for MA Digital Publishing and MA Publishing

This is a semester 2 module for the MA Digital Publishing or MA Publishing at Oxford Brookes University and runs from February 1 2012 to May 2 2012

The computer is considered both as a publishing medium and a tool, in the context of other media. Great emphasis is placed on audience, the realities of the market, and the practicalities of production.

This module is an examination of forms of web publishing with particular reference to standards of mark-up and accessibility. It provides an opportunity for the practical investigation of the strategies to publish digital media. Emphasis is placed on keeping content separate from presentation through semantic markup and the use of HTML and various web server technologies.

Assignments

There will be 4 parts to this assignment:

• Blog Posts: Post entries (at least twice weekly) to your 'blog' (online journal). You should have at least 24 entries by the end of this course. | 15%
  Marks will be given for: frequency of posts, evidence of research, relevance to topic, use of expanded text. There will be an opportunity for online comments by everyone.
• Blog Design: Through changes to the CSS and the HTML templates, you will redesign the blog to your own preference | 25%
  Marks will be given for: amount of change from the original layout, fitness for purpose (ie. readablity, usability), code validation.
• Convert a public domain text or collection of texts to an 'eBook'. The document must be well structured and delivered as an 'eBook' on your web site. The 'eBook' must also include a commentary on how you created the work on a 'colophon' page. The ebook will be delivered in ePUB format and distributed on your web site by making a blog post about it. The ePUB book must be readable within Adobe Digital Editions and the ePUB must validate. | 60%
• The eBook must also be provided in PDF format.

Software used on this course will include:

• Photoshop
• Dreamweaver
• InDesign
• OxygenXML
• Acrobat
• ExpressionEngine (web server content management)

Method of delivery:

Although there are several eBook formats currently in use, and we will discuss these during the early lectures, your eBook should be delivered using the ePUB format and Adobe Acrobat Reader format (PDF)

• The eBook must be made available from your web site in both formats
• A CD-ROM must be created to include:
  • A 'readme' file, that explains the contents of the CD-ROM
  • The InDesign Files (Packaged)
  • The original text in revisable form (XML)
  • The ePUB format book
  • The eBook as PDF

Your eBook should be submitted and fully tested prior to the submission date. The files should be submitted as a link on your Publishing web site.

The 'eBook' must include a colophon page which explains how the work was created and the source of the text. A colophon is an inscription placed usually at the end of a book, giving facts about its publication. The Colophon page should show on the Table of Contents.

A note about copyright material.

You should not use any material from the web unless the owner give permission to re-use. Generally, text from Gutenberg.org is in the public domain but may require some attribution if the licence indicates this. Images will also involve the same consederation. A discussion about his will happen in the first week of the course.

Criteria for Assessment:

The 'eBook' should provide evidence that you are competent in the use of electronic text technologies introduced in the course. Credit will be given for:

• A well designed electronic book
  • attention should be paid to consistent layout
  • readability on the system for which intended
  • visually compelling
  • the use of hypertext
• Accurate preparation of electronic text, including care in proof-reading
• Structure and layout of the Electronic Book
• Technical performance of the Electronic Book
• Validation of the ePUB format ebook
• Creative and imaginative approach to illustrate the potential the eBook

Assignment Deadlines

All work must be completed by 11 May 2012. CD-ROMs need to be delivered to the assignment slot. Online work needs to be announced on your blog.

Resources:

• There are ScreenCasts available that relate to this course and you can find them here. You can also subscribe on iTunes for your iPod/iPhone/iPad.
• Get a PDF of the presentation explaining the assignments here.
• Suggested Books
• Useful Links
• Handbook for this Module (PDF)
• Use the Forum to ask questions (available when you have a login during the course)

Course Programme and Calendar

This course takes place on Wednesday afternoons 1.30pm to 5.00pm weeks 1 to 12 Please note Easter Break means no sessions on 4th and 11th April. The lectures and workshops will take place in the IT Suite for Publishing in the Tonge Building.