INP 150 - Web Coding I
Course Overview

Instructor: Kathie Gourlay
Telephone: 734-475-9643
Message E-mail gourlay@wccnet.edu
Mailbox: BE 200 (734-677-5431)
Home Page: http://courses.wccnet.edu/~gourlay
Office hours: By appointment.

Course Description:

Prerequisites:

Course Objectives:

1. History of SGML, HTML, XHTML, XML and the W3C
1. Define SGML, HTML, XHTML and XML
2. Identify key differences between SGML, HTML, XHTML and XML
3. Define the relationships and differences between content, structure and presentation in web documents
4. Define the role of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)
5. Locate documentation and standards information on the W3C website
6. Discuss the history of the W3C and the move towards standards compliance in browsers
2. Structuring Content with XHTML
1. Create a basic XHTML document using a text editor
2. Identify the core components and rules of an XHTML document including syntax and essential elements
3. Define doctypes and identify their different uses
4. Create meta information in your XHTML document and define its purpose
5. Define character encoding and declare an encoding type for your document
3. Incorporating and Formatting Content with XHTML
1. Identify the difference between block-level and inline elements
2. Format text using inline elements
3. Structure content using block-level elements
4. Properly nest block-level and inline elements
5. Create ordered and unordered lists
6. Incorporate section headers to create a structural hierarchy for your content
7. Identify the visual differences between paragraphs, divs and spans
8. Incorporate blockquotes and preformatted text in your document
9. Insert images and background images in your document
10. Identify the differences between GIFs and JPEGs
11. Align your text and images within the document
12. Specify a background color for your document
13. Identify character entities and incorporate in your document
4. Validating XHTML
1. Identify the rules for a valid, well-formed XHTML document
2. Validate your document using a web-based validator to check for poorly formed markup
5. Adding Interactivity with Links
1. Create a link in your document that links to another webpage
2. Create several inter-linked XHTML documents
3. Specify different targets for your links
4. Create a mailto: link that spawns an email program when clicked
5. Create anchors in your document to mark specific areas of content
6. Create anchor links to link to anchors within your document
7. Identify the difference between relative and absolute links and the advantages and disadvantages of each
8. Identify the different parts of a Uniform Resource Locator (URL)
   (given under the last area)
6. Creating and Applying Styles with Cascading Style Sheets
1. Identify the different ways of incorporating styles in your document
2. Identify the different components of a style rule
3. Create an external stylesheet and link your document to it
4. Create both embedded and inline styles and apply them to content in your document
5. Define the cascade and the importance of specificity
6. Define the process of inheritance for both single and multiple stylesheets
7. Identify the relative weights of different selectors
8. Create complex style rules by grouping selectors and creating contextual selectors
9. Define classes and IDs for your document
10. Apply different types of text formatting using styles
11. Create margins and control spacing using styles
12. Apply color to different parts of your document using styles
13. Apply different units of measurement and identify the most appropriate choices for use on the web (screen display) and the most appropriate choices for printed web pages
7. Creating Advanced Layouts with Tables
1. Create a simple table
2. Apply a border, cellpadding and cellspacing to your table
3. Specify widths, background colors and alignment for your table cells
4. Use rowspans and colspans to create a more detailed and complex table
5. Utilize sketches and wireframes to effectively plan out your table
6. Create multiple tables on the same page
7. Create nested tables for non-graphical fixed-width, variable-width, and mixed layouts
8. Publishing Files Using File Transfer Protocol
1. Transfer files to a web server using FTP
2. Create and delete directories on your web server
3. Effectively organize a website directory structure
4. Utilize index files appropriately
9. Troubleshooting Code and Developing Best Practices
1. Utilize comments to identify different parts of your document
2. Format your code for easier troubleshooting and reading
3. Name files and directories using common naming conventions
4. Identify browser compatibility issues

Recommended texts and supplies:

This book may be obtained from:
Barnes and Noble, Student Center Bldg., Washtenaw Community College, 973-3594
or Campus Book and Supply, 1078 Huron River Dr., (734) 485-2369.

Instructional materials are also located on-line at http://courses.wccnet.edu/computer.

Grading Policy:

Two exams at 15% each.
Seven homework assignments at 10% each.
There will be an opportunity to get up to 5% extra credit.

The due dates are shown on the syllabus.

Late assignments and exams:
Assignments will be accepted up to one week late, but will be marked down 25%.
If you are absent the day of an exam, you must contact me and make arrangements to take it BEFORE the next class period.

Your final letter grade will be determined as follows:

Miscellaneous:

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act all qualified students are entitled to reasonable accommodations. Please notify the instructor if any accommodations are needed or go to LA 104 for support.

Although you are encouraged to help each other, the work you hand in must be your own. If you are caught cheating or are guilty of plagiarism, you may be sanctioned as described in the "Washtenaw Community College Student Rights & Responsibilities" handbook.