Some things to check out before you think this class is an easy A...

Goals of the E309K-CA course Writing About Cyberpunk

Description:
 This course contains a substantial writing component, and it aims at teaching the process of writing through reading and analyzing critically the genre of cyberpunk fiction. Students will read a variety of cyberpunk narratives, discuss both content and style of the texts, and produce rhetorically sound papers of their own that address such topics.

Cyberpunk deals with several pressing themes of today's culture and technology as discussed by theorists such as Donna Haraway and Sandy Stone: the interfacing and commingling of humans and machines; the passage to the so-called *Information Age*; and the new relationships between gender and science; etc..

The term cyber, from the Greek word kubernetes (meaning helmsman or steersman), has many meanings that have all been appropriated to meet certain agendas. It has been called postmodernist, deconstructionist, and feminist, among other terms. But in juxtaposition with the word punk, it is a term designating both a progressive and reactionary response to a world in flux and a fiction of stagnation: "What unites all of these artists [punks to cyberpunkers] is what might be termed a shared 'attitude'-- an attitude of defiance towards cultural and aesthetic norms; an attitude of distrust towards rationalist language and all other forms of discourse required by legal, political and consumer capitalism" (McCaffery 288). Is cyberpunk a product of popular culture or a revolt against science fiction placidity? The technological emphasis of the "movement" is undeniable and owes much to the computer revolution and virtual reality techniques, but what does this mean in terms of the conventional science fiction community? The primary goal of this writing class is to investigate these claims, while negotiating popular culture's interpretation of what constitutes "cyberpunk."
In the words of Bruce Sterling:

Anything that can be done to a rat can be done to a human being. And we can do most anything to rats. This is a hard thing to think about, but it's the truth. It won't go away because we cover our eyes.
*This is cyberpunk.*

Policy Statement Instructor: Tonya Browning
E309K: Writing About Cyberpunk(CA)
Fall 1995
Unique Number: 27920
Class times: MWF 11:00-12:00 pm
Class Location: FAC 10
Office: FAC 16/FAC 8
Office hours: Mon. 1-2, Wed. 12-2
http://www.cwrl.utexas.edu/~tonya/cyberpunk/
CWRL Phone Numbers: 471-9293 (FAC 8)/471-6224 (PAR 6)
E-mail address of instructor: tonyab@mail.utexas.edu

Required Texts
Mirrorshades: The Cyberpunk Anthology ed. Bruce Sterling
Cyberpunk Packet available at Abel's
Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
English Computer Lab Users Manual, MAC version (available at GSB 3.136)

Other required materials:
3.5" name brand diskettes (at least 3)
some type of storage container for your disks (I'll show you an example)

Recommended materials:
Free/Style: A Direct Approach to Writing (Houghton-Mifflin)
The Simon & Schuster Handbook for Writers (Troyka, 3rd ed)

Policy Statement

 Objectives
This course is designed to prepare students for the variety of writing tasks they will be asked to perform both in and out of college. The computer-assisted classroom will be a crucial part of the course. The students will use Daedalus software to facilitate classroom discussion, but linking to Internet resources will also be important. Students will be taught to utilize the Internet to practice rhetorical skills in the context of e-mail, usenet newsgroups, the World Wide Web and hypertextual practices. We will be creating our own website in order to facilitate self-publication of class material. Students will write responses to readings and place a copy on the website; this will make the student's writing publicly available for the rest of the class as well as for outside readers. They will also be able to peruse research information about particular writers and histories through the many sites on the net (the amount of information about science fiction topics is staggering). The assignments will cover three rhetorical strategies: definition, evaluation and a research project. The home page will contain the syllabus, policy statement, link to the class newsgroup and all the work the class has produced. In order to meet these goals, students must be prepared to view E309K as bimportantly as any course in their major and commit time and attention to the class in order to improve their writing skills.

This course will use computer-assisted instructional technology in the furthering of these goals. The LAN (local area network) in FAC 10 will provide another resource for the discussion of coursework as well as provide a medium for group project work.

Attendance
This course requires participation by class members, and you will be receiving a participation grade for the course. It is important that you are here in order to peer edit and contribute to class discussion, so attendance is required and will be recorded. Four unexcused absences will be reported in writing to the student's dean and six unexcused absences are grounds for failure. Accepted excused absences are those due to religious holiday observances (notify me in advance that you will be absent) and illness (provide me with a note from a doctor). Tardiness can also disrupt class proceedings, and if you are not there when the roll is taken, you are counted as absent.

Assignments
All assigned work is mandatory. Homework is due according to the times and days specified on the syllabus. Any work handed in late will automatically be penalized at least one letter grade, but drafts and peer reviews will NOT be accepted late. If you are unable to hand in an assignment in class, you may deliver it to my box in the FAC 8 or turn it in to the network if possible. Do not ask staff in the English or DRC office to take your work. Computer problems will NOT excuse turning in work late.
NOTE: I do realize that sometimes issues arise over which you have no control -- if you are not able to complete an assignment by a scheduled date, know that I can be reasonable with students who have evidenced an honest and attentive effort in class.

