WSU EMG APPROVED content

WSU Branding consists of properly using Logos, Spirit Marks, fonts and WSU colors within your content. If you are submitting a presentation, then using the WSU supplied presentation template will simplify the process. If you want to use your own presentation template or if you extensively modify the WSU supplied template, then you need to educate yourself on WSU Branding Guidelines by following the action arrows below.

In essence, Accessibility, is ensuring your content can be understood by the visually impaired. This means that all pictures must be labeled with ‘Alt Text’ so that screen readers can describe them. In addition, you need to ensure that there is adequate contrast when mixing text with images.

Here are the links to the appropriate policies and learning guides:

Quick Summary:
– Cougar Logo: never mix it with other logos and don’t crowd it. It stands alone.
– Font choice: Arial is the only practical font for cross platform use.
– Colors: 90% of your page design should use a mix of five ‘Primary Colors’: Black, Gray, Red, Crimson & White.
– Accessible: all pictures must have Alt Text attached.

As a Master Gardener, your content is most likely protected under the Fair Use exception to copyright laws. While copyright law can be complex, in simple terms you are granted protection from copyright sanctions if your material falls within the “Four Factors of Fair Use“.
They are:
– Is the material for educational and non-commercial purposes?
– Has the material you are referencing already been published?
– How much of the material are you using?
The less, the better. Especially if you are not using the ‘heart’ of the published work.
– Will your using this material damage the copyright holder’s ability to profit from their material?
As long as you are on the ‘good’ side of the majority of these Four Factors, you are protected from copyright complaints.

However, even if your material is almost certainly in the clear, it is important to WSU to maintain best practices in complying with copyright law. The Quick Summary below highlights the key issues for you.

Quick Summary:
– Pictures/Graphics sourced from the internet: on every image, attach text revealing the source.
Format: Credit: then Publisher then some Link to the material like the URL or an inventory #
(Note: when source is WSU / Master Gardener Program, then Credit: WSU or Credit: WSU_EMG is sufficient.)
– Books used in your content. Append a Resources section to your material under the following format:
Author, Title, Publisher, Publishing Date, ISBN
– Quotes. Same rules apply as for Pictures/Graphics. When quoting from a book, follow the book’s Crediting practices.
(Remember: the shorter the quote, the less likely you are to run afoul of plagiarism rules. Better to summarize than directly quote.)
– Data from a Study: because the data from studies can be update online without any notification, it is recommended that you append the date you accessed the material to your Crediting.
 

Once submitted, your presentation is ‘triaged’ then assigned to the WSU faculty member with the most appropriate background for the science check.  The turn around time for this step can vary because those who volunteered for this process already have full-time jobs, but you can expect to hear back in a couple of weeks.
It is rare that your presentation passes this check unscathed.  In most cases, expect a handful of questions, comments and/or suggestions. It is then on you to address these registered issues.
Second submission.  Once you make the necessary changes on the slides and/or in the presenters notes of your original Powerpoint file, you create an updated PDF version and resubmit it.

Again, after a couple of weeks you should hear back.  You could again receive additional comments or questions.  But, at this point the reviewer is done. You clean out all remaining issues and submit your content to be Badged and Published.

Once you’ve got the branding and copyright protections in place, you submit your presentation so that WSU faculty volunteers can check to ensure you are using sound science. There are a few simple questions you need to answer, then you export your presentation to PDF with Presenters Notes included. The PDF must be smaller than 50mb so turn the image quality down from the highest setting.