Syllabus

Professor: Jim Brown
Class Time: Tuesday, 6:00-8:50pm
Meeting Place: Fine Arts 217

Jim's Office: Fine Arts 213
Jim's Office Hours: Tuesdays, 4:30-6:00pm
Jim's Email: jim[dot]brown[at]rutgers[dot]edu

Course Website: http://courses.jamesjbrownjr.net/303_fall2017

Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this class, students will be able to:

  • Summarize and interpret complex academic arguments.
  • Work collaboratively to study technologies from a comparative textual media perspective
  • Understand and apply various theoretical and methodological approaches
  • Conduct hands-on humanities research on media technologies

Required Books

  • Hayles, N. Katherine and Jessica Pressman, eds. Comparative Textual Media: Transforming the Humanities in the Postprint Era

Course Work and Grades
Undergraduate student grades will be determined based on:

  • Attendance (15%)
  • Quizzes (15%)
  • Response Papers (20%)
  • R-CADE Project (50%)

Graduate student grades will be determined based on:

  • Quizzes (15%)
  • Response Papers (20%)
  • Subfield Profile (15%)
  • R-CADE Project (50%)

Grades will be assigned on the following scale:

A 90-100
B+ 87-89
B 80-86
C+ 77-79
C 70-76
D 60-69
F 59 and below

Attendance
Success in this class will require regular attendance, and I will take attendance at each class meeting. You are required to attend class daily, arrive on time, do assigned reading and writing, and participate in all in-class work. Please save absences for when you are sick or have a personal emergency. If you find that an unavoidable problem prevents you from attending class or from arriving on time, please discuss the problem with me.

Lateness
If you are more than 10 minutes late for class, you will be considered absent. If there is something keeping you from getting to class on time (i.e., bus or train schedules), please let me know during the first week of class.

Class Sessions
During the first seven weeks of the semester, the class will focus on reading and understanding the Hayles and Pressman edited collection. Prior to these class meetings, students will watch a video that contextualizes the readings and will complete a quiz based on that video. During class sessions, we will meet to discuss the readings further and also to conduct research on Rutgers-Camden Archive of Digital Ephemera (R-CADE) materials (more details on this in the assignments section).

During the second seven weeks of the semester, each of the R-CADE project groups will be tasked with leading a class session that addresses their research project. This will mean assigning readings (if necessary) and enlisting the group in both a discussion about the technology in question as well as collaborative research session about that technology. I will work with groups to help plan these sessions.

Computers, Smartphones, etc.
Please feel free to use your computer or any other device during class, provided that your use of it is related to what we are working on in class.

Late Assignments
Due dates for assignments are posted on the course website. Late assignments are not accepted.

Intellectual Property
Using the work of others without attribution, having another student complete an assignment for you, or any other violations of the university's Academic Integrity Policy will result in a failing grade. If you have questions about the that policy, please see the Dean of Student Affairs website.

The Office of Disability Services
From the The Office of Disability Services (ODS):

"The ODS provides students with confidential advising and accommodation services in order to allow students with documented physical, mental, and learning disabilities to successfully complete their course of study at Rutgers University – Camden. The ODS provides for the confidential documentation and verification of student accommodations, and communicates with faculty regarding disabilities and accommodations. The ODS provides accommodation services, which can include readers, interpreters, alternate text, special equipment, and note takers. The ODS acts as a signatory for special waivers. The ODS also works with students, faculty, staff and administrators to enforce the American with Disabilities Act of 1990."

If you believe you might require an accommodation, please contact the ODS early in the semester.

Technology Policy
We will use digital technology frequently in this class. Although I am assuming that you have some basic knowledge of computers, such as how to use a keyboard and mouse, and how to use the Web and check e-mail, most things will be explained in class. If you don’t understand what we are doing, please ask for help. If you are familiar with the technology we are using please lend a helping hand to your classmates.

Sakai, Course Website, and Email
You should check your email daily. Class announcements and assignments may be distributed through email. The course website will also have important information about assignments and policies. Pay close attention to the course calendar as we move through the semester. I reserve the right to move things around if necessary.