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Our ongoing project this term will be to create a virtual reconstruction of Roman private life.  Within this vast area of study each student will be assigned a particular topic, upon which he or she will report (via the WWW) throughout the semester.

The topics for this project are as follows (links to the main page of each topic):

• the domus  (E. Hohmann)
• the household  (D. Gilmour)
• family  (T. Power)
• slaves  (A. Carballo)
• religion  (M. Kugler)
• art  (S. Fong)
• letter writing  (T. Ball)

I had conceived of a Roman women topic;  but many of the above are gynocentric, and, besides, there is already a fine website,  Diotima, devoted to women in the ancient world.

The project has four phases, each with specific guidelines and requirements:

Although you should be sure to read the guidelines for all phases, each is essentially a set period of time for you to update your presentation.  Working in an electronic medium will bring with each phase gradual improvements not only to the substance or content of the reports, but also to their form and feel.  Furthermore, link technology allows for non-linear presentation:  you will want to think carefully about how your pages are connected, so as to enable a truly interactive experience for your reader.

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Phase I:  Outline and Overview

Due:  Monday, 15 February by 12:30 p.m.

Having chosen your topic, you must now decide which aspects, or sub-topics, you will cover throughout the semester.  Spend some time with the books in our Bibliography, and identify the major subjects within your topic.  A few hours with at least three different works should do the trick.  You might also consult our online Resources page.

The era of your topic is basically the late Republic to the early Empire, which is a generally cohesive period, and for which we have the most information.  It may be the case, however, that your topic requires you to treat the Republic and Empire separately.

Once you have determined your subtopics, create a web page which introduces your topic.  In one paragraph, state and describe your topic.  Then, in a series of paragraphs, describe your subtopics, one paragraph per subtopic.  Aim for about four to six sentences in each.  The goal is that your reader come away with a sense of what your project is about—from what you are presenting to how, and even why.

Your web page must also feature a menu akin to the one required in web writing assignment II.  The menu must have as many items as there are subtopics, plus a link to your introductory paragraph.

As far as format goes, please observe the following:

• White background only.
• Font must be Arial, 12 point, black.
• All text must be left-aligned, except for the menu, which must be centered.
• No graphics, pictures, or other embellishments.

I impose these strictures only because the ultimate phase of this project requires all of the pages to be linked to a single, cohesive website.  To insure cohesion later on, it is best to generate rather generic pages now.

When you have completed your page, please email me the URL.  Refer back to the CL 302 web writing page for help on saving pages or editing pages.

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Phase II:  FiIling In

Due:  Monday, 8 March by 12:30 p.m.

In this phase you will continue to develop the content of your page(s), while paying some attention to formatting.

Spend some time with the books in our newly expanded  Bibliography, and flesh out the major subjects within your topic.  You may do this across the board, adding information to each subject, or you may vertically expand one subject, giving it greater depth.  Concentrate on the text—images will come soon.

Remember also to consult our online Resources page, or browse the web in search of helpful sites.

Your web page(s) must be formatted like web writing assignment III.  If you did not achieve perfection in that assignment, you may try to do so here.  Remember, however, that content comes first.  If I detect a lack of substance in your page, your grade for this phase will reflect this lack.

Moreover, after this phase I will ask you all to meet together as a group and agree upon a format to which subsequent phases will adhere.

When you have completed your page, please email me the URL.  Refer back to the CL 302 web writing page for help on saving pages or editing pages.

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Phase III:  FiIling Out

Due:  Friday, 16 April by 5:00 p.m.

In this phase you will continue to develop the content of your page(s), incorporating the formatting agreed upon at your last peer meeting, and now adding images.

Continue to use the books in our Bibliography and flesh out the major subjects within your topic.  Once again, you may do this across the board, adding information to each subject, or you may vertically expand one subject, giving it greater depth.

Remember also to consult our online Resources page, or browse the web in search of helpful sites.  Take a look at a site I just discovered, the Web Developer's Virtual Library (WDVL), which purports to be a comprehensive guide to the construction of web pages.  Best of all is their Beginner's Page, which uses plain language.

Also in this phase you should begin to incorporate images along the lines of web writing assignment IV.  If you need help with copyrights, please see me.  Remember, however, that textual content comes first.  If I detect a lack of substance in your page, your grade for this phase will reflect this lack.

Remember to use the universal class format during this phase.

When you have completed your page, please email me the URL.  Refer back to the CL 302 web writing page for help on saving pages or editing pages.

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Select Bibliography.

Most titles on 3-hour open reserve at Scribner Library.  Titles marked with (­) must be requested at the reserve desk.