Digital Submissions Guide
| Update: 11/2/12
John Krygier | e-mail: jbkrygier@owu.edu | ...to krygier teaching page. | ...to krygier top page.
Using Less Paper in Class...
- Don't print the course syllabus or schedule. Check it online, or save a copy on your computer as a web
archive from your web browser. This saves the page and all the graphics as a file you can
view on your computer (even if you are not connected to the internets).
- Don't print the PDF readings. Try reading them on the computer screen.
- Take your own lecture notes, then refer to them and the online lecture
material while studying for in-class exams or completing take-home exams.
- If you want your own copy of the lecture notes, save them as a web
archive from your web browser.
- Submit digital exercises and take home exams.
Software...
- Free software that does everything you need in this class: try the open-source Open Office
which includes a word processor, spreadsheet, graphics program, presentation program, and database (installed on computers in Science Center room 207), or the Open Office spin-off
Libre Office (Nerd note: OpenOffice was developed by Sun, which
was bought out by Oracle; Oracle is allegedly not as supportive of open-source software as Sun was, and one result is Libre Office,
sleeker and more open-source correct now than the Oracle Open Office).
- Additional useful free software for graphics: GIMP for Windows or
its Macintosh equivalent Seashore.
- Need to convert one file format into another and don't have the right software? Text, images, even music and video? Try the
free Zamzar web site.
Digital Submissions...
For each exercise or take-home exam:
- Compile all text and graphics into a SINGLE file:
- .pdf (Portable Document Format - basically a "digital container" that can
hold most kinds of files and only requires a free PDF viewer to open and view)
- Open Office .odt file (or LibreOffice equivalent)
- Microsoft Word .doc / .docx file
- Basic document format: 1 inch margins, 12 pt. type, space-and-a-half line spacing.
- Double-check that your submission is complete before you send it: DON'T send me
version after version with material you forgot to include. If you realize you forgot something
revise your submission, send it, and bring a one dollar nuisance fee per corrected submission (next class meeting).
I may waive the nuisance fee the first time you screw up.
- Name the file exactly like this (but with your last name and the appropriate exercise or exam name):
Krygier_Exer1.pdf or Krygier_Exer1.doc or Krygier_Exer1.odt
- Buy a USB flash drive (you can get them for the price of a cappuccino at Starbux) and back up your work on it.
- NEVER EVER remove the file extension (.pdf or .doc or .docx).
- Use an underscore ( _ ) rather than a blank in file names.
- When perfect, upload your work to your OWU Google Account and share it with me (instructions below).
- Your file should be uploaded & shared with me no later than 10am on the due date (or earlier if specified).
- Make sure I respond indicating I can access and read your document.
- All this stuff is a vital part of basic digital literacy and it is worth your time to figure it out in
this golden age of computers and the internets.
- Please let me know if you need help. Seriously.
The following information is organized assuming you will...
- find graphics/maps on the web or have a paper copy of the graphics/maps
- save the graphics/maps as a digital file
- bring the digital files into your word processor
- type your exercise
- save as a PDF or DOC or ODT file
- upload the document to Google Docs and share with me
Graphics: Getting graphics off the Web
Most of you are familiar with graphics file formats like JPG and GIF and PNG. To keep
things simple, stick to these basic file formats. Other formats may also work, and
feel free to experiment if you want to.
Always document the source of any image or map you save from the Web. See
Citing Maps and
Citing Web Sources for proper citation formats.
Windows Option 1: Click and drag the image to the
computer's desktop. Or right-mouse-click on the image: from the
pop-up window select Save Image As.... If the file is one of our
basic file formats (JPG, GIF, PNG) it will have the file extension .jpg
(or .jpeg), .gif, or .png.
- Navigate to and save the file
somewhere you will remember. If using the GIS Lab computers, save it in the
Geog 222 folder on the C drive, in a folder with your last name on it.
