Final Project

Overview | Topics & Tips | Models | Final Reqs

For the final project, you'll research, design, write, and develop a multi-page website devoted to teaching users something new about some highly focused topic and supplying resources for a specific kind of user. For instance, if you're making a site on The Hound of the Baskerviless, will your site be designed for highschool students writing term papers on the story? for viewers of the Holmes films who might never have read the story? for fellow Holmes specialists, challenging their interpretations with your own? or for all three kinds of reader? Ultimately, you want to make your site the place your intended kind(s) of user will go to learn about the topic and to learn something new about the topic.

The topic of your site needs to be:

  • Narrow enough so that tons of information isn't easily available elsewhere — and a small site can cover it.
  • Researchable and multifaceted, so the author can devise a unique perspective with original content & varied options for users to explore.
  • Related in some clearly stated way to your research, your studies, your professional life, or one of your interests.

Starting out, one key is narrowing. For example, if you're considering jazz or John Coltrane, refine that: not the whole Swing Era, but a key year; not Coltrane overall, just his first recordings. Narrowing is crucial because you want to create a unique user-experience — not just reiterate info anyone could find on Google. Obviously, then, a second key is creating original content — projects can't primarily reorganize materials from other sources.

Overall, projects will amount to about a 15-page paper (plus visuals). You'll build content through Draft Page assignments, starting with a Links page and Feature, which you'll then assemble and revise as a Midterm Prototype, and then revise further for the Final.


Topics & Tips

Although other kinds of project may be allowed, a subject-centered project is preferable; that is, a site where a user will learn new things as well as essential background about a focused subject not covered, or not well-covered, elsewhere on the internet.

As you consider possible topics, consider what subissue might be ideal for an in-depth feature or tutorial — remembering that your whole site should amount to about a 15-page paper. Then, as you begin the Links page, see what info's already there, or what's dissatisfying and how you could go further.

In most cases, the subissue you think would make just a good feature topic, e.g., the guns of paintball (as part of a general paintball site) or the medical aspects of fraternity hazing (as part of a frat-site) ends up the topic for your whole project. You need such focus to make compelling content.

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Models

You'll need to research not only information and views on your topic but models and possibilities for the design of your site: its visual appearance, its organization, and its internal navigation. For some initial design ideas, try Coolhomepages Very Clean and Stylegala Gallery.

Generally, however, the best thing to do is simply to browse the web for content related to what you want to build. You want to be aware of the conventions followed by other sites in your topic area are using, and see what areas those sites aren't covering well — and think about the ways those sites aren't serving the needs of some users, or users like you.

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Final Requirements

Due your final day of regular classes, the Final Project should meet the criteria outlined in this Final Checklist and should include

  • Hard copy burned on CD (which will be viewed only if Eden crashes).
  • Online version stored and functioning properly on your Eden webspace, and with original content amounting to that of a 15-page term paper.
  • Homepage, Links page, Two Features, FAQ page, Personal Bio, Visual page, and a Bibliography page listing your sources for the site. You'll also need at least one other supplementary page, such as a timeline, tutorial, or feedback questionnaire.

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