Syllabus

CIOS F233 Desktop Publishing: InDesign CS6 – Spring 2013

Instructor: Heidi Olson
hcolson@alaska.edu
Phone: 907.479.4764
Office hours: My day job as an instructional designer makes me available online all day long on Monday through Thursdays. If you see me online (google chat) or need to talk to me, just give me a call. I’ll let you know if it isn’t a good time and we can reschedule for a time that works for both of us.

Prerequisites
CIOS 150 or equivalent computer literacy including saving/retrieving files, use of office applications, Internet and e-mail.

Course Description
This course is a comprehensive survey of desktop publishing using Adobe InDesign, the leading page layout application, to create sophisticated original layouts for a variety of uses, including brochures, newsletters, books, business cards, signs, and many others, for print and digital output and distribution. This course also covers basics of graphic design theory.

Course Materials
Software: Adobe InDesign CS6.
Textbook: Adobe InDesign CS6 Classroom in a Book, Adobe Press, 2012.

Course Goals and Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course the student will understand and appreciate the following desktop publishing issues:

  • principles of digital layout and graphic design
  • typography
  • color
  • print and electronic output

The student will be able to perform the following tasks:

  • create, design, and edit new documents
  • create and import text and images
  • specify and apply color to text and images
  • prepare files for final output

The student will have a working knowledge of InDesign, successfully using tools to create original layouts, setting type, placing graphics, and creating new graphic elements for use in print and electronic documents, including brochures, magazines and newsletters.

Instructional Methods
Students will learn about various InDesign tools, go through presented lecture material of design methods/theory, participate in class reflection exercises along with doing hands-on activities and assignments. In addition, students will be required to participate in a class forum where information about graphic design will be shared and reflected upon and where students will be required to present their own work and evaluate work of others. There are 5 quizzes in the course to ensure students have comprehension of the required tools.

Assignments / Evaluation of Student Work and Progress
Students are expected to complete the weekly assignments by their due dates. If circumstances arise that cause you to need extra time on any assignment(s), e-mail/ask your instructor for guidance. Extensions of due dates may be granted, but your instructor expects to be informed in advance if you are not able to submit your assignment on time. Emergency situations will be dealt with as needed. For the course assignments, students are encouraged to work on their own desktop publishing projects. As long as the skills featured in the assignment are utilized, and the goals of the assignment are met, students may adapt or substitute digital elements offered in an assignment with others that feature their own interests and/or current projects. For guidance or suggestions, consult your instructor.

Deadlines
The course is designed with weekly assignment deadlines in order to provide each student with the most comprehensive introduction to the many features of InDesign. This application is best learned with steady use. Class interaction is most effective when students progress through the course at the same rate.

When you are working on a print job you always get feedback before putting a job to bed. As a designer, you take your directions and come up with a design that you share with the client. You might even be asked to come up with a couple of designs if the client is really unsure of what he or she wants. You have to remember that this is your client. Sometimes you have to check your ego at the door and you always have to be open to new ideas and criticism. At first you may take these personally. Please don’t. Most often, it is much easier to pick something out than to actually create something new!

Occasionally there will be additional tasks to do to complete the Final job so please pay attention to the instructions.

In this class we will structure the assignments around this draft and final job submission idea. The course is designed with two weekly assignment deadlines in order to provide each student with the most comprehensive introduction to the many features of InDesign. In the beginning of the class the draft will be submitted to the instructor for review and feedback. You should take this information and prepare your final submission for the second weekly deadline. As your skills grow, you’ll be getting feedback from your classmates. This method also gives you the opportunity to learn how to give constructive feedback. “This looks bad” isn’t very helpful unless you follow it up with specifics.

Class interaction is most effective when students progress through the course at the same rate.

Draft Jobs will be due by 10 PM each Wednesday. I will review your work and give you feedback in time for you to take that feedback and rework your job. I’ll give you an idea of what your current submission is worth and give you suggestions for changes you might make for getting full credit. It will be up to you to take this feedback and redo your job. The Final Job that will be due by 10 PM each Sunday. Then I will post your grades promptly (usually within 1 week of submission). If you have a late Final Job submission, 10 pts will be deducted from your assignment grade. It might not seem like enough, but the points add up and could bring you down a letter-grade at the end of the semester. What are the consequences of missing the draft deadline and just going for the final deadline? Certainly minimal feedback and no opportunity to use the feedback to perfect your job!

In addition, there are three important deadlines to keep in mind:

  1. The first contact assignment (Introductory Survey located in START HERE in Moodle) must be submitted no later than Sunday, Jan 20. Failure to submit this assignment within the first two weeks of the course could result in withdrawal from the course.
  2. The first content assignment (Assignment 1: Tools and Panels) is due Sunday, Jan 27. Failure to submit this assignment within the first two weeks of the course could result in withdrawal from the course.
  3. Failure to submit the first three content assignments (Assignments 1 through 5) by the deadline for faculty-initiated withdrawals (Friday, Mar 22) could result in withdrawal from the course.

