Short Assignment

For this assignment, you have the choice between three options. All three options require that you respond to one (or two, for the third option) of the course texts at a critical level. The main difference between the options is the medium you use to convey your critical response.

See Information for the lateness penalties.

Option 1: Essay

Write a short essay, of three to four pages, that constitutes a critical analysis of one of the first three books from our reading list (i.e., The Dumbest Generation, You Are Not a Gadget, or Alone Together). Essays shorter than three full pages or longer than five pages may be returned unread.

You are writing a critical response, not a review or a personal response. You are expected to do three things with your essay: 1) convey to your grader that you have understood very well the book in question, 2) respond to one or more of the arguments presented in the book, and 3) begin an in-depth rhetorical analysis of one or more of the arguments (not necessarily the same to which you respond). Note that the second and third tasks can easily be blurred together, and it is really the third task that is most important of the three. Your thesis statement can have two parts: one covering the second task and one covering the third.

As with most English Studies essays, value will be awarded based on the depth of the analysis, the complexity of the discussion, the solidity of the writing, and the thoroughness of the support to the thesis.

I recommend you stay away from any other source for this essay, though you may choose to use other sources if you feel you need to. As always, plagiarism will not be tolerated. Document all sources (of ideas and of quotations), including all web sources (whether an author is identifiable or not).

Essays should conform to MLA guidelines. Essays should have double-spaced lineation. Printed essays should use a 12-point, serif font and should not have a justified right margin. Please use one-inch margins on all sides. Please do not submit the essay in a binder or folder. I am not fond of title pages. Essays must be accompanied by the Essay Submission Checklist.

An essay for Option 1 on The Dumbest Generation is due February 6 (and may be submitted earlier).
An essay for Option 1 on You Are Not a Gadget is due February 27 (and may be submitted earlier).
An essay for Option 1 on Alone Together is due March 13 (and may be submitted earlier).

Option 2: Oral presentation

Present in front of the class a critical analysis of one of the last three books from our reading list (i.e., Alone Together, Reality is Broken, or World Wide Mind). There are three corresponding dates for the presentation: you may sign up for the presentation on a first-come, first-choice basis. Presentations are expected to be about eight to ten minutes in length (which generally corresponds to four to five pages of writing). You may read a written essay for your presentation, or you may “talk” to the class (perhaps from notes). You may use PowerPoint slides or other visuals if you wish.

As with the written response, your presentation needs to be a critical response, not a review or a personal response. You are expected to do three things with your presentation: 1) convey to the class (and your grader) that you have understood very well the book in question, 2) respond to one or more of the arguments presented in the book, and 3) begin an in-depth rhetorical analysis of one or more of the arguments (not necessarily the same to which you respond). Note that the second and third tasks can easily be blurred together, and it is really the third task that is most important of the three. Your presentation will probably have two thesis statements: one covering the second task and one covering the third.

You will be graded on the oral presentation alone: no written work needs to be handed in. Your presentation should not be too informal, but does not have to be highly formal. You may entertain/amuse us if you wish, but your grader will be looking for a complex, critical response to the text and strong support for the thesis (or two).

Presentations on Alone Together will take place on March 6.
Presentations on Reality is Broken will take place on March 20.
Presentations on World Wide Mind will take place on April 3.

Option 3: Video presentation

Create a short digital video that responds critically to one or two of the six course texts. (If you are using Carr’s essay, you should also include a second text.) While this option allows for more creativity, the product should still entail a critical analysis of the text(s), and not be a review or personal response (though personal response is allowed to play a larger role in this option).

The video should probably be between four and ten minutes long. Some example videos are listed below. Note that you should emphasize critical response in your video.

Videos should be submitted electronically. If you want to upload your video to YouTube or another web site, then a Web link is all that is needed for submission. You will probably be asked for permission to post a link to your project on the course web site, for your fellow students to enjoy (and you may refuse if you wish).

For this option only, you may work in groups of two. Both students in a team will receive the same grade for the assignment.

The video presentation is due March 4 (and may be submitted earlier).

Example videos
The Machine is Us/ing Us (a video explaining Web 2.0 and related concepts)
We Think (a video response/summary of We Think by Charles Leadbeater)
CIS420-Video Project (a video response/summary of The Shallows)
Are kids different because of digital media? (a promotional video about some of the work of the MacArthur Foundation)
Digital Learners News Segment (an animated video explaining the concept of digital learners)
David Gauntlett: Media in the online age (an animated response/parody of another media studies video)
So you Want to Get a PhD in the Humanities (a funny animated video satirizing assumptions surrounding post-graduate academics)

You should be able to use for free the Xtranormal Movie Maker for animated videos.