English 1101 (SF7): The Digital Humanities

Summer 2010

Syllabus Changes

This syllabus is not a binding contract. I reserve the right to change it at any time. The document has two main parts, the policy statement and the schedule. I will make minimal changes, if any, to the policy statement. As for the schedule, it is a work in progress and will be filled in as the course progresses. I will inform you of any changes to the policy statement or schedule and place the date of the latest version in the header of each part. You should check T-Square and the email account you have on record at Georgia Tech frequently for syllabus updates and other messages.

Policy Statement (07/29/10)

Description

In this class, you will learn about rhetoric and sharpen your critical thinking and writing skills while exploring the ways in which computing is altering the objects and programs of study in the humanities as well as adding new research techniques such as data mining, text encoding, "stylometry" (computer based stylistic analysis), and information visualization. For your course projects, you will use quantitative and qualitative computational approaches to studying electronic texts and archives, possibly creating in the process new resources for other scholars and students. You will tie these projects together in an electronic portfolio in which you reflect on their rhetorical and multimodal properties as well as what you have learned through working on them.

Instructor

Name: Olin Bjork
Office: D.M. Smith 117
Telephone: 404.894.5012
E-mail: olin.bjork@lcc.gatech.edu
Office hours: MTW 11:30-12:30pm / other times by appointment

Timing

MTWR 9:20-11:20am, Skiles 371

Textbook

Svenja Adolphs, Introducing Electronic Text Analysis: A Practical Guide for Language and Literary Studies, New York: Routledge: 2006.

Georgia Tech e-book from Bedford / St. Martin's. The e-book is available for purchase at http://ebooks.bfwpub.com/gatech.php. Access codes are also available at Engineer's and GT Barnes and Noble.

Technology

You will need a laptop that can wirelessly access the Internet and download/install/run free software. You may use your laptop for in-class assignments and workshops. In general, they are to remain closed during lecture and discussion periods. This means that they are not be used as note-taking devices. It should go without saying that using your laptop or other mobile device for unrelated email, text messaging, surfing the web, games, music, etc. will not be tolerated.

Objectives and Outcomes

Objectives and Outcomes Specified by the Board of Regents and by Georgia Tech
Category	Board of Regents University System of Georgia		Georgia Tech’s Writing and Communication Program
Rhetoric Rhetoric focuses on available means of persuasion, considering the synergy of factors such as context, audience, purpose, role, argument, organization, design, visuals, and conventions of language.	Objective “Understand rhetorical contexts for writing by establishing the writer’s role, the audience, and the purpose of the project.”	Outcome “Use conventions of writing mechanics, usage, and style to communicate effectively for the given audience, purpose, and format.”	Objectives Understand registers and variations within discourses. Apply strategies for addressing academic and professional audiences.	Outcome Create artifacts that demonstrate the synergy of rhetorical elements.
Process Processes for communication—for example, creating, planning, drafting, designing, rehearsing, revising, presenting, publishing—are recursive, not linear. Learning productive processes is as important as creating products.	Objective “Approach writing as a way to think and communicate ideas to others.”	Outcomes “Use recursive processes that include collecting information, focusing, ordering, drafting, revising, and editing.” “Demonstrate the techniques and skills of research, integration of source material, and documentation.”	Objective Explore individual and collaborative processes in multicultural and international contexts.	Outcome Construct, select, and deploy information based on interpretation and critique of the accuracy, bias, credibility, authority, and appropriateness of sources.
Modes and Media Activities and assignments should use a variety of modes and media—written, oral, visual, electronic, and nonverbal—singly and in combination. Contexts and cultures of modes and media are critical.	Objective “Adjust writing to a variety of contexts, including electronic environments.”	Outcome “Read and respond to various texts for purposes of interpretation, analysis, synthesis, evaluation, and judgment.”	Objective Distinguish and evaluate multimodal communication —WOVEN (Written, Oral, Visual, Electronic, and Nonverbal)	Outcome Create WOVEN artifacts that demonstrate interpretation, analysis, synthesis, evaluation, and judgment.

