6 The Second Revolution
Learn how the Internet evolved and how it has ushered in new kinds of texts and reading experiences.
Week 6 Preview
In week 6, we transition from the history of the book to the rapid evolution of the Internet, during the years 1980-2010. What began as a closed research network (Arpanet) became the backbone of what we now know as the Internet and the World Wide Web. When the Web was opened to the public in 1993, the foundation of print literacy was shaken. New modes of digital reading and literacy are emerging, and our goal in this unit is to better understand how to write and design content for online readers.
Project 2 / Case Study on Reading in a Digital AgeThroughout Unit 2, you will be working to develop a web-based case study project. Reading through the assignment and viewing some samples from prior students will help you to better understand where we are headed in this unit.
Project 2 is due Oct 28 and a series of weekly assignments leading up to that project will help you develop your project in stages. Project 2 Instructions (Google Docs) Sample Projects from 2018
Sample Projects from 2017
Assignment 5 / Reflection on First Case StudyAssignment 5 Instructions (Google Docs)
Assignment 5 is a short, informal essay that prompts you to reflect on your process for Project 1. Evaluating what worked and what you would do differently next time will help you prepare for the next case study and will also help you to better understand your own goals and processes as a researcher and writer. Reading
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Blog Post 1(Only grad students enrolled in 5326 are required to complete this assignment.)
Due Thurs Oct 3 / 50 points Blog posts are typically about 1,000 to 1,2oo words long. If you already have a blog somewhere, I encourage you to publish your posts for this course there. You can set up an account and post (for free) on Medium, if you like, which is my recommended blog platform. You can also use Blogger or another platform if you choose; you are not required to post on a public forum and you can submit your posts privately on Blackboard as a Google Docs file if you prefer.) For Post #1, you have two options (email me if you want to do something different than these options): 1. Convert your case study from Project 1 into a blog post. This is good practice in adapting academic research into an informal style for a broader public audience, adding visuals, and reformatting for online readers. 2. Write a summary-response to the Hayles reading (refer to the "key questions" listed in the description of that reading on this page). Sample Blog PostsFor grad students who will be completing the blog posts for the course, these examples from prior students will be useful models. These are also great reading for anyone working on a case study, too!
Jacklyn Carroll, "Claiming the Pen: Women's Authorship in the American South." (posted on Medium).
Tori Williams, "A Day in the Life of an Unfaithful Woman" (posted on Medium)
Codi Renee Blackmon, "The Bedlam of Banned Books" (posted on Blogger)
Eric Yarberry, "The Newspaper, Pina Coladas, and Society" (posted on Blogger)
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