What is the Web Project?

The Web Project is a chance for you to learn something unique about Astrobiology and present it to the class via the World Wide Web. The project can be on any subject related to Astrobiology, be it scientific, artistic, cultural, etc. You are expected to take full advantage of the power of the web in presenting the material. The web can accomodate text, images, original artwork, animations and sound. Of course, no one is expected to use all of these tools, but you should use those tools that are most appropriate for your project.

Do I need to get approval for my project idea?

This is always a good idea. Talk to your GSI about your project. Look at a sample project from last year (available on WebCT.) We want to make sure that the project is appropriate to the class, but also that it is not too ambitious in scope.

Will I need special software to make the web page?

Probably. The good news is that you don't need to buy anything. You can download free HTML programs or trial versions from the web. Here are a few ideas:

I don't know how to get started. Do you have any advice?

Sure. First, outline the project. How many pages are you going to have? Make a map showing the relationships of the different pages. This will help you navigate. Next, gather the necessary resources, such as text, pictures, movies, sounds, animations, whatever. Now, use the software you recently downloaded to put it all togther. After it's all together and working, upload it to the WebCT server. Check it out and make sure it works properly. Debug if necessary.

There are some good web sites that detail the basics of web site authoring:

CNET's Builder.com

Hotwired's Webmonkey

Also check out Yahoo's list of HTML help sites.

I saw a really cool picture on the web and I want to use it in my project. Can I?

Most of you will probably want to put images on your web site. There are two things to be aware of when using images:

1. Don't violate copyrights. Many images on the web are copyrighted. If you use a copyrighted image without permission of the copyright holder, you are in violation of federal law. Most sites with lots of images (like Astronomy Picture of the Day) will have some sort of copyright statement. Be sure to read it and follow the instructions. Usually, you will need to contact the copyright holder and ask permission to use the image. If they grant permission, you need to identify them on your page as the copyright holder. Because the site you will be constructing is non-commercial, copyright holders probably will grant permission, unless it is a work of significant commercial value or if the use of that image implies an endorsement of the intellectual content of your site. Images without copyrights are known as "public domain." You can use these all you want. If you find an image you want to use and there is no copyright information, you will be safe in assuming it is public domain. The worst that will happen is the copyright holder will contact you and ask that you stop using it. You might even get a cease and desist letter, which will make a nice souvenir of your web adventure. It is valuable to note that all NASA images are public domain, but they do ask that you identify NASA as the source of the image.

2. Keep the size small. This is especially important if you create your own graphics. Images files can be very large, frequently into the megabytes. This creates a problem in that it will take a long time for the web browser to display the image, especially if you have a slower internet connection. Try to keep file sizes under 100 Kb. Under 50 Kb is even better, and less than 10kb is best. Macromedia Fireworks and Adobe Photoshop can both reduce image sizes for web purposes.

Where do I put my web page?

Your web page needs to go on a server. A server is a computer that holds the files that make up your page and lets people see them. There are lots of ways to get access to a server. There are commercial sites that let you have free space in exchange for banner ads. Some of you may have access throught he University to personal web space. As part of this class, you have space on the WebCT server. If you decide to put it somewhere else, you still need to put a link from WebCT to your project. Go to the "Student Projects" area of WebCT to find your space.

Wait a minute. I went to WebCT like you said, but all I see is "Group01", "Group02", etc. Where am I?

Don't panic. If you've been paying attention in lecture, you have heard us bad mouth WebCT for being somewhat quirky. This is an example of such quirkiness. WebCT randomly generates groups and assigns them names like "Group01", etc. This is necessary because there are so many students that we don't have enough time to go through and give you all a nice, custom group name. How do you tell which group is you? Look for [Edit Files] next to a group name the next time you log on. That's you. Click the [Edit Files] link and you will go to an interface which will allow you to upload your web files. Click here for more detailed instructions.

I'm still lost. Now what?

If you are having serious problems, contact James directly.