This course will introduce you to the breadth of ways technology has been studied in the field of

composition, rhetoric, and literacy. From the philosophy of technology, to multimodal composing, to
the rhetoric of science and technology, to technical writing, to the digital humanities—we will focus on
the complex dynamics between CRL and rapidly advancing communication technologies by looking at
the cultural and social impacts of the digitization of the world. Course themes will include digital
rhetoric and democracy, visual rhetoric and argument, the media ecology tradition, new media
composition, and theories of cyberculture as they relate to CRL.

Learning Outcomes
The course has a number of goals:
• Understanding the breadth and relationships between the ways technology has been studied in
the field of rhetoric, composition, and literacy
• Developing new understandings of technology and its importance in history and contemporary
society, culture, polity, and economies
• Learning to analyze and critically evaluate ideas, arguments, and interpretations, and practicing
analysis and critical evaluation from a number of perspectives
• Developing advanced skills in written and oral expression
• Engaging in an interdisciplinary conversation about technology studies, including
critical approaches to technology followed in different disciplines and professions
• Comparing and evaluating different approaches, conceptualizations, theories, methods,
and sources that relate to the study and understanding of technology in its many contexts

Expectations and Taking Notes

Regular reading, attendance, and participation in seminar discussion. Attendance is expected and taken
into account in evaluation. But the success of this seminar depends on everyone’s full participation. As
participants, we must read the assigned material with care. I expect you to read all the material
assigned for each week's discussion. So plan ahead—take notes. In your notes, (1) Record useful
questions you have. (2) Record new key terms and theories—especially if rhetorical terms come up.
(3) Connect what you’re reading both across the week and the semester. (4) Think very carefully about
how what your reading relates to what you plan to write about in your final paper this semester. (5)
Finally, take note of how your favorite readings are written. What goes in an intro, lit review, body,
and conclusion? How are examples and theories balanced? What do theses look like? Even if you are
not leading discussion, you are being evaluated every class period on whether you come in with
questions and issues to discuss.

Assignments
1. In-Class Presentations (20%): Each of us will do all the reading assignments—there are quite a
few of them—and most of us will only be able to give them a single reading. Each week, however,
we will have a few people who are responsible for doing a much more thorough job and for leading
us through a discussion of the salient issues raised by the texts. These people should come to class
with summaries, questions, and activities; issues and connections for us to explore; and/or popular
examples for us to review that illustrate issues and perspectives to organize about half of our
seminar time (90 minutes). I will be prepared to organize the rest of the time.
2. Weekly Analysis and Participation (20%): In addition to speaking up in class every class, to
prepare for class discussion, you will write thoughtful responses to the reading for each week. In
these responses, you are required to apply one or two of the theories we read about to analyze your
own example from outside of the readings. Think of this as a space to test out possibilities for the
final paper. Focus on trying to understand and explain to yourself the ideas that the authors present
and on connection those ideas to other readings in this course and your own work. Do not simply
write a summary of the reading. Responses should be ~1 single-spaced page printed page. Be sure
to bring a copy of your post to class, to prime discussion.
3. Literature Review Midterm (20%): You will create a 10-source literature review (roughly 1-
single spaced page per source) on a specific topic of interest to you related to rhetoric, composition,
literacy and technology in the style of an argumentative annotated bibliography.
4. Final Paper (40%): I want you to write about something you are interested in that relates to the
course. Your paper (5,500-7,500 words—not including citation) should have something to do with
rhetoric, composition, literacy and technology from one or more of the perspectives we’ve studied.
All approaches/methods are welcome, but you will work with me to define a direction. You will
present your work in progress and receive feedback from me and your peers. A formal proposal,
meetings with me, and final presentation will be included in this grade.

Required Texts (most are cheaper used; some may be available for free if you search PDF*; e-book
available through library**)

1. Winner, Langdon* The Whale and the Reactor: A Search for Limits in an Age of
High Technology. $23.00
2. Barnet and Boyle** Rhetoric, Through Everyday Things $29.95

3. Hayles, N. Katherine* Writing Machines $19.96

4. Bolter, Jay and Remediation: Understanding New Media $23.59
Richard Grusin*, **
5. Jenkins, Henry Spreadable Media: Creating Value and Meaning in a
Networked Culture $18.43
6. Banks, Adam Digital Griots $31.36
7. Sayers, Jentry Making Things and Drawing Boundaries: Experiments in the
Digital Humanities $34.14


