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Course
Description

Compose professional-level type for print using Adobe InDesign.
Emphasis on publication design, grid systems, legibility, readability,
typographic hierarchy, style sheets and pre-press issues.
Prerequisite: GDS 110 or approval of program director.

 

Purpose

This course covers the rules of professional typography in words, lines, paragraphs, pages, and publications. Students who successfully complete this course will be Masters of Typography.

 

Topics

The major topics we will cover this semester will include:

• Designing with type
• Type selection
• Composing paragraphs
• Page layout using InDesign CS3
• Using grids and style sheets
• Using special characters correctly

 

Class
Format

This course will consist of exercises, projects, reading, and homework. Each student will keep a sketchbook, and maintain a blog with a new posting once a week. There will also be two quizzes.  

It is important that the entire class work together in a collaborative environment, learning from each other as well as the instructor. Therefore, everyone should be working on the same assignments at the same time. Understanding that there might be technical expertise differences, it is expected that more experienced users will be willing to help beginning users with the software.

Note: Attendance is required for the entire scheduled class period.

 

Materials

Textbooks

• Adobe InDesign CS3 One-on-One by Deke McClelland (required)

Supplies

• USB flash drive
• 3-ring binder & dividers
• Sketchbook (blank book), pencil, and black felt-tip pen
• Parkland Identification Card
• Other art supplies may be required for specific exercises and projects

 

Grading
System

In this class, your grade will be based on attendance, class participation, software proficiency and the quality of the work you do.

• A = 100-91 (exceptional work beyond the class requirements)
• B = 90-81 (excellent technical and creative abilities exhibited)
• C = 80-71 (all work accomplished on time and minimum goals achieved)
• D = 70-61 (minimum goals not achieved, late assignments)
• F = 60 or less (failure to finish assignments or doing "D" work late)

Your grade will be given to you during your individual reviews at midterm and at the end of the semester. You must bring all the work you have done up to that time (including all reference materials, concept sketches, b&w proofs, color comps, digital files, etc.). Do not throw away any material from this class. Your grade will depend on it. At any time during the semester, you may request individual reviews to check your progress. You may revise and re-submit projects and exercises as many times as you like up until the final review.

 

Earning
Points

Points can be earned in each of the following categories:

• Projects (30%)
• Homework and Blog (30%)
• Exercises (20%)
• Quizzes (10%)
• Sketchbook (10%)

Exercises and homework will be graded based on accuracy and craftsmanship.

Projects will be graded based on creativity, problem solving ability, and craftsmanship. Numerical grades will be awarded for each project.

No credit (read "zero" points) will be given for work not completed by the assigned due date. In other words, late work will will not be accepted, period. It is the student's responsibility to know the deadlines for each assignment.

If an assignment has been submitted on time, students have the option of continuing to work on and improve each assignment after the due date and class critique for (possibly) a better grade. Grades for re-worked assignments will be no more than one full letter grade higher than the original grade at the assigned due date (re-worked project grades will never drop in grade). All re-worked assignments are due by the final review date.

Bonus points may be awarded for active participation in class.

 

Attendance

Attendance is mandatory. Attendance will be taken promptly at the beginning of each class. You should come to class even if you are late, because it is not possible to make up in-class exercises or discussions that you missed.

Your semester grade will drop by one letter grade for every four classes missed. "Excused" absences will only be discussed under extenuating circumstances and only if you have missed more than four classes. It is your responsibility to make up any work missed during absences.

If you do not attended regularly, I may drop you from the class with no refund of tuition or fees. After midterm, you should not plan on an instructor withdrawal if you want to withdraw from the course. You are ultimately responsible for your own withdrawal by the withdrawal date. Non-attendance after midterm will result in an F if you don't withdraw yourself.

 

Online
Gradebook

All students will have an account in Angel Learning (an online course management portal). Your grades will be posted online so that you can access them 24/7 from a web browser. We will also be using Angel for communication, quizzes, and online discussions.

Your Angel username is the first part of your Parkland email address (the part that comes before the @ symbol). Your default Angel password is the last five digits of your social security number. If you need to look up your email account, go to Parkland's account lookup page.

 

Student
Conduct

We believe strongly in the Core Values espoused by Parkland College in order to foster a positive classroom environment. All students are expected to follow these guidelines:

• Honesty and integrity (don't cheat, don't steal)
• Promptness (arrive on time and don't leave early)
• Courtesy (treat others as you would like to be treated)
• Respect differences among peers (we all have different learning preferences and speeds)
• Be helpful (we're here to learn as a group)
• Willingness to collaborate (team work and constructive feedback is highly encouraged)
• All cell phones and beepers turned off
• No games, IM or email during class (unless it's related to
  course work)
• No excessive noise or talking, please

Parkland's Academic Honesty and Computer Use policies as outlined in the Student Policies and Procedures Manual apply in this class. In short, cheating, plagiarism, theft or abuse of computer time may result in suspension of computer privileges, disciplinary review, suspension or expulsion from the college, termination of employment, and/or legal action.

Anyone found to be cheating will receive a zero for that assignment and the incident will be reported to the Dean. Cheating includes copying assignments from the internet or other students' assignments (from this or previous semesters). 

 

Withdrawal Procedure

It is the student's responsibility to monitor his/her progress in this course. If after consulting with the instructor, the student feels it becomes necessary to withdraw from this course, it is the responsibility of the student to do so. Please check the Academic Calendar to find out the final day for withdrawal with "W" grade. If you have questions about the withdrawal procedure, see the Drop/Withdrawal Procedures Policy in Parkland's Student Policies and Procedures Manual.

 

Support
Services

If you find yourself needing assistance of any kind to complete assignments, stay on top of readings, study for tests, or just to stay in school, please contact one of the following staff at the Center for Academic Success: Anita Taylor (353-2005) or Gail Hoke (351-2441) in D120. You may also email the CAS at <CenterForAcademicSuccess@parkland.edu>.

Parkland College also has enormous resources for students with disabilities. If you believe you have a disability for which you may need an academic accommodation (e.g. an alternate testing environment, use of assistive technology, or other classroom assistance), please contact: Becky Osborne <bosborne@parkland.edu> Coordinator, Office of Disability Services (X148 or 353-2082).

 

Fonts

For this class, you may ONLY use "classic fonts" unless you obtain prior approval from the instructor. For a list of classic fonts (and dingbats) available in C138, download Parkland's Classic Fonts Specimen Sheets.