Thanks for your participation and enthusiasm during our first two class sessions! I was impressed with your review of our first reading assignment, and I hope you’ll maintain that same level of attention as we make our way through the rest of the book.

Here’s a quick overview of how we’ll spend our time during Week 2 and what you need to do to prepare for each class session:

• On Tuesday, we will learn how to alter the visual appearance of HTML files using cascading style sheets (CSS). Before you come to class, please read Chapters 11 and 12 in Learning Web Design and complete the exercises throughout these chapters. (A word of warning: this marks the point at which the textbook begins to get more complicated, so you’ll need to spend enough time with each chapter to really understand the new concepts before you come to class each day.) In addition, you should bring a copy of your current résumé to class, with HTML tags applied to every element of the document. (If you aren’t sure which elements to use, make an educated guess; we’ll review these rough drafts in class.) Finally, Tuesday is the deadline for creating a Twitter account (if you don’t have one already) and registering for an account with Reclaim Hosting (unless you already have web hosting). If you’re having trouble finding an available domain name, Domainr can help you explore your options.
• On Thursday, we will focus on the “business card” for Unit #1, so please start thinking about what you want your website’s readers to see when they visit your site. Draft a “welcome” paragraph or two, and find an image (preferably of yourself) that you would like to use on your site. Your CSS file should be well on its way, too, with style declarations for typography and color. Finally, please read Chapters 6 and 7 in Learning Web Design before you come to class and complete the exercises in these chapters.

By the end of Week 2, you should have a fully “marked-up” résumé and the makings of a well-styled résumé. If you’re doing all the reading and paying attention in class but still feeling lost, I recommend watching the tutorial videos titled “HTML Essential Training” on Lynda.com. If you need additional help beyond that, please come see me during office hours (T 2–5, W 9–12). The material in this class will only get more complex as the semester progresses, so if things aren’t clicking for you, now is the time to address the problem.

If you have any questions about our plans for next week, please send me an email or contact me on Twitter. Otherwise, I’ll see you in class on Tuesday!