- When I do this the file does not have a file extension! This can
be for many reasons: best to use Windows Option 2 (below).
- When I do this the file extension is weird! You can look up file
extensions here, but if it isn't one
of the basic file formats it is best to use Windows Option 2 (below).
- I don't see the file extension at all! This may be Windows
trying to help you and instead making life hard for you. You need to adjust
Windows so it shows file extensions. Find Folder Options in Windows:
Start >> Settings >> Folder Options, then select View from the
options at the top of the window, and un-check the box next to the
text that says "hide file extensions for known file types." Hit the
Apply button and you should be able to see the file
extensions.
- Windows Option 2: Print Screen: This works with all
Windows computers.
- 1. Get your map (or graphic) in a browser window, so you can see all
of it, but not any extra stuff around it. Move the cursor is off the map and close
or minimize other windows.
- 2. Simultaneously hold down the ALT key + PRT SCRN key on the
keyboard for a few seconds. This captures all the graphics in the foremost window. [On
some computers, you must hold down the FUNCTION + PRT SCRN key]. You can also just
press the PRT SCRN key: this copies everything on the computer screen.
- 3. Open MS Paint (included free with
windows), and usually found in the Programs >> Accessories folder.
Create a new document then Paste and Save as a JPG,
GIF, or PNG somewhere you will remember. If there is excessive junk around
your map/graphic, select just the area you want, copy, and paste into a new file. That file can be
brought into Word (via the Insert menu).
- 4. It is usually possible to directly paste a PRT SCRN image into Word,
or right mouse click and copy from the web, then paste into Word. Problem
is, this tends to create a really large graphic, and can make your final
document way too big. If you do this, once the map is in your document,
double click on it. Under the Picture tab is a button
Compress. Click this, then from under Change Resolution select
Web/Screen. This should compact your pictures so that they look good
on the screen but are not too big.
- Mac Option 1: Click and drag the graphic to your
computer's desktop. Or, if you have a two-button mouse,
Right-mouse-click on the image. From the pop-up window select Save
Image As.... If the file is one of our basic file formats (JPG, GIF,
PNG) it will have the file extension .jpg (or .jpeg), .gif, or
.png. Navigate to and save the file somewhere you will remember.
- When I do this the file does not have a file extension! This can
be for many reasons: best to use Mac Option 2 (below).
- When I do this the file extension is weird! You can look up file
extensions here, but if it isn't one
of the basic file formats it is best to use Mac Option 2 (below).
- Mac Option 2: Print Screen: This works with all Mac
computers.
- 1. Get your map in a browser window, so you can see all of it.
- 2. Simultaneously hold down the COMMAND key + SHIFT key + 4
key on the keyboard. A cross-hair cursor appears on the screen.
- 3. Move the cross-hair cursor to the upper left corner of the
map, click and drag to the lower right and release the
mouse button. A graphic file, in PNG format, will be created on your
desktop.
- 4. You can view the image in the Mac's Preview application and
save it as a JPG or GIF if you want.
- 5. Open your word processor and import the
image.
Graphics: Scanning paper maps & graphics
The AV Center in the basement of Beeghly Library has a scanner
and staff to help you use it. Check the Media Center hours before you go.
In addition to the basic graphic file formats (JPG, GIF, PNG) you must be
familiar with file size when scanning paper maps. File size refers to the
dimensions (length, width) as well as the resolution.
Scanning software packages and scanners have many options, a few are important
for our purposes:
- Dimensions: typically just scan at 100% of original. You
can often scan a smaller (say 80%) or larger (say 130%) file of your paper
map.
- Color: most scanners offer options for scanning color photos,
black & white photos (grey scale images), and line drawings. Use the
setting for photos, scanning in black & white if your original is black &
white as the file size will be smaller.