Grading Policies
A = 91-100
B = 81-90
C = 71-80
D = 61-70
F = 60 or below

 I will be giving + and or – grades as part of the final grade.

Grade Calculation
Your course grade will be calculated based approximately on the following formula:

Weekly Jobs (Draft and Final) – 50%
Participation – Discussion – 20%
Midterm Project – 10%
Quizzes – 5%
Final Project – 15%

Color Printer
This course does not require the use of a color printer for outputting assignments, especially later in the class. However, if you do have access to a color printer, either a desktop inkjet or one at a copy shop, it is to your advantage to print out your assignments each week. This will help you see how screen images translate to paper. Outputting your work is for your own learning experience and you will not be required to submit any hard copies of your assignments.

Disability Services
UAF has a Disability Services office that operates in conjunction with CDE. Disability Services, a part of UAF’s Center for Health and Counseling, provides academic accommodations to enrolled students who are identified as being eligible for these services. If you believe you are eligible, please visit their web site (http://www.uaf.edu/disability/) or contact a student affairs staff person at your nearest local campus. You can also contact Disability Services on the Fairbanks Campus by phone, 907-474-7043, or by e-mail (fydso@uaf.edu).

Academic Integrity
As described by UAF, scholastic dishonesty constitutes a violation of the university rules and regulations and is punishable according to the procedures outlined by UAF. Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating on an exam, plagiarism, and collusion. Cheating includes providing answers to or taking answers from another student. Plagiarism includes use of another author’s words or arguments without attribution. Collusion includes unauthorized collaboration with another person in preparing written work for fulfillment of any course requirement. Scholastic dishonesty is punishable by removal from the course and a grade of “F.” For more information go to Student Code of Conduct. (http://www.uaf.edu/catalog/current/academics/regs3.html)

More on Materials

Where to get materials

InDesign and Adobe InDesign CS6 Classroom in a Book are available at the UAF bookstore http://distance.uaf.edu/go/booksor through other suppliers.

Software

You can get students discounted software here:
http://www.adobe.com/education/students.edu.html?showEduReq=noor at http://www.academicsuperstore.com/.

You’ll probably want to go with the Design and Web premium package that contains InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat Pro and Bridge. If you think you might want other adobe products for web design you might want to look at other packages.

While you are waiting to purchase your software you can download a FREE 30-day trial version from http://adobe.com.

Book: 
Amazon, Adobepress.com, MyPearsonstore.com all carry the book and prices vary.

I’m not able to find any free access to the Adobe InDesign CS6 Classroom in a Book. While you are waiting to arrive, you can sign up for a 10-day trial to safaribooksonline. It does ask for a credit card to enter so if you don’t want to get charged you should pay attention to your 10 days. 

http://my.safaribooksonline.com/book/graphic-design/9780133005882

Using Your Textbook, Adobe Indesign CS6 Classroom in a Book

Default Preferences

Regarding “Saving and restoring the InDesign Defaults file” on page 3 of your textbook: Unless you have established your own InDesign Preferences (different from those that came with the application), you can omit this step.

Changing InDesign Default Settings

You can have every new document you create in InDesign contain the default settings of your choice. To change InDesign default settings, open InDesign. Be sure no InDesign documents are open. You will see in the menus that some menu items are black (highlighted – these are available for use) and others are gray (not available). You may now make the settings of your choice to any highlighted menu items (including InDesign>Preferences). Every file you subsequently open in InDesign (File>New) will feature these settings. If you wish to change any of the default settings you set up, repeat this process at any time.

Resources

Study “Additional resources” on pages 4-5 of your textbook. Use these resources as needed.

Additional resources are presented with specific assignments.

InDesign Application Updates

See page 6 of your textbook for information on how to keep your InDesign application current by obtaining all updates Adobe provides for your software.

How to Prepare and Submit InDesign files for Jobs

Jobs that call for files to be submitted to your instructor are to be submitted through Moodle. Most of these will involve InDesign (.indd) files.

  1. After you complete your assignment, Save your file(s) and title your file with your name and the job number or follow the instructions in the Job Information. For example: HeidiOlson-Draft-Job1
  2. Be sure your file is closed before uploading.
  3. Click on the “Submit Job # Here” link. The Submit Job# page appears. Click on Add submission andd add your file(s) to attach. If you wish to submit more than one file, do this for each file you wish to attach.
  4. Add any comments in the Submission Comments field. If a URL is called for, paste it in the Comments field.
  5. Click submit. Once the job is submitted you won’t be able to submit again.
  6. Allow sufficient time for your submission to upload.
  7. If you have any difficulties, due to file size or any other error messages, contact your instructor for more information.

How to Prepare and Submit Files of Discussion

Many jobs call for files and/or text to be posted to the Class Forum. Files to be posted to the Class Blog should be .jpg or .pdf files.

  1. After you complete your assignment, title your file, and any related components, according to the instructions above.
  2. Save your file as instructed in the assignment.
  3. Open the Class Forum.
  4. Create a new Post.
  5. Title, write and label your post as instructed.
  6. Attach your file.
  7. When your post is ready, publish your post.
  8. View your post on the Class Forum.