Note: Class-specific objectives and outcomes will be stated on the instructions for each major assignment

Assignments

Component

Points

Qualitative Project (two drafts)
You will create a digital edition of a text that makes an argument. In addition to the electronic and annotated text, this edition will include images, audio, video, and/or animation. You will then write an essay that rhetorically analyzes the text as well as your decisions in designing the edition.

Quantitative Project (two drafts)
You will use text analysis tools on a large textual corpus or corpora to generate authorship or gender attributions, patterns, and visualizations. You will then write up your research findings in a report that argues for the significance of these findings.

Participation
You should be actively involved with the class—not just physically present. We will be reading quite a bit this term. In order for this class to be interactive, you will have to come prepared to discuss the reading. You will have to raise your hand. You will have to make comments, ask questions, and be a part of the discussion. You will have to remain awake. Share relevant ideas, observations, and experiences. Refer to relevant articles, books, and Web sites. Furthermore, when we do peer reviews or group work, you will have to be there to help and learn from your classmates.

Oral Presentation
Between the first and final drafts of your qualitative or quantitative project, you will present your project to the class and solicit feedback for the purposes of revision.

Activities/Quizzes
These will consist of various in-class and homework activities as well as quizzes on the readings

Competency Portfolio
The end-of-semester portfolio is designed as a culminating, representative, and reflective sample of your work. In order to demonstrate that you have met the stated course goals, you will select evidence from the texts (artifacts) you have produced in this course; then, you will describe how each artifact demonstrates your ability to apply the concepts and skills taught in this course. Your portfolio will contain:

Mode	Artifact (submitted as separate files)	Reflection (complete the form)
Oral	No electronic copy of the oral presentation is required.	the ways your presentation addresses a specific listening audience the strategic use of the voice, body, space, and technology
Written	first draft if pertinent, additional drafts final draft	the differences between the first and final drafts the ways the artifact uses more than alphabetic text to convey its message successful composition strategies that might work well in other rhetorical situations
Visual	first draft if pertinent, additional drafts final draft	the differences between the first and final drafts the ways the artifact uses more than alphabetic text to convey its message successful composition strategies that might work well in other rhetorical situations
Electronic	first draft if pertinent, additional drafts final draft	the differences between the first and final drafts the ways the artifact uses more than alphabetic text to convey its message successful composition strategies that might work well in other rhetorical situations

NOTE: Retain copies of all drafts of your work in this course. As described in the form, the entire portfolio will be used for program assessment. Artifacts will be assessed according to a rubric. However, since I will have already graded your artifacts, I will only evaluate your reflection.

Total

100

Late Assignments

Activities cannot be turned in late and quizzes cannot be made up. However, there will be more points available than will count in your score, so you should be able to recover if you miss or do poorly on one or two. First drafts cannot be turned in late. Final drafts will lose two points per class they are late. For example, a final draft due Thursday will lose two points if turned in by the next Monday and four points if turned in by the next Tuesday. Oral presentations and portfolios cannot be performed or submitted late, except in the rare case that you request and receive an extension before the due date.

Evaluation

Letter grade	Numeric equivalent in this class	GA Tech 4-point equivalent
A+	98-100	4.00
A	94-97
A-	90-93
B+	88-89	3.00
B	84-87
B-	80-83
C+	78-79	2.00
C	74-77
C-	70-73
D+	68-69	1.00
D	64-67
D-	60-63
F	0-59	0.00

Attendance and Decorum

If you exceed 3 absences, with tardies counting as half absences, I will deduct points from your final total according to the following formula: # of excess absences². For example, 4 absences would result in a 1 point penalty (1²=1) and 6 absences would result in a 9 point penalty (3²=9). Furthermore, you are likely to miss in-class work that cannot be made up. The only exceptions to the absence and missed work policies are participation in approved institute events documented in advance or, in some cases, a letter from an administrator. You should keep all other excuses to yourself, unless you merely wish to make conversation. Regardless of the reason for your absence, you are responsible for information presented in classes you miss. You should not ask me for this information; contact a classmate instead.