Scholastic Honesty
Turning in work written by someone else, or any other form of scholastic dishonesty is not acceptable and may result in a failing grade for the course. A report of the incident will be made to the Office of the Dean of Students. If you have any questions about source materials you are using, talk with me about those sources/problems before turning in the assigment in question. Do not use editing services other than those offered by the Undergraduate Writing Center in FAC or the Learning Skills Center. The UWC is free to students and available anytime you have a writing question (for any UT course).

Grades
To pass this course, both first drafts and final versions of all major paper must be turned in on time. In addition, we will be using portfolio assessment. I will comment on these drafts in a general way to help guide your revisions but you will not receive a letter grade until you turn in a portfolio midsemester (10/20) and receive a grade appraisal for your work in the class up to that point. You will also write an evaluation of your progress and argue for the grade you feel you deserve. Your final grade will be calculated according to the average of the following assignments and the strength of your portfolio and self-evaluation. All reasonable and well-supported grade claims will be honored.

First paper 10%
Second paper 15%
Third Project 20%
Fourth Project 30%
Peer Reviews, Evaluations 10%
Responses to readings 10%
Other assignments, quizzes, participation 05%

Paper or assignment not turned in: 0.

Complaints
If you have question or concerns about a grade, please come by and discuss it with me. If you have any further concerns or complaints, speak with someone in the Division of Rhetoric and Composition (PAR 3).

Advice
SAVE! SAVE! SAVE! SAVE frequently. You never know when a power flux may kill your work. Also, please back up your disk. Keep another copy of your work on another disk in case of disk failure (it happens on occasion).
If you have a question or problem, don't hesitate to come by during office hours. I also have an e-mail account that I check frequently and you can send information to me that way.
Don't panic! This is your opportunity to improve your writing skills and learn about conventions of argument that (hopefully) will serve you for years to come.

Introduction to Macintosh Basics and Daedalus Classroom Software
Introduction to Course/What is "Cyberpunk?"
ASSIGNMENT:
Purchase Daedalus Manuals and other books)
Purchase two High Density (1.4 MB) 3.5" disks-- get high quality name brand disks as well as a plastic storage case

Fri. 9/1
Finish introduction to cyberpunk
Discuss grading policy
Load word-processor Daedalus Write onto your new disks
Put Eudora on your disks
ASSIGNMENT:
Set-up Email Accounts on your own
Read Preface to Mirrorshades (MS)
Sterling's "Cyberpunk in the Nineties" (Packet)
Excerpt from Neuromancer (P)
(Don't forget to write responses)
Begin work on the DAEDALUS QUIZ

Week Two
Mon. 9/4
LABOR DAY

ASSIGNMENT:
Complete reading assignment from last Friday

Wed. 9/6
DAEDALUS QUIZ DUE today by lab close
More DIWE/teacher folder basics
Interchange about readings
ASSIGNMENT:
"The Gernsback Continuum"and "Snake Eyes" (MS)
Write the responses to each story

Fri. 9/8
Discussion about reading
Introduction to the internet
ASSIGNMENT:
Read "Rock On"and "Freezone"(MS)
Write 2 paragraph responses (1 summary, 1 response) to each story

First paper assignment (3-4 pp)
Definition Paper
Week Three
Mon. 9/11
Go over first paper assignment
Interchange about readings
ASSIGNMENT:
Shiner, Lewis "Confessions of an Ex-Cyberpunk" Cadigan, Pat "CP: 10 Years Later" (P)
E-mail me with your discussion of topic for your first paper assignment (tonyab@mail.utexas.edu)

Wed. 9/13
IC about readings
ASSIGNMENT:
McCaffery intro to Storming the Reality Studio (handout)
Tiptree, "The Girl Who Was Plugged In" (P)

Fri. 9/15
Twelfth class day
A musical interlude
Discuss readings
ASSIGNMENT:
Work on your paper
McCaffrey's interview with Gibson (P)
Excerpt from The Maltese Falcon (P)
Week Four
Mon. 9/18
Rough Drafts are DUE today (3 hard copies and one on disk)
Peer Editing Discussion
Break up into peer editing groups
ASSIGNMENT:
E-mail peer edits

Wed. 9/20
Using the WWW for research
Sterling's On-Line material (http://riceinfo.rice.edu:80/projects/RDA/VirtualCity/Sterling/index.html)
Cyberpunk FAQ (http://bush.cs.tamu.edu/~erich/alt.cp.faq.html)
ASSIGNMENT:
"Stone Lives" (MS)

