E309M Spring 1996

Purpose: This assignment requires that you formulate a topic and critique an artifact of technological culture (or the culture itself). This will be similar to the evaluation paper we did on the WWW sites. However, this is a critical analysis. Writing a critical analysis generally has only two key ingredients: an interpretation of the work and a convincing argument based on textual evidence for that interpretation.

Writers argue for their interpretation not so much to convince readers to adopt it, but rather to convince them that the idea is reasonable and based on imaginative, thoughtful analysis of the work. They must demonstrate to reader how they ³read² the work, pointing out specific details and explaining what they think these details mean. So the primary source of information is the work itself, but it is also posssible to find ideas and evidence from outside sources‹other critics, biographical information, genre criticism, etc. It¹s okay to disagree with a critic, provided you articulate both sides of the argument.

There are a number of components you may want to focus on. Try not to address more than two in detail, or your project could get overwhelming.
• Any character (name, actions, values, change of character, comparison to others)
• Language (unusual words, words w/multiple meanings, images and patterns of images, symbols, style, tone)
• Setting (place and time, mood)
• Structure (foreshadowing, plot, patterns, conflict, climax, framing)
• Point of View (narrator,limited omniscience, omniscience, can narrator be trusted)
• Themes (issues and problems in story, abstract ideas, conflicting forces, literary motifs‹the quest, initiation rites, self-discovery, fall from innocence)
• E-mail your topic choice to me by Thursday. Incorporate different aspects of other argumentation styles: definitional, ethical, evaluative, etc. that we've discussed.

Sample topics:

Technopoly is anti-technology/pro-technology propaganda/observations. Postman's argument is solid/faulty because of . . . (Not only will you have to define Postman's argument, but you will have to disassemble it as well according to your stated reasons).

Questions of class are a subtext in Johnny Mnemonic. The creation of the "lotechs" in the story "Johnny Mnemonic" imply a class disassociated with technology and thereby poorer for it. This perspective is altered in the film because of . . . . (you could also relate this to the questions of power, like the Zapatistas Online article).

Information as a commodity is exemplified by . . . . because . .

Neil Postman's description of the future of education is observant/implausible. According to writers like Sherry Turkle and Seymour Papert, education is in for a major shift because of . . . .

You can build a space on AcademICK that model Postman's idea of "technopoly" as compared to someone else's.

You have leeway here to choose your own topic. Your topic decisions is due on Thursday, 4/11.

Topic Assignment:
You will have the option of authoring a WWW project, a space in AcademICK, a conventional paper, or a hypermedia project (in StorySpace, Hypercard, Director, etc). The conventional paper will be 7-9 pp in length. You will be required to turn in a rough draft for peer editing on Thursday, 4/18 and the final draft is due Thursday, 5/2. The WWW home page must encompass your argument and contain the equivalent of 5 pages of information.

Number of Required Sources:
Conventional Paper 7 sources, 2 from the internet
WWW page 5 sources, 1 not from the internet, minimum 4 links, plus 3 other (gifs, sounds, video clips)
Hypermedia 5 sources, links (internal), plus 5 other (gifs, sounds, video)

Peer Editing:
These are important, and if you do not come to class on 4/18 I will question your collaborative input across the dimension. Make an html version of your paper to upload for your classmates to review. Make sure you have a mail link so they can email us both. I will have more instructions regarding your peer editing on that day. Note: I want you to have a tentative works cited page as well.
Grammar, misc notes:
Neatness, grammar and spelling COUNT. This is supposed to be the culmination of all your work this semester, so do it right. Be a perfectionist. Make sure your sources are accurate, and integrated correctly. ASK ME IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS!
Some Works:
Johnny Mnemonic
Technopoly
Readings from the packet