Project: Tri-fold Brochure (Collaborative)

For this collaborative project, you will be working in groups of 3 or 4 students. The project requires each group to produce a tri-fold brochure that promotes or features a real Louisiana entity, such as a business, professional organization, club, church, or campus group. Alternatively, your group’s topic might feature a little-known place or event.

Subject Restrictions and Approval

Whichever choice your group makes, the emphasis must be on the “little known” requirement, thereby excluding such businesses as the McIlhenny Co., such attractions as the Zoo of Acadiana, or events such as Mardi Gras or festivals of any kind. Your group’s choice must not already have either a brochure or a Web site.

You must obtain my approval for your group’s choice of subject before beginning work on creating the brochure. This approval may be obtained verbally, as may any subsequent changes in your group’s choice of subject.

Mandatory Features

Graphics: Brochures must use appropriate graphics, preferably produced by the group itself using digital photography, scanned film stills, or student-produced graphics. Any information or graphic taken from any other source, including the Internet, must be documented.

Professional Layout: Brochures tend to be text light and graphic heavy, but they definitely must have both, and they should be laid out very carefully. To get an idea of effective brochure design, your group should obtain professionally-created samples from businesses and such agencies as tourist bureaus.

Tri-fold Format: Microsoft Publisher, Microsoft Word, and Corel WordPerfect all have templates for creating tri-fold brochures. Feel free to make use of any of these very helpful layout guides.

Special Requirements

This project also has a special paper requirement: although for the checkpoint you can use ordinary copy paper, your portfolio copy should be printed on photographic stock or some other kind of paper that prevents "bleed through."

The checkpoint version of the brochure need not be printed on both sides. However, it should be stapled or glued together so that the folds can be checked for appropriate alignment. Only one brochure for the group is required for the checkpoint.

However, a copy of the brochure needs to be included in each group member's portfolio. The portfolio copy should be of a commercial caliber, clearly reproduced, and carefully folded. Outlets such as Kinko’s and Office Depot can provide the appropriate paper; two-sided, high-quality printing; and a crisp, professional fold.

Collaborative Pitfalls

Be sure to review Chapter 13 carefully. You must understand that collaborative projects can go sour if one or more members do not contribute to the project or drop out while the work is in progress. It is therefore essential that, from the outset, each group member has ready access to the work done by all group members so that even just one member of the group can finish the project alone.

Simply put, you cannot use any group member’s failure to finish an assigned task as an excuse for not completing the project.

Your group may consult with me on or before the checkpoint date.