Spring 2016 Syllabus
Course Objective: This course will provide a basic understanding of the methods and techniques of developing a simple to moderately complex web site. Using the current standard web page languages (HTML5 and CSS3), students will be instructed on creating and maintaining relatively simple static web sites. Some more advanced principles will also be introduced including the basics of JavaScript and jQuery.
Prerequisites: A desire to learn and apply the principles of web design
The course will be based on the textbook and divided into 4 sections. Areas of focus outside the first section will depend on the class' interests, and aspects of those sections may be interleaved:
- Web development using HTML5 & CSS3
- More advanced HTML5 & CSS topics including responsive design (e.g. for mobile)
- Basics of JavaScript and jQuery
- Aspects of web site design and deployment
Location: 5505 SENSQ
Time: Mon, Wed - 6:00 PM to 7:15 PM
Instructor: John Knox
Phone: 412-624-1017
E-mail: knox(at)cs.pitt.edu (This is my preferred means of contact)
Office: 409 Cathedral of Learning (please call or e-mail to schedule meeting)
Office Hours: Mon & Wed @ 7:15 PM; SENSQ 5505; SENSQ 6148, after 7:30, or if we meet outside office hours
Website: http://www.pitt.edu/~jknoxiii/cs134
Required Texts & Materials:
- Murach's HTML5 and CSS3 by Anne Boehm and Zak Ruvalcaba
ISBN: 978-1-890774-83-7 - Access to a Pitt user account
- Box Account (provided by Pitt)
- There is a chance you may need a USB Flash Drive available to turn in assignments. I will let you know if and when we need this.
Grading:
- 20% Mid-term Exam
- 40% Final Exam
- 20% Labs, Quizzes, & Classwork
- 20% Final Project
Late Policy: Unless stated otherwise, all assignments are due at the beginning of class. For each day an assignment is late, 10% of the total possible points will be deducted from the grade.
Extensions: Extensions will only be granted before an assignment is due, and only under extraordinary circumstances.
Quizzes: There will be three announced quizzes. The date of the quizzes will be given in class and posted to the class website at least one week ahead of time. Your lowest quiz score will be dropped, and the remaining quiz scores will be averaged together to get the quiz portion of your grade for the class. There will be no make-up quizzes. If you miss a quiz, that quiz grade will be the one to be dropped.
Exams: There is a mid-term and final exam scheduled for this class. Both exams will be in-class. No makeup exams will be offered unless you have a documented medical excuse.
Lab grading: Labs will be conducted at the end of class sessions, and will be worth 20 points for each lab completed. While some labs may be challenging, most will be very basic, and an easy way to pick-up points. There will be NO make-up labs! (though you can work outside of class) If you know you will need to miss a class when we have a lab, please let me know in advance, and we can make accommodations.
Attendance: Attendance will not be graded, but is highly recommended. Lecture slides may sometimes contain information outside the textbook that you will be responsible for, and labs will be assigned with time given to work on them in class.
Special circumstances: If you have a disability for which you are or may be requesting an accommodation, you are encouraged to contact both your instructor and the Office of Disability Resources and Services, 216 William Pitt Union, (412-648-7890 / TTY:412-383-7355) as early as possible in the term. DRS will verify your disability and determine reasonable accommodations for this course.
Miscellaneous: Please be sure your cell phone is on vibrate or silent during class, and please take calls in the hallway if you must answer a call.
Please be sure to check the class website regularly for announcements regarding class and assignments. If you are absent from a lecture, you are responsible for learning what was covered, and obtaining any notes or handouts from the class. All class handouts will be available on the class website unless stated otherwise. I will also be putting together a class mailing list. Please provide an e-mail address you check frequently, you will be responsible for being aware of anything posted.
Academic Integrity: All students must adhere to the University's guidelines on academic integrity (http://www.pitt.edu/~provost/ai1.html). Anyone caught cheating or plagiarizing on an exam or assignment will receive a 0 for that exam or assignment, and may need to be reported to the Academic Integrity Hearing Board. Templates and existing work, when incorporated into lab work or an assignment should be acknowledged, and their contributions to the project should be well understood by the student. You will be told what sorts of resources will be acceptable for each lab and project.