- Resolution: IMPORTANT: You will be tempted to scan stuff at
too high a resolution: this creates files that are way bigger than you need, and that
may make it impossible to upload your files. The resolution of the scanned file refers to how many dots per
inch the file contains. The higher the resolution the better the quality, but the
bigger the file. If you are going to use a scanned image on a computer screen (a web
page, blog, or PowerPoint presentation) scan it at 100 or 130 dots-per-inch. If you
are going to use a scanned image to print scan it at 200 to 300 dots-per-inch. For
Geography 222 scan your maps at 150 dots-per-inch. This looks pretty good but the
files are not too big.
- Orientation: if your scan is upside down, please find the tool in
the scanning software to flip it to the correct orientation.
- Scan your map and save the file somewhere you can find it. Then import
the image into your word processor. If you stick to our basic file formats,
the file should work on a PC or Mac.
Back-up Plan: If you are unable to use the scanner for some reason, an alternative is
to take a photo of the map with your cell phone. Not optimal (usually somewhat blurry)
but better than nothing.
Words & PDF Files
Most of you use Microsoft Word and all of you have access to it (in the
GIS Lab where our class is held or elsewhere on campus). There are other
options: Word Perfect and free, open-source software such as OpenOffice.
The instructions below refer to Word, but the process is similar for other word processors:
- Open Word and from the Insert menu select Picture
and then From File. Navigate to your file and select it.
- If possible, don't cut and paste graphics into Word. Use Insert instead.
Cutting and pasting creates larger files.
- Don't insert graphics upside down! If you scanned your graphic upside down,
use a graphic software package to flip it right side up.
- Click once on the graphic. You can grab the corners and scale
it to fit nicely on the page.
- Double-click on the graphic. A menu of options pops up. Feel free
to experiment to improve your graphic
- Word
Windows users VITAL: under the Picture tab is a button Compress.
Click this, then from under Change Resolution select Web/Screen.
This should compact your pictures so that they look good on the screen but
are not too big.
- Mac Users: there is no similar compress picture feature. You either need
to make sure you include low or medium resolution images, or you can save your
file and compress it. This compresses the entire file.
Anyone can open it by double clicking on it. Click once on your saved file
(on the desktop, or in a folder somewhere) to hi-lite it. While in the Finder,
from the File menu, select Compress.
PDF files can be viewed by anyone who has a free PDF viewer on their computer (Adobe Reader or
Preview on the Mac). Windows, WordPerfect and OpenOffice export PDFs. If you are using
a Mac, Word and OpenOffice export PDFs. Windows Word users can find free or inexpensive
Word to PDF converters on the web, or can just save as a .doc or .docx file.
Exporting a PDF from Word (Mac): click on the Convert to
Adobe PDF icon:
- ...or...
- Print... and click the PDF or Preview button. If
Preview, the Preview application opens and you can save the
file as a PDF.
Uploading your finished document to Google Docs and sharing with your instructor
In the past I have asked students to send me their documents as email attachments. In the age of
the cloud, ups there in the internets, it makes sense to not stress our email accounts with
largish (multi-megabyte) documents.
Instead, you will use the wonders of your OWU Google account, as provided to you by our fine institution,
the Wesleyan University of Ohio. In a
clamshell, you will copy your finished document to your OWU Google account and give me the ability
to view and download to my computer.
- log into your OWU email account on the web
- click on Drive
- click on Create then select Folder
- give it a name like this but with your name: Krygier_John_Geog222
- roll your mouse over the folder name (on the left, under "My Drive"), then click on the little triangle
- from the menu that pops up, select Share
- type my email address (jbkrygier@owu.edu) into the Add People box
- drag your file from your computer into the folder, which is the blank area on the page under the folder name; it should upload
- that is it! Everything you put in this folder should now be shared with me.
This is the first semester I have used this method, so please don't panic if there are some initial problems:
just let me know of any problems.
I will email you when I access and successfully open your file.
It is up to you to make sure I get the file.
E-mail: jbkrygier@owu.edu
...to krygier teaching page.
...to krygier top page.
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