The assignments and evaluation criteria are explained on this page. In the second half of the semester, students choose between writing on a technoprophet or making a Web project for 30% of their grade. 

Option A		Option B
10%	Class and Online Discussion	10%	Class and Online Discussion
20%	Neuromancer and 2001 essay	20%	Neuromancer and 2001 essay
10%	Midterm	10%	Midterm
30%	Technoprophet Essay	30%	Web Project
30%	Final Exam	30%	Final Exam
100%	Total	100%	Total

First of all: Why options? With technologies like hypermedia, we aren't necessarily locked into academic tradition. We can experiment. And one of the ways we can do this is by making the assignments more interactive and nonlinear. Some people are verbal learners, while others are visual. Some students are better suited to the humanities, while others relate better to the sciences. Some of us are process-oriented, while others are product-oriented. No particular approach necessarily has to be privileged. Choose the kind of assignment that is best for you and your learning style, what you will get the most out of. 

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Online Discussion and Class Participation [top] 

To emphasize the importance of attendance, participation, and discussion, this category has been allocated 10% of the grade. It's important that we build our own self-regulating Net community. Online Discussion and Class Participation is discussed more fully on its own page.

The Importance of Critical Thinking [top] 

The Net largely has done away with the editor or gatekeeper. Today "anyone" with access and content can be his or her own publisher, broadcaster, database provider, etc. We'll explore this perhaps unprecedented democratization in many ways. However, without the assumed guidance of an editor, there is little for us as users to go on to determine the accuracy and reliability of information -- which can have serious consequences that we'll also explore. Therefore, each of us must become his or her own editor, and be able to form assessments quickly since there is an increasing abundance of information to sort through (sometimes called "information overload"). To make assessments on the fly and form queries effectively, it's essential to develop a critical vocabulary and skills.

Critical Essays [top] 

If you choose Option A, 50% your grade will come from the Critical Essays, while if you choose Option B, only the first essay is required for 20% of your grade. The length of the essays is 4-6 pages. All work must be clearly and concisely written, proofread, and submitted on time. Remember to save often and back up your files.

The below describes three levels of essays and explains their evaluation:

• A basic essay describes the plot as, for example, an entertainment review. Since it comes from the commercial media where the function is to encourage familiarity and therefore sales, this type of review underscores what the reader already knows without bringing anything new to the discussion. These essays can be written quickly and aren't appropriate for an academic seminar. 

• A better essay demonstrates greater engagement with the material. Through their authority, these papers show that the text was read or viewed more than once, that you've considered what it means, and that your thoughts about the material have been shaped by the class Discussion. Such an essay has a beginning, middle, and end with a concrete thesis statement that is supported throughout. An attempt is made to convince the reader of your point of view, and the essays can be written in the first or third person. Examples often are used to support the argument. 

• An excellent essay builds on the foregoing and brings more of the author into the critical analysis. The paper draws in the reader by making points and skillfully exploring the tensions and mirrorings between the different levels and languages of the text, which are related to the material we've been reading and discussing in class. Or, for instance, when writing about one of the technoprophets, you might want to compare and contrast his or her views on a specific topic with a peer or adversary. You would not want to just promote this person's ideas, but to look at him or her critically as well. In your opinion backed up with supportive evidence, what are your technoprophet's strengths and weaknesses?

 

Neuromancer and 2001 Essays [top] 

For their first essay, all students write on Neuromancer and/or 2001, the film. The first paper will be worth 20% of the grade.  Details will follow.

Midterm [top] 

The midterm is a preview of the final exam.  The weekly "fishing expeditions" will help prepare you for the exams.  The midterm is worth 10% of the grade.  Details will follow.

 

Techoprophet Essays [top] 

This semester, we will explore a number of Technoprophets, prominent thinkers and industry spokespeople, but there are many more who, because we're limited to the time available in a semester, we can't read or discuss directly. Students who choose Option A will write essays (and/or prepare presentations) that cite different aspects of your technoprophet's work, shedding light on some of the paradoxes and contradictions of his or her thought, demonstrating your critical thinking, and revealing the opinion that you've formed of him or her. Contrasting and comparing your technoprophet with another often works well. We may be able to encourage a debate among students who speak as the "voice" of their chosen technoprophets.  Papers will be 9-12 pages in length.

 

Web Projects [top] 

See these Web projects made by students in the Fall 1997 class:

 

Girl Gamers	by Jessica Abroms
Warez	by Erik Anderson
Software Futures	by Juan Batlle
Y2K Considerations	by Allison Connolly
Freedom of Cyber Speech?	by Dan Cook
United States v. Microsoft	by Nicky Daryani and Silenia Gil
Cyberforum	by Adrian Felix
Distributing Music over the Internet	by Brad Kimmel
MP3	by Theo Michel
Guillermo Gómez-Peña	by Marcela Musgrove
Communities within Communities	by Georgina Okerson
The History of the World Wide Web	by Sol Oster-Katz
Personal Email: A Dialogue	by Visnu Pitiyanuvath
Is the Internet Beneficial?	by Prasad Sawardeker
Internet Clients	by Mike Sokolov
Internet Privacy and Security	by Jason Stajich
Software Piracy	by Mike Strauss
Online Banking	by Karl Weinmeister
net.activism	by Brady Wood

If you choose Option B, 30% of your grade will come from the Student Web Projects, described in detail on its own page. (Note: It's no longer necessary for students who choose this option to know HTML and have established a home page. This will be discussed in class.) Remember that you will participate along with the rest of the class in the other assignments; the only difference is that you don't have to write on a technoprophet. Similarly, like Option A students, Option B students must submit work on time that has been clearly and concisely written, formatted, and proofread. Choose this option if you can use the Web platform in some way to further your academic interests.

Final Exam: Essay and Multiple Choice [top] 

The last 30% of the grade will come from the two-part take-home exam, which will demonstrate cumulative and comprehensive knowledge gained over the semester. The exam should show that you've kept up with the reading and that you've learned how to better assess online material. The exam will draw on critical thinking, so you will have had to be paying attention in class and contributing to the discussion or you won't be clear on the expectations.