Week 1. Introduction to the Philosophy of Technology
Aug. 21 • Winner, Langdon. The Whale and the Reactor
• “Prologue and Act 1”: This American Life.
Week 2 What Grad School Publication On This Topic Looks Like
Aug. 28 • Feenberg, Andrew. “Democratic Rationalization: Technology, Power, and
Freedom”
• Disalvo, Carl. “Design, Democracy, and Agonistic Pluralism”
• Selfe, Cynthia, and Dickie Selfe. “The Politics of the Interface: Power and its
Exercise in Electronic Contact Zones"
• Kurlinkus, Will. “An Ethics of Attentions.” (Grad)
• DeLuca, Katherine. “Can We Block These Political Thingys” (Grad)
• Summers, Sarah. “Twilight is So Anti-Feminist I Want to Cry.” (Grad)
Week 3 Rhetoric and Technology 1
Sep. 4 • Barnet, Scot, and Casey Boyle: Rhetoric, Through Everyday Things: Intro, 2,
6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15.
Week 4 Rhetoric and technology 2
Sept. 11 • Banks, Adam. Digital Griots.
Week 5 Media Studies 1
Sept. 18 • McLuhan, Marshall. Understanding Media, selections
• Turkle, Sherry. Alone Together, selections
• Lessig, Lawrence. "Who Owns Culture?"
• Bogost, Ian. “Video Games go to Washington”
• Chen, Mark. “Communication, Coordination, and Camaraderie in World of
Warcraft”
• Kurlinkus, Will. “Nostalgic UX.”
1. Meet with me about 2 potential topics
Week 6 Media Studies 2
Sept. 25 • Hayles, N. Katherine. Writing Machines.
Week 7 Media Studies 3
Oct. 2 • Bolter, Jay, and Richard Grusin: Remediation: Understanding New Media

Week 8 Social Media 1

Oct. 9 • Jenkins, Henry. Spreadable Media: Creating Value and Meaning in a
Networked Culture
2. Exploratory 1-page proposal due
Week 9 Social Media 2
Oct. 16 • Vie, Stephanie. “In Defense of Slacktivism”
• Bonilla, Yarimar, and Jonathan Rosa. “#Ferguson”
• Shifman, Limor. “An Anatomy of a YouTube Meme”
• Marwick, Alice. “You May Know Me From YouTube: Micro Celebrity and
Social Media”
• Andersen, Joceline. “Now You’ve Got the Shiveries: Affect, Intimacy, and the
ASMR Whisper Community”
• Smith, Naomi, and Tim Graham. “Mapping the anti-vaccination movement on
Facebook.”
Week 10 Multimodal Composition 1
Oct. 23 • Wysocki, Anne. “Openings and Justifications”
• Sirc, Geoffrey. “Box Logic”
• Shipka, Jody. “Including, But Not Limited To, the Digital”
• Anderson, Daniel. “The Low Bridge to High Benefits”
• Journet, Debra, et a. “Multimodal Reflection”
• Sorapure, Madeleine. “Between Modes.”

3. Mid-Term Due
Week 11 Multimodal Composition 2
Oct. 30 • New London Group. “A Pedagogy of Multiliteracies”
• Hesse, Doug. “Saving a Place for Essayistic Literacy”
• Sosnoski, James. “Hyper-Readers and their Reading Engines.”
• Moran, Charles. “Access: The A-Word in Technology Studies.”
• Yergeau, Melanie, et al. “Multimodality in Motion”
• Ridolfo, Jim and Dànielle Nicole DeVoss “Composing for Recomposition.”
Week 12 Digital Humanities 1
Nov. 6 • Part 1. Sayers, Jentry, editor. Making Things and Drawing Boundaries:
Experiments in the Digital Humanities
Week 13 Digital Humanities 2
Nov. 13 • Part 2. Sayers, Jentry, editor. Making Things and Drawing Boundaries:
Experiments in the Digital Humanities
Week 14 Design Studies
Nov. 20 • Buchanan, Richard. “Declaration by Design: Rhetoric, Argument, and
Demonstration in Design Practice”
• Dunne , Anthony, and Fiona Raby. Speculative Everything. Chapter 1.
• Kurlinkus, Will. “What I Mean When I Say Democratizing Technology.”
• Faga, Barbara. “Wharf District: Boston.”
• Bivens, Kristin, et al. “A Multisensory Literacy Approach to Biomedical

