cbd

Lots of stuff going on with Composition Forum: new domain, Volume 18 released, and blogging too.

One task for summer: drafting “Beyond star flashes: the elements of web 2.0 style,” which is going in the special issue of C&C being published early next year. Abstract:

In his “Web 2.0 how-to design guide,” Ben Hunt identifies fifteen stylistic elements shared by web 2.0 sites—from simplicity to “star flashes,” circular badges reminiscent of price stickers. But [...]

Catch-all: strawberries, cleaning, accessibility internship, writing a review

I’m applying for an internship which would facilitate a web accessibility project.

Our graduate committee recently finished the paperwork for a comprehensive revision of our graduate program. “Update” is an understatement. The old curriculum was state of the art around 1970. Maybe 1870. Coursework covered three areas: British Literature, British Literature, and Other. The roster of courses long abandoned would be funny if it wasn’t pathetic.
We’re replacing [...]

CCCC 2008 activities: our panel about journals on the web; seafood; more

Inspired by Debbie, Jeff, and Steve, and a faculty meeting, I’ve started thinking about my AY2009-10 sabbatical.

Very good news today: my student Joe Weinberg has been accepted into two excellent doctoral programs. Well-deserved, Joe. I bet writing that thesis just got a little easier.

Jakob Nielsen and Hoa Loranger
Prioritizing Web Usability
New Riders, 2006
Jakob Nielsen is the 800lb gorilla of usability, at least where the web is concerned. Why?

Academics like him because of publications like Usability Engineering (1993), which uses a definition of usability accompanied with research into testing and application.
Nerds like him because of his readable, practical, quotable [...]

A busy month. So, time for a roundup:
No blogging, but I have been running lately, three times or more most every week. Last Sunday I ran the Quad Cities Half Marathon at 1:57 (8:57/mi). Going out my pace was 8:43, so though I didn’t run a negative split, I’m happy with the result. I was [...]