Getting Started

If you are just getting started, the most important things to know (in a suggested order to read them):

• If you haven’t read What Is This Class and Why? page you should. Make sure you want to be here. Check the Requirements as well.
• You might want to read the What is Visualization? tutorial (this will be a reading assignment in week 1) to get a sense of the course philosophy.
• Understand the Communications Policy policy to know what there is beyond this web page.
• Look at the Parts of Class which will give you an idea of how the class works. There are required class meetings (“lectures”), 3 regular weekly tasks (discussion, seek-and-find, survey), and design exercises.
• All these pieces shouldn’t be too hard to keep track of because there is a Weekly Rhythm.
• Look at the Schedule to get a sense of what will happen this semester (at least what is scheduled so far).
• You should understand the course Policies.
• You don’t need to purchase Books since we will provide the required readings online, but you must come to class and bring art supplies (see Class Meetings (attendance policy)).
• If you’re concerned about Grading and Late Policy, the grading plan might not make you feel better.
• And then look at The Week in Vis: Week 01 to see what’s happening the first week!

The course web has a lot of stuff on it. It is organized for reference while the class is operating, not necessarily to give you a linear sequence of things to read when you are first getting started.

Some other things that you might want to look at:

• You can look at the list of All Readings which can tell you about coming attractions, content-wise.