Course Syllabus

ENGL 451A: After Books

Where: Combs 348,  9:30 – 10:45, TR, and online @ booksafterbooks.tumblr.com, #afterbooks
Who: Zach Whalen, zwhalen@umw.edu, @zachwhalen, www.zachwhalen.net

This course is a Senior Seminar in the English, Linguistics and Communication Department. It also fulfills the capstone requirement for Minors in Digital Studies.

Overview and Outcomes

What is a book? What isn't a book? What are books for? What happens when there are no more books? Should we be worried about that? This seminar may or may not answer these questions. It will, however, be wide ranging study of the cultures, technologies, and possible futures of that literary object known as the book.

Students completing this seminar will:

• explore the history of the book as a technology and an idea 
• research and produce a semester-long project that develops a distinct idea about one or more of the texts under consideration
• use digital tools and digital media to interpret and interact with primary texts

General Expectations

This may be the hardest English class you've taken. You will be doing a great deal of reading, writing, research, and other more varied engagements with the text and with the intellectual community of the seminar. It's designed after a graduate seminar, where students are expected to give shape and orientation to the texts we're analyzing. As your professor, it's my job to facilitate your discoveries, but that doesn't mean that I have all of the answers. Instead, I expect that each of you will bring a unique perspective on each question, so that by working together, we can arrive at a deeper understanding of these ideas.

Requirements

This seminar will depend on your extensive and thorough reading. The required texts (listed below in the order we'll read them in) will be supplemented with secondary scholarship and criticism.

• Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2012.

• Jr, Walter M. Miller. A Canticle for Leibowitz. Harper Voyager, 2006.

• Danielewski, Mark Z. House of Leaves. Random House, Inc., 2000.

• The Fullbright Company. Gone Home. 2013. (This is a video game.)

• Borsuk, Amaranth Claire, and Brad Bouse. Between Page and Screen. Los Angeles, Calif.; New York, NY: Siglio. 2012.

• Abrams, J. J, and Doug Dorst. S., 2013.

• Hall, Steven. The Raw Shark Texts. Canongate U.S., 2008.

In additional, you'll need accounts with Google, Tumblr and Twitter.

Assignments

Mediations. (40%)
For each of the major texts we will read, we will conduct in parallel some critical, creative, or deformative provocation. These will vary in scope and modality, and each will conclude with a brief reflection essay.

The Big Project. (40%)
Traditionally, this has been a 10 – 15 page paper, but I am willing to entertain alternative projects if they are of similar scope and accomplishment.

Participation. (20%)
The seminar is a highly participation-oriented class format, you should be in class, prepared, every day we meet. Take detailed notes as you read, and come to class prepared to ask and answer questions. I will track attendance, and a pattern of absence will result in a zero participation grade. Additionally, you're should contribute to the group Tumblr blog at least once a week.

Grading

Philosophy

The assignments in this class invite you to encounter electronic literature through a number of critical and creative ways. Each assignment will have clear grading criteria or rubrics, but generally speaking, you can earn an A in this class if you participate fully and if you produce uniformly excellent work. An A is reserved for work that demonstrates the highest intellectual engagement, creativity and attentiveness to detail. Some basic technical proficiency will be necessary to complete some assignments, but other, non-technical factors will always be the most important criteria in evaluating any assignment for this class.

Schema

Policies and Expectations

Decorum

Students are expected to treat the instructor and fellow students with the appropriate degree of respect, both in class and in online discussions. Communication, either in person or through electronic media, that is deemed abusive, threatening, or harassing in nature will not be tolerated.

Late Work

Unless otherwise noted, assignments may be submitted after their due date, but your work will be worth fewer points, equal to a 10% deduction for the first 24 hours after the specified due date and time, followed by a 20% reduction for each 24-hour period following. Effectively, this means work that is more than 5 days late will not be graded.

Academic Dishonesty

The UMW Honor System is in effect for our course. I may authorize specific assignments as collaborative work, but all other work must be your own, as per Article 1, Sections 1 and 2 of the University of Mary Washington Student Honor Code.

Computer Use in the Classroom

It is OK to bring your computer to class, so long as it does not distract you or other students, and so long as your use contributes to the conversation or other activity going on in class that day. Our room is small, and the table can get crowded, so distraction is a real risk. Please be mindful of the space your take up, and make sure you're not blocking off access to the table for others. If it becomes a problem, I will warn you (privately) that your computer use is becoming a distraction. After a warning, if the problem persists, I will ask you to refrain from computer use for the duration of the semester. 

Disability Accommodations

The Office of Disability Resources has been designated by the University as the primary office to guide, counsel, and assist students with disabilities. If you already receive services through the Office of Disability Resources and require accommodations for this class, get in touch with me as soon as possible to discuss your approved accommodation needs. Please bring your accommodation letter with you to the appointment. I will hold any information you share with me in the strictest confidence unless you give me permission to do otherwise. If you have not contacted the Office of Disability Resources and need accommodations, (note taking assistance, extended time for tests, etc.), I will be happy to refer you. The office will require appropriate documentation of disability. Their phone number is 540-654-1266.