Healthcare Technologies.”
• Strauss, Carolyne, and Alastair Fuad-Luke. “The Slow Design Principles”
4. At least six page draft due
Week 15 Discussion of Final Papers
Nov. 27

Week 16 5. Final Presentations
Dec. 4
6. Final Project Due

Additional Support for Learning: Writing Center
The Writing Center (WC) is an excellent and free resource, both for this class and other classes you may be
enrolled in. The WC is staffed with trained consultants who will meet with you one-with-one to discuss
and respond to your writing. Writing Center consultants are your peers, and they can help you with any
stage of your writing, from developing a draft to editing. You can stop by or call to make an appointment.
WC hours are Monday–Thursday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. and Friday 9:00 to 2:00. The location in Cate is
open from 4:00 to 8:00 Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, and the Sarkey location is open Fridays from
1:00 to 4:00. You can also submit drafts to a writing consultant for electronic feedback (the link is on the
Writing Center homepage: write.ou.edu).

Basic Course Policies

Make-up Policy
I will not accept late reading responses, so if you must miss class for some reason, the work that was due
that day should be turned in before the next class. Late reflections, book reviews and major projects will
lose 1/4 letter grade for every day (not class period) they are late. Please see me immediately if you foresee
challenges submitting work on time.

Absences
Absences for reasons other than Provost-approved activities will be reflected in your grade. Absences
beyond two may significantly impact your final course grade. Please see me immediately if you foresee
unavoidable absences or need to discuss accommodations.

Changes in the Syllabus

As the course develops, it might be desirable/necessary to make appropriate changes to aspects of
this syllabus. I reserve the right to make changes if desirable or necessary.
University Policies
Academic Integrity
Integrity in all aspects of scholarship is essential to the University’s mission. The Academic Misconduct
Code sets forth the rights and responsibilities of all students on the Norman Campus regarding academic
integrity, and provides the procedures to be followed in cases of suspected misconduct. Academic
misconduct is defined as any act, which improperly affects the evaluation of a student’s academic
performance or achievement. It specifically includes cheating, plagiarism, fabrication, fraud, destruction of
property, and bribery or intimidation, as well as assisting others or attempting to engage in such acts.

It is the responsibility of each student to be familiar with the definitions, policies and procedures
concerning academic misconduct; and unfamiliarity with the code alters none of a student’s rights or
responsibilities there under. The Academic Misconduct Code is printed with the Student Code and is also
available on the Internet at http://www.ou.edu/provost/integrity/.

Religious Observance
It is the policy of the University to excuse the absences of students that result from religious
observances and to reschedule examinations and additional required classwork that may fall on
religious holidays, without penalty.

Accessibility Statement
The Disability Resource Center provides reasonable accommodations for students with documented
disabilities. You may contact that DRC for assistance at (405) 325-3852 or TDD: (405) 325-4173. For
more information please see the Disability Resource Center website
http://www.ou.edu/drc/home.html.

I invite you to meet with me if you would benefit from instructional or curricular accommodations
for any reason (including learning needs, ADHD, depression, health condition, etc.) or if you believe
other life circumstances may affect your participation in the course. The sooner we discuss your
situation the earlier we can make appropriate adjustments or arrangements to meet your needs.

Title IX Resources and Reporting Requirement

For any concerns regarding gender-based discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual assault,
dating/domestic violence, or stalking, the University offers a variety of resources. To learn more or to
report an incident, please contact the Sexual Misconduct Office at 405/325-2215 (8 to 5, M-F) or
smo@ou.edu. Incidents can also be reported confidentially to OU Advocates at 405/615-0013
(phones are answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week). Also, please be advised that a
professor/GA/TA is required to report instances of sexual harassment, sexual assault, or
discrimination to the Sexual Misconduct Office. Inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies may
be directed to: Bobby J. Mason, University Equal Opportunity Officer and Title IX Coordinator at
405/325-3546 or bjm@ou.edu. For more information, visit http://www.ou.edu/eoo.html.

Adjustments for Pregnancy/Childbirth Related Issues

Should you need modifications or adjustments to your course requirements because of documented
pregnancy-related or childbirth-related issues, please contact your professor or the Disability
Resource Center at 405/325-3852 as soon as possible. Also, see
http://www.ou.edu/eoo/faqs/pregnancy-faqs.html for answers to commonly asked questions.