit www.unco.edu/sexual-misconduct. Students may also contact OIEC at 970-351-4899 or email titleix@unco.edu.
Equity Inclusion
The University of Northern Colorado (UNC) embraces the diversity of students, faculty, and staff. UNC honors the inherent dignity of each individual, and welcomes their unique perspectives, behaviors, and world views. People of all races, religions, national origins, sexual orientations, ethnicities, genders and gender identities, cognitive, physical, and behavioral abilities, socioeconomic backgrounds, regions, immigrant statuses, military or veteran statuses, sizes and/or shapes are strongly encouraged to share their rich array of perspectives and experiences. Course content and campus discussions will heighten your awareness of others’ individual and intersecting identities.
For information or resources, contact Chief Diversity Officer, Dr. Tobias Guzman, at 970-351-1944. If students want to report an incident related to identity-based discrimination/harassment, please visit www.unco.edu/institutional-equity-compliance.
Food Insecurity
Research shows that college students experience food insecurity at higher rates than the American household rate and that food insecurity can negatively impact academic performance and persistence. In recognition of this problem, UNC offers assistance to students facing food insecurity through an on- campus food pantry. The Bear Pantry is located in University Center 2166A and is open for regular hours throughout the semester. Please visit www.unco.edu/bear-pantry for more information.
Students who face challenges securing their food or housing and believe this may affect their performance in this course are also urged to contact Student Outreach and Support (SOS), which is part of the Dean of Students Office. SOS can assist students during difficult circumstances, which may include medical, mental health, personal or family crisis, illness, or injury. The Dean of Students Office/SOS can be reached at dos@unco.edu or via phone at 970-351-2001.
Land Acknowledgment
The University of Northern Colorado occupies the lands in the territories of the Ute, Cheyenne, and Arapaho peoples. The University acknowledges the 48 tribes that are historically tied to the state of Colorado. Thus, the land on which UNC is situated is tied to the history and culture of our native and indigenous peoples. UNC appreciates this connection and has great respect for this land. Additionally, the University community pays its respect to Elders past, present, and future, and to those who have stewarded this land throughout the generations.
As part of the learning and reflection process please visit https://native-land.ca/ or call the Office of Equity & Inclusion at 970-351-1944.
Name in Use/Pronoun in Use/Name Change
Some students may have changed their names to better reflect their gender identity or for other reasons. The process to request that the University change the name that appears on Canvas and on the course roster is available here: https://www.unco.edu/registrar/name-change.aspx