No form of harassment or discrimination is allowed in this class including but not limited to gender, age, ability, religion, sexual orientation, and ethnicity. Such behaviors as sleeping, chitchatting, or failing to turn your mobile device off are breaches of etiquette. Be attentive and willing to make a contribution in discussion and group activities. Stay positive! My classroom is a no-complaint zone. Complaints are a sign of immaturity and will make the atmosphere unpleasant for everyone. If you have an issue to discuss with me, contact me by email or during my office hours.

Academic Misconduct

If you engage in plagiarism or any other form of academic misconduct, you will fail the assignment in which you committed academic misconduct and be referred to the Office of Student Integrity, as required by Georgia Tech policy. Academic misconduct is defined in section XIX of Georgia Tech's Rules and Regulations: www.catalog.gatech.edu/rules/19b.php. I urge you to be familiar with Georgia Tech's Honor Challenge at www.honor.gatech.edu as well as the disciplinary process for academic misconduct: www.deanofstudents.gatech.edu/integrity/academic_misconduct.php.

Students with Disabilities

Students who feel that they may need accommodations for any sort of disability, please make an appointment to see the instructor during office hours. Within the first week of the semester, students with disabilities should also contact Access Disabled Assistance Program for Tech Students (ADAPTS) to discuss reasonable accommodations. For an appointment with a counselor call (404) 894-2563 (voice) / (404) 894-1664 (voice/TDD) or visit Suite 210 in the Smithgall Student Services Building. For more information visit the following Web site: http://www.adapts.gatech.edu/.

Schedule (07/27/10)

Week/Class	Date	Class	Due
1–1	Monday June 28	Syllabus Overview	E-book, Preface
1-2	Tuesday June 29	Humanities vs. Science	Snow, “The Two Cultures” Seed Magazine, “Are We Beyond The Two Cultures? 50 Years Later”
1-3	Weds. June 30	Intro to Rhetoric Qualitative Project Instructions	E-book, Chapters 14 and 15
1–4	Thursday July 1	Modes and Media	E-book, Chapters 33 and 69
2	Monday July 5	SCHOOL HOLIDAY
2–5	Tuesday July 6	Literature	Milton, Paradise Lost Book IX audiotext
2–6	Weds. July 7	Intellectual Property Oral Presentations	Kelty, “Intellectual Property and the Humanities” E-book, Chapter 60
2–7	Thursday July 8	Peer Review	Qualitative Project (First Draft)
3–8	Monday July 12	Presentations Art History	Michael Greenhalgh, "Art History"
3–9	Tuesday. July 13	Presentations Historiography	Valley of the Shadow
3–10	Weds. July 14	Presentations Multimedia	E-Book, Chapters 70-71
3–11	Thursday July 15	Quantitative Project Instructions	Qualitative Project (Final Draft)
3–12	Monday July 19	Electronic Textuality	Adolphs, Ch. 1-2
4-13	Tuesday July 20	Words and Phrases	Adolphs, Ch. 3-4
4–14	Weds. July 21	Electronic Text Analysis	Adolphs, Ch. 5-6
4-15	Thursday. July 22	Peer Review	First Draft of Quantitative Project
5–16	Monday July 26	Presentations Effective Language	E-book, Ch. 36-40 (old), 48-53 (new)
5–17	Tuesday July 27	Presentations Effective Writing	E-book, Ch. 41-45 (old), 54-59 (new)
5–18	Weds. July 28	Presentations Clarity	E-book, Ch. 46-48 (old), 60-62 (new)
5–19	Thursday July 29	Course Evaluations Portfolio Instructions	Final Draft of Quantitative Project
FINAL	Tuesday August 3 11:30-2:20	Reflection	Portfolio