Fri. 9/22
Introduction to Newsgroups
alt.cyberpunk, alt.cyberpunk.movement,
alt.cyberpunk.chatsubo
ASSIGNMENT:
Delany, Samuel "Time Considered as a Helix of Semiprecious Stones" (P)
Week Five
Mon. 9/25
Introduction to HTML
Email/Format paragraphs for the web site
Evaluating the Cyberpunk Page
ASSIGNMENT:
Sterling 's "The Compassionate, The Digital"(P)
Gibson's "Johnny Mnemonic" (P)

Wed. 9/27
Paper #1 DUE
Paper #2 Assigned
(3-4 pp on evaluation of CP-related web sites)
Finish HTML exercise
ASSIGNMENT:
"Red Star, Winter Orbit" (MS)

Fri. 9/29
Discussion of reading
Collaborative freewriting
ASSIGNMENT:
Work on paper topic
"500 Boys" (MS)
Week Six
Mon. 10/2
Introduction to StorySpace
"Platinum Blood"
ASSIGNMENT:
Topic Proposal Due

Wed. 10/4
Guest Lecture on MUDs, MOOs
Intro to different sites on the net

Fri. 10/6
Discussion inside AcademICK
ASSIGNMENT:
This weekend is Armadillocon
Week Seven
Mon. 10/9
Draft of Paper # 2 DUE
In-class Peer Editing
ASSIGNMENT:
E-mail peer editing
"The Japanese Reflection of Mirrorshades" (P)

Wed. 10/11
Introduction to Anime
Battle Angel Alita comics

Fri. 10/13
Battle Angel Alita
ASSIGNMENT:
Work on your paper
Attend class screening of BladeRunner or watch it on video
Week Eight
Mon. 10/16
Battle Angel Alita
ASSIGNMENT:
Finish paper # 2

Wed. 10/18
Paper #2 Due Today
Project #3 assigned
IC about Battle Angel & BladeRunner
ASSIGNMENT:
Assigning project 3 groups:
(Researching the technology of CP)
Prepare portfolios for Friday

Fri. 10/20
Portfolios due
Research internet sources
List of URLs due at class end
ASSIGNMENT:
Decide project topic

Week Nine
Mon. 10/23
Project Choice Due
Project Work


Wed. 10/25
Project Work
Topic Choice DUE
ASSIGNMENT:
Project Work

Fri. 10/27
IC about portfolios
ASSIGNMENT:
Begin Snow Crash
pp 1-44, ch. 1-5
Week Ten
Mon. 10/30
Project #3 ongoing Assessment
ASSIGNMENT:
SC pp 44-77, ch. 6-9

Wed. 11/1
Style exercises
ASSIGNMENT:
SC pp 77-121, ch. 10-15

Fri. 11/3
Group project work
Peer Editing Due
ASSIGNMENT:
SC pp 121-163, ch. 16-20
Week Eleven
Mon. 11/6
Project Group Presentations (Projects DUE)
Mail message due
ASSIGNMENT:
SC pp 163-227, ch. 21-30

Wed. 11/8
Project Group Presentations
ASSIGNMENT:
Ross, "CP in Boy's Town" (P)

Fri. 11/10
Project #4 Assigned
(Evaluation of book or film)
List of texts given
IC about reading
ASSIGNMENT:
SC pp 227-300, ch. 30-39

Week Twelve
Mon. 11/13
IC about Snow Crash
Topics for Project #4 Due
ASSIGNMENT:
SC pp 300-354, ch. 40-48

Wed. 11/15
Research internet/library sources
List of pertinent URLs due at end of class
ASSIGNMENT:
SC pp 354-394, ch. 49-55

Fri. 11/17
Tour of the Currey Collection
ASSIGNMENT:
SC pp 394-445, ch. 56-66
Csicery-Ronay Jr, Istvan "Cyberpunk and Neuromanticism" (P)

Week Thirteen
Mon. 11/20
Postmodernity & CP
ASSIGNMENT:
Finish Snow Crash and write a 2-3 pp evaluation of the book

Wed. 11/22
Happy Traveling

Fri. 11/24
Holiday

Week Fourteen
Mon. 11/27
Turn in SC evaluation
IC about Snow Crash
ASSIGNMENT:
Work on project 4

Wed. 11/29
Rough Draft Project #4 Due
Peer Editing & Assessment
ASSIGNMENT:
Work on final project

Fri. 12/1
In-class project work
Conferences
ASSIGNMENT:
Work on final project

Final Week of Class
Mon. 12/4
In-class project time
Meet with Tonya

Wed. 12/6
Project Presentations

Fri. 12/8
Last Day of Class
Project Presentations

TBA:
* Bruce Sterling talk
* Read Interview with Sterling in Across Wounded Galaxies
* Origin tour
* Tour of the Currey Collection at the HRC


[ Index | The Class | Student Work | Reading List | Links | Comments ]