CCOG for MM 270 Fall 2024


Course Number:
MM 270
Course Title:
Writing for Multimedia
Credit Hours:
3
Lecture Hours:
30
Lecture/Lab Hours:
0
Lab Hours:
0

Course Description

Introduces the fundamental principles, technical skills, and practices of effective writing for multimedia platforms. Includes research, writing clear and concise copy, and incorporating multimedia elements into digital stories, text on screen, and digital presentations. Explores software-assisted writing tools and ethical considerations. Prerequisites: WR 121, or WR 122, or instructor permission. Prerequisites/concurrent: MM 112. Audit available.

Addendum to Course Description

This course introduces three closely related subject areas: Creating and Adapting Technical Information and Linear Narratives for Multimedia; Writing for Multimedia; and Intellectual Property Rights.


"Creating and Adapting Technical Information and Linear Narratives for Multimedia" includes such topics as Audience Analysis, including human factors analysis; Conceptual Design, Metaphors, and World Building; Treatments, Content Outlines, Storyboards, and Flowcharts; and Navigation for Interactivity.

"Writing for Multimedia" includes such topics as multimedia script formatting and prototypes; writing narration, including the traditional elements of storytelling; writing for explainer video with motion graphics; writing for websites, blogs, and social media; deciding when to use words and when not to; writing for voice-overs; presenting text on-screen; integrating media and interactivity; writing precise, concise text; and editing for precision, clarity, and conciseness.


"Intellectual Property Rights" introduces topics in copyright and software assisted writing tools

Intended Outcomes for the course

Upon successful completion of the course students should be able to:

  1. Define, identify, and communicate the key principles of effective writing for multimedia platforms and explain their characteristics.
  2. Write and edit concise text to comprehensively convey communication goals and the development process.
  3. Create a conceptual design for a multimedia project using a storyboard, treatment, or content outline.
  4. Use software-assisted writing tools and explore ethical considerations.
  5. Identify a target audience for a multimedia project and develop a writing strategy that effectively conveys your message. 

Aspirational Goals

  • Work with local organizations and community members to create client orientated writing materials.
  • Topics can include: AI, Explainer Video, Social Media, Websites, Media writing - Marketing Copywriter, Commercial,  Game Design (branching narratives, ‘choose your own adventure’ style), Blog - Web stories (Journalism), Treatment, Creative Brief, 2 column script (AV), Ted Talk, etc 

Course Activities and Design

Students read from course content material; analyze multimedia stories; review and edit multimedia treatments; and over the course of the term, design and write a short multimedia project, a storyboard, a treatment, a flowchart of the navigation structure, the user interface, and selection and management of the media resources.
Methods of instruction may vary but can include lectures; collaborative projects; audience analysis and peer feedback; writing online using multimedia authoring software; in-and-out-of class writing and editing exercises; demonstrations, assigned readings; or field trips to learn about multimedia development, writing community driven stories, writing for multimedia, project management, human computer interface, and new hardware and software. The class will be conducted in a college computer lab.  Some in-class writing is required.
 

Outcome Assessment Strategies

Assessment is designed to indicate achievement of the course outcome and performance tasks. The instructor will outline the methods used to assess student progress and the criteria for assigning a grade at the beginning of the course. Assessment will be based upon a combination of  participation, attendance, and supervisory evaluations and conferences.
 

Course Content (Themes, Concepts, Issues and Skills)


 

Related Instruction

Communication
Hours: 90

  • Define, identify, and communicate the key principles of effective writing for multimedia platforms and explain their characteristics.
  • Write and edit concise text to comprehensively convey communication goals and the development process.
  • Identify a target audience for a multimedia project and develop a writing strategy that effectively conveys your message. 

Lecture topics: stories about the human condition, web accessibility, usability, plagiarism, tact and diplomacy, cultural relativism, persuasive online writing, defamation, effective teamwork, website site map and outlining, using outside evidence and resources, interactive narratives and use of social media.
Activities/assignments: website usability analysis, website target audience identification, website site, blog and blog review.
Map and outline, script analysis, and blogging.
Lecture topics: components of narratives storytelling, interactive vs. linear scripts, formatting a script, creating a storyboard and shot list, and website site map and outlining.
Activities/assignments: personal audio narrative and final presentation, website site map and outline.
Lecture topics: components of narratives scripts, interactive vs. linear scripts, and formatting a script.
Activities/assignments: crew project and final presentation, team project: script writing.
Lecture topics: grammar issues, clarity and concision in writing, human factors, usability, globalization and localization in Web design, and use of social media.
Activities/assignments: crew project and final presentation, team project: script writing, voice-over assignment.
Lecture topics: tact and diplomacy, effective teamwork, roles in Multimedia.
Activities/assignments: team project, crew project and final presentation, class world creation group project.
Lecture topics: tact and diplomacy, effective teamwork, roles in Multimedia.
Activities/assignments: team project and final presentation, class world creation group project.
Lecture topics: grammar, planning, most topics address writing format.
Activities/assignments: All assignments.
Lecture topics: blogging, tact and diplomacy, and effective teamwork.
Activities/assignments: team project, class world creation group project