This document provides an overview of a course on writing for the web. The aim is to give students the skills to professionally present research online. It will cover writing for the web, basic HTML, and making a website. Students will complete a group project to design a website presenting an area of multidisciplinary research. The assessment will evaluate technical skills, teamwork, and ability to communicate to a non-specialist audience. The course will discuss why the web is useful for research, key elements of good web design like structure, style, and referencing, and provide examples of existing websites. Students will analyze and present on a research website in small groups.

1. Writing for the WebMatthew Mobbse: mjm33@le.ac.ukweb: mjmobbs.com twitter: mjmobbs

2. Overview of the CourseAim of the course:Give you the skills to present research professionally on webTeaching OverviewSession 1: Writing for the web

3. Session 2: Basic Introduction to HTML

4. Session 3: Making a websiteOverview of the CourseAssessmentA small group project, following the pattern of a commercial web publishing group.

5. Production of a World Wide Web site which provides an overview or outline of an area of multidisciplinary research. As well as testing your technical knowledge (as taught during the practical sessions), equal emphasis will be placed on team-working skills, and the ability to present research to a non-specialist audience.

6. Submission Date: Friday 25thFebruary 2011Session 1: Writing for the webWhy the web?What makes a good website?Designing and structuring a websiteGroup exercise

7. Why the web?Quick way to release latest researchNo publishing costWide spreadCreate contacts with similar researchersRaise educational awareness to general publichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sna_large.png

8. A word of warning!The web is full of poor quality unsupported research. A professional style and presentation is vital to make your research stand out. How is this achieved?

9. Four Key Elements of web designPresentationImpact

10. First view: what is the ‘home’ page like?

11. Official/academic source?

12. Clear headings/colour/text?

13. AdvertsStructureContents/abstract

14. Clear what the site is about