H y p e r t e x t D e s i g n S t u d i o
PTC
626 Fall 2006
Prof. Chris Funkhouser
funkhouser@adm.njit.edu
The purpose of this course is to help students build new understandings of hypertext concepts and programming through invention, cultivation and implementation of ideas via the computer.
Students work at their own skill-level, and to suit their own topical interests. In the current historical and creative moment, the WWW is the most convenient hypertext platform. However, since there are other programs and avenues for hypertext, students are not limited to creating Web-based documents.
Online discussion will generally focus on course materials, and works being developed by those enrolled. The main points of emphasis are for students to develop and practice their skills, work on assignments, and discuss ideas and technical problems. Students are required to discuss their impressions, ideas, and questions as often as possible using the WebCT bulletin board and, on occasion, WebCT CHAT. Each student must post at least twenty substantive entries on the discussion during the semester.
My campus office hours are 3 p.m-5 p.m. on Thursdays (and by appointment) in Cullimore 425. I am also available for one-on-one virtual office meetings by appointment (in additions to the CHAT sessions).
Since this is a STUDIO class, developing creative work is emphasized. Students should begin to develop ideas of the types of projects they wish to put together as early in the semester as possible in order to have ample time to experiment and cultivate her or his project(s).
Students are required to invent and create at least two hypertext projects (preferably using different approaches to design) during the course. These projects will be reviewed and discussed by the class.
C o u r s e
F a c t s h e e t
Required readings for the course are linked to the course WWW syllabus.
No printed texts are required, although students may wish to obtain the titles listed at the bottom of the syllabus.
Project 1: Transform something you've prepared for print medium (e.g.: an essay, review, story, poem) into hypertext format. An accompanying written rationale for your design will also be expected.
Project 2: Open-ended creative project to be completed over the course of the semester. Use visual features to structure whatever type of narrative or other content you determine to develop. Avoid relying exclusively on traditional (alphanumeric) link-node method to connect and distinguish layers of text. This should be extensive, highly developed work.
Grades will be determined via this formula: Project One = 20% | Project 2 = 40% | Active participation in class discussions/process throughout the semester = 40%
C o u r s e
W o r k
September: What is Hypertext?
Week 1 (ends 9/12):
Reading materials for September discussion:
Jay David Bolter, “Degrees of Freedom” (2001)
Grand Text Auto blog entry, “What Hypertext Is” (2004)
David Hirmes, Frequently Asked Questions File for alt.hypertext. Version 0.9 (ASCII). (1993)
HYPERTEXT TERMS (1995)
Stuart Moulthrop. A Subjective Chronology of Cybertext, Hypertext, and Electronic Writing 2002-2006
Post introductions and questions about course materials to WebCT
Week 2 (ends 9/19)
Set up AFS server space: instructions to be posted
WebCT discussion about Project 1 and September readings.
Hypertexts to review (also for discussion):
Linda Carroli, “Speak” (1999)
<http://www.ensemble.va.com.au/speak/>Beryl Graham, “Use | Ornament” (2000)
<http://www.newmedia.sunderland.ac.uk/usenor/berylsessay.htm>David Kolb, “Socrates’ Apology” (1995)
<http://www.dkolb.org/ht/seulmonde/Apology.html>A. David Lewis, “Pedro and Me and Us” (2001)
<http://www.captionbox.net/pedro/>Adrian Miles, “Realism and a General Economy of the Link” (2001)
<http://hypertext.rmit.edu.au/essays/currents01/>Stuart Moulthrop, Hegirascope (1997)
<http://iat.ubalt.edu/moulthrop/hypertexts/hgs/>Wikipedia
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page>
Week 3 (ends 9/26)
WebCT CHAT to be scheduled
WebCT discussion about Hypertexts and September readings.
October: Hypertext Extensions
Week 4 (ends 10/3)
Reading materials for October discussion:
Cayley, John. "HYPERTEXT/CYBERTEXT/POETEXT." (1996)
<http://www.shadoof.net/in/hcp000.html>.Funkhouser, Chris. “Hypertext and Hypermedia” (Ch. 3, Prehistoric Digital Poetry <to be posted to WebCT>
Higgason, Richard. “A Scholar’s Nightmare” (2003) <http://jodi.ecs.soton.ac.uk/Articles/v03/i03/Higgason/nightmare.html>
McGann, Jerome. “The Rationale of HyperText” (1995)
<http://jefferson.village.virginia.edu/public/jjm2f/rationale.html>Monfort, Nick. “Cybertext Killed the Hypertext Star” (2001)
<http://www.altx.com/ebr/ebr11/11mon/>MORE READING/VIEWING MATERIAL:
aND, mIEKAL, et al. “Writing Dubuffets Titles”
Bunting, Heath, The Telegraph Wired 50
Karpinska, Aya, "The Arrival of the beeBox"
Lehto, Leevi, "Google Poetry Generator"
Nelson, Jason, "Pandemic Rooms"
Sanford, Christy Sheffield, “Boucher En Vogue”
---, and Reiner Strasser, "~~Water ~~ Water ~~ Water"
Tutorial: Posting files to the WWW
WebCT discussion about October readings, posting files.
Work on Project 1
Week 5 (ends 10/10)
WebCT discussion about Project prototypes and October readings.
Work on Project 1, post prototype to WWW (draft)
Week 6 (ends 10/17)
Project 1 is due by 10/17: post files on WebCT
Hypertexts to review (also for discussion):
Michael Joyce, Twelve Blue
<http://www.eastgate.com/TwelveBlue/Welcome.html>jodi.org
<http://jodi.org>Robert Kendall, Clues
<http://www.wordcircuits.com/clues/>proximate.org
<http://proximate.org/>Diana Reed Slattery, Alphaweb
<http://iat.ubalt.edu/guests/alphaweb/>Stephanie Strickland, The Ballad of Sand and Harry Soot
<http://www.wordcircuits.com/gallery/sandsoot/index.html>Stephanie Strickland, V: Vniverse
<http://vniverse.com/>WebCT discussion about Student Projects, Hypertexts, and October readings.
Week 7 (ends 10/24)
WebCT discussion about Hypertexts and October readings.
Week 8 (ends 10/31)
Proposal for Project 2 is due (post to discussion board section)
WebCT discussion about Hypertexts and October readings.
November: Hypertext in Practice
Week 9 (ends 11/7)
Work on Project 2
Hypertexts to review:
Talan Memmott
Lexia to Perplexia
http://collection.eliterature.org/1/works/memmott__lexia_to_perplexia.htmlJudd Morrissey
The Jew's Daughter
http://collection.eliterature.org/1/works/morrissey__the_jews_daughter.htmlStuart Moulthrop
Reagan Library
http://collection.eliterature.org/1/works/moulthrop__reagan_library.htmlLance Olson and Tim Guthrie
10:01
http://collection.eliterature.org/1/works/olsen_guthrie__10_01.htmlJ.R. Carpenter
The Cape
http://collection.eliterature.org/1/works/carpenter__the_cape.htmlM.D. Coverly
Accounts of the Glass Sky
http://collection.eliterature.org/1/works/coverley__accounts_of_the_glass_sky.htmlEdward Falco
Chemical Landscapes Digital Tales
http://collection.eliterature.org/1/works/falco__chemical_landscapes_digital_tales.htmlRichard Holeton
Frequently Asked Questions about Hypertext
http://collection.eliterature.org/1/works/holeton__frequently_asked_questions_about_hyp
ertext.htmlDeena Larsen
Carving in Possibilities
http://collection.eliterature.org/1/works/larsen__carving_in_possibilities.html
to be posted on course WWW site
WebCT discussion about Hypertexts and Project development.
Week 10 (ends 11/14)
Work on Project 2
WebCT discussion about Hypertexts and Project development.
Week 11 (ends 11/21)
WebCT CHAT to be scheduled
Work on Project 2
Week 12 (ends 11/28)
Work on Project 2
Post link to prototype/draft to WebCT for discussion.
WebCT discussion about Student Projects.
Week 13 (ends 12/5)
Work on Project 2
Week 14 (ends 12/12)
Project 2 due date: 12/13
Hypertext resources:
Recommended reading:
Aarseth,
Espen. Cybertext: Perspectives on Ergodic Literature. Baltimore: Johns
Hopkins UP, 1997.
Bolter,
Jay David. Writing Space: Computers, Hypertext, and the Remediation of Print,
second ed. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum, 2001.
---. Writing
Space: The Computer, Hypertext, and the History of Writing. Hillsdale:
Lawrence Erlbaum, 1991.
Heim, Michael. Electric Language. New Haven: Yale UP, 1987.
---. The Metaphysics of Virtual Reality. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1993.
Joyce,
Michael. Of Two Minds: Hypertext Pedagogy and Poetics. Ann Arbor: U
of
Michigan P, 1995.
Landow,
George. Hypertext 2.0: The Convergence of Contemporary Critical Theory and
Technology. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins UP, 1997.
---. Hypertext
3.0: Critical Theory and New Media in an Era of Globalization. Baltimore:
Johns Hopkins UP, 2006.
Nielsen, Jakob. Hypertext & Hypermedia. San Diego: Academic P, 1990.
Nelson, Ted. Literary Machines 93.1. Sausolito: Mindful P, 1992.
Note: the NJIT Honor Code will be upheld in this course, and any violations will be brought to the immediate attention of the Dean of Students.