Honors Mentorship Research Project Proposal: Hypertext Literature for English Studies

This project will examine several literary hypertexts for possible use in English composition and literature classes and provide recommendations for instructional applications of literary hypertexts and for student development of hypertexts.

• The department will benefit from an annotated resource list of hypertexts for introducing students to this new literary medium.
• The department will benefit from recommendations by a student about effective use of these hypertexts.
• The department will benefit from a draft of directions for using hypertexts so that individual instructors can use these or adapt them.
• The department will benefit from guidance in developing student hypertexts.
• The department and the college will benefit from a Web site that incorporates the resource list, recommendations, and directions.
• The student will benefit from practice in research in print and non-print sources, including Internet sources.
• The student will benefit from reading specialized texts in a new medium and responding to literary works as a scholar and a hypertext developer.
• The student will benefit from serving as a resource for other students and for teachers.
• The student will benefit from improved technical skills as a hypertext reader and developer.
• The student will benefit as a writer by composing a research report and bibliography.

PROJECT DETAILS: (How will be project be conducted, resources, methodology?)

• TCC-Virginia Beach has purchased three hypertext novels, Afternoon, Victory Garden, and Patchwork Girl. The honors student will read these novels and write reviews of them as works of fiction and works of hypertext.
• The honors student will locate shorter hypertext works through Eastgate publications, the World Wide Web, and other resources, in particular short stories, poetry, and plays.
• The honors student will locate reviews and other scholarship about hypertext literature.
• The honors student will keep a journal of research activities and results with critiques and reflection of the process and the results.
• The student will investigate and report on ways for students to develop hypertexts, including Storyspace and Netscape Composer.
• The honors student will prepare a research report (an appropriate combination of print and non-print media) that includes the items listed in the project description.

Professor's Notes