REQUIRED TEXTS:
Writing & Cyberspace 290 facilitates the student's exploration of the Information Superhighway through analysis and practice of the various means of electronic writing used in personal, academic, work arenas. Conducted in a computer lab, the course moves in emphasis from the desktop to cyberspace and its virtual communities consisting of e-mail, listservs, newsgroups, and websites. An electronic, dialogic journal will be kept. Students will have many opportunities to experience both synchronous and asynchronous writing, improve their writing process and prepare for their future employment. In addition, they will be asked to consider the social, political, and ethical implications of the increasing role of electronic writing in our world.
You will need to build lab time into your schedule since all writing cannot be accomplished in class. You will also need to plan for SVSU library time to do some of your required research. Small municipal libraries do not replicate a university library's facilities. Planning a schedule which allows time only to drive to and from class is both unrealistic and unwise.
PREREQUISITES: Grade of C or better in English 111 & 112 or equivalent
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
Writing and Cyberspace is designed to enable
students to
SCALE
90 - 100 = A
80 - 89 = B
70 - 79 = C
60 - 69 = D
Work not completed will receive a zero.
Formal projects will constitute 80% of the
final grade; class activities, heartfelt participation and a required
electronic journal will constitute the remaining 20%.
All final projects will be typed (print or electronic, depending on the case) and will be on time. Normally we will employ a workshop atmosphere; I will rarely lecture. In the workplace deadlines are paramount. So we will work hard to meet realistically established deadlines. There are no late papers. If it becomes apparent to me that a deadline is unrealistic, I will change it.
ATTENDANCE and PARTICIPATION:
Participation in class discussion and collaborative
activities is extremely important. The classroom is at all times
democratic. I expect a wide variance in experience and abilities.
We will help one another. Some of you will know more than I about
machines and systems, and I will not hesitate to ask your assistance :-)
All opinions are valued and respected, as are all questions. The
"dumbest" question is the one not asked.
Obviously, if you are not in class, you are not
participating and will be graded accordingly. More than two absences
in the term can lower your grade, and if you miss five or six times, you
should expect to fail the course. Discuss any variance with me personally
before it occurs. You alone are responsible for obtaining missed
assignments and class notes.
Please be on time. Late entries are disruptive and distracting to your classmates and put you at a disadvantage since class begins with the direction for the day's work, and I don't like to start over. Others should not have to stop their work to get you on track. During peer evaluation, papers are exchanged at the beginning of class and if you are not there at that time, you will be at a disadvantage. Likewise, much of our work is collaborative; so if you are late, your team or partner is at a disadvantage. There is considerable flexibility in a computer class, but being late is not part of that flexibility.
PLAGIARISM POLICY:
The SVSU stance on plagiarism can be found in
the Student Handbook. Plagiarism is academic theft - the use of someone
else's words or ideas without proper acknowledgment of the source.
Even when unintentional, the act of plagiarism has serious consequences.
The university has its penalties, including dismissal. I will fail
any paper that is plagiarized (partially or completely, knowingly or inadvertently,
on-line or in print). Course failure would be likely. We will
spend some time reviewing proper documentation in this class, especially
of electronic sources, but you should always ask when in doubt in order
to avoid a possible problem. The advent of electronic publishing
brings new considerations to the whole issue of plagiarism and we will
make it a point to concern ourselves with our heightened responsibility
to document appropriately.
N.B. Any student with a disability that
may restrict his or her full participation in course activities is encouraged
to meet with me during the first week of the semester or contact the SVSU
Office of Disability Services, Wickes 145, for assistance.
Graft/Fall/98
MW/10:00-11:30/B213
Week One Introductory:
syllabus - texts - policies & procedures.
Monday
E-mail intros, technology, inventory, p.4, a.1
31 August Assign:
Read Chapter 1, Condon and Butler; List what is not review
Wednesday Tech inventory, continued
2 September The rhetoric of electronic mail,
create address books, sig files
Week Two
Monday
LABOR DAY BREAK - NO SCHOOL
7 September
Wednesday E-mail, continued; building
community through CAW
9 September Keypal intros
Assign: Project 1, SVSU Technology Handout/Brochure
due 23 Sept. Gather info for Monday's draft session
DIWE on-line brainstorming #7.6; Scavenging #7.7
Week Three
Monday
Audience analysis - beginning invention and drafting of handout content
14 September Set up address books for online
dialogic journals - form groups
Wednesday Drafting, Formatting
of handouts, brochures
16 September Document design
Week Four
Monday
Peer response and revision of format and content
21 September Assign Project 2, Analysis
of Virtual communities, draft due
14 Oct. with copies for others.
Read: Ch. 3, pp. 44-66
Wednesday Project
1 Due, Handout/Brochure w/copies
23 September Virtual Communities - synchronous
& asynchronous, begin exploration, Ch. 3
Assign: bring virtual plan to class Tuesday.
Week Five Lab
work in Ch. 9
Monday
Monitor virtual communities for Project 2,
28 September Assign: Bring
prelim. results of Project 2 on 7 Oct.
Begin structuring Project 2, 8.3 #1, 9.5, Draft due, 9 Oct.
Wednesday Ch 9. continue,
Virtual Communities, On-line Journals
30 September Search Engines - Boolean
& Non-boolean Operators
Using engines to find info for Project 3
Week Six
Exploring
and Annotating for Project 3
Wednesday Assign:
Project 3 - Critical Annotations of Scholarly On-line Journals,
5 October
Contrasted with off-line print articles Draft due
21 Oct.
Read: Ch.4
Wednesday
Lab Work - Begin structuring Project 2, 8.3 #1, 9.5, Draft due 14 Oct.
7 October
Note: Prelim. Observations, printouts of Project 2 due Tuesday.
Week Seven Lab Work
Project 3
Monday
12 October
Wednesday
Draft due, Project 2, input and revisions
14 October
Week Eight
Monday
Project 2 due
19 October
Assign Project 4, Researched argument on controversial Cyber
Issue,
draft due, 4 November, final due 9 November.
Set up home directories for WWW - Scott Mellendorf.
Wednesday
Draft due, Project 3, peer response, prepare for revision
21 October
Week Nine
Monday
Project 3 due
26 October
lab time for Project 4
invention activities for ethical issues
Wednesday
Lab for Project 4, Cyber Issue research
28 October
Week Ten
Monday
Lab for Cyber Issue
2 November
Argument
Wednesday
Draft due, Project 4
4 November
Week Eleven
Monday
Project 4 due
9 November
Begin website analysis
Assign: Project 5 - Website Evaluation Guidelines,
due 2 December
Read: Ch. 5, Ch. 12 - pp. 259 - 269
Wednesday
Website evaluation, cont.
11 November Copyright
assignment
Week Twelve
Monday
Copyright
16 November
Assign Project 6, due 4 December - Published Web Site
Read: Ch. 12, pp. 269 - 284
Wednesday
Collaboration for Project 5, Website evaluations
18 November
Week Thirteen Web Work
Monday
23 November
Wednesday
Thanksgiving Break
25 November
Week Fourteen
Monday
Uploading of files to personal webpages!! Scott Mellendorf
30 November
Wednesday
Project 5 due-Website Evaluations and Guidelines Presentations
2 December
using LCD Panel
Week Fifteen
Monday
Web work
7 December
Wednesday
Project 6 Due - Web page Presentations - LCD Panel
9 December
EXAM WEEK
Monday
Class Meets 10:30 - 12:20
14 December
In-class essay exam