Major Assignment #1

The goal of this assignment is to prompt you towards an in-depth engagement with a previously assigned work, a new work of your choice, or a creative exploration of one of the genres studied. In keeping with the spirit of the material we have been covering, I am presenting you with two options for this […]

The goal of this assignment is to prompt you towards an in-depth engagement with a previously assigned work, a new work of your choice, or a creative exploration of one of the genres studied. In keeping with the spirit of the material we have been covering, I am presenting you with two options for this essay.

Option #1: Analytical essay

For this option, you will produce an analysis and interpretation of a generative, hypertext, or interactive fiction work. The goal of the paper is to put forth a hypothesis of what the writer is trying to express with the work, and to prove it through a detailed analysis of the work, including the contribution e-literary form.

You can choose either a work we’ve assigned in class, or choose a work from any of the Electronic Literature Collections, resources featured in class (such as NaNoGenMo), or one of the IFComp awardees.

The