Characteristics of a Good Website

This is the post for the Wednesday, February 3, 2016 class meeting.

Willy Wonka meme, with caption 'I love how your website is impossible to read on my smartphone.'Seating Chart

If you weren’t in class on Monday, check in with me so that I can add you to the seating chart.

Discussing What Makes a Website Good

Based on the information from the lynda.com videos you watched for homework and your own experience, brainstorm answers to the two questions below on your computer or on paper. You will share the characteristics you list with a small group and then potentially with the whole class.

  • What are three things that make a good website?
  • What are three things that make a website that looks good?

After everyone has some notes, we’ll work in groups to combine lists, aiming for five items for each list. Someone in your group will need to work as a notetaker and email me (tengrrl@vt.edu) your group’s list of five things for each question.

We’ll end by combining the different group lists into a collected class list.

In-Class Writing

Go to the Quizzes tool in Canvas and take the "Suzanne Collins Analysis" quiz.

Homework

For today, please do the following:

  • If you didn’t complete your "Suzanne Collins Analysis" quiz in Canvas, please use the grace period to finish by 6 PM Thursday (2/4).

For Friday’s session (2/5), do the following before class:

  • Read the assignment for Project 2: Build a Portfolio. Note any questions that you have about the assignment to ask in class. Save technical questions for next week.

  • Find three portfolio-style sites that you like and want to emulate. Find sites where the authors show their work and/or their qualifications in their field. Be ready to post your links and say what you want to emulate on Friday. Some examples:
    • If you are a creative writer, look for the websites of some writers you admire. Be sure you admire the website. Admiring the writer is optional.
    • If you are a journalist, look for the homepage of some journalists.
    • If you are a teacher, look for the websites of some teachers.

    One rule: Don’t choose any site of mine. I want to avoid any awkward strangeness.