General course information
Required Texts
- Anderson, M. T. Feed. 2002.
- Baker, Stephen. The Numerati. 2008.
- A variety of other readings will be required, most of which are online.
Course Objectives
- continue to develop ability to write clear, error-free, university-level prose
- continue to develop ability to write short essays (argumentative and/or research)
- continue to develop ability to engage in critical discussions in class
- demonstrate knowledge and critical understanding of the course texts
- gain a basic understanding of the field of Digital Humanities and its goals
- develop ability to critically assess the impact of digital technology on the social world
- develop an understanding of the theory and rudimentary techniques of text analysis
Preparation and Participation
You are expected to participate in class in an informed manner. At the very least, you are expected to come to class regularly,
having read all assigned reading for that class. Ideally, you will have thought about the reading, taken notes on the reading, and
have prepared opinions on and notes and questions about the reading. Ideally, you will participate in class discussions. Keep in mind
that participating in class is usually a highly rewarding experience, greatly enhancing your ability to understand the course material
and helping ensure your success in the course. Everyone is expected to be courteous and professional at all times in class.
Lateness
- Each of the four assignments can be handed in up to one week late without penalty. After the one-week extension, a penalty of 2% for each day late (including weekend days) will be applied. After ten days, the penalty will be 20% and assignments will be graded with little to no feedback.
- The group wiki assignment will have its own lateness penalty schedule.
- No assignment will be accepted after the start of the final exam.
- If you are registered with Student Services for special consideration with regards to due dates, please hand in the appropriate form to the instructor and, if needed, remind the instructor about the consideration when handing in the assignments.
Plagiarism
The Department of English Studies and Nipissing University maintain a strict policy on all forms of academic dishonesty.
Each assignment must be original work produced by the student only for this course. All referencing and documentation must
be complete and accurate for both direct and indirect quotations. The Modern Language Association (MLA) guidelines for essay
preparation are the standard in English Studies. Ignorance of what constitutes plagiarism will not be accepted as an excuse:
if you are uncertain about any of this information, see your instructor immediately. All essays and tests are subject to an
additional oral and/or written test at the instructor’s discretion. All suspected plagiarism will be reported to the
chair of the department, the dean of the faculty, and the registrar of the university.