Introduction to DESKTOP PUBLISHING
Jim Fleming, Film & Media Department, Hunter College, CUNY
Spring, 2009
Guidelines for Final Projects
1. The choice of topics for projects is completely open to individual students.
2. Topic choices must be finalized by Thursday, February 26; earlier than that is better.
3. The project is to be one 16-page “signature” of standard eight-and-one-half by eleven inch paper,
or its equivalent (e.g., 32 pages of eight-and-one-half inch by five-and-one-half inch). I recommend that you
do not exceed a page size of eight-and-one-half by fourteen (“legal” size paper) without further consultation.
4. Irrespective of topic choice, projects should be editorially integral — all contents should
be “real-world” relevant to your topic. “Editorial integrity” is crucial to the project.
5. Projects should include text and graphic elements on every page. Display-type design of some consequence may be considered a graphic element, as may photographs, scanned art, clip art, border elements, created illustrations, and the like. Projects must include at least one graphic element created entirely by micro-computer in a graphics program, and identified as such in a credit line.
6. Choice of topic is not a primary factor in project evaluation, nor is the nature or size of any potential audience. Writing quality will not be a primary factor for my evaluation, though coherent prose in real sentences, free of typographical errors, spelling errors, and punctuation errors will certainly be considered important. Design work and production standards, editorial coherence and demonstrated competence with the relevant micro-computer hardware and software, are the primary criteria for project evaluation.
7. “Dummies,” or rough approximate layouts for the projects, will be due Tuesday, April 7.
8. Project files may be submitted via server, with back-ups on Zip disks or CD-ROMs. Accompanying the digital files should be the best print version you have the ability to provide without incurring untoward additional expense. While color-printer output will not be expected, use of color is expected for the disk versions of the projects. A one-page attachment you will also provide will call attention to and document the highlights, difficulties, traumas, and any other exceptional or special features of your project.
9. Students must submit a back-up copy of the projects to the instructor,
who will bear no responsibility for loss or any possible damage to them.
10. Projects will be due no later than scheduled final exam time on Tuesday, May 19.
11. Deadlines are crucial in nearly all media work. Incompletes will be permitted only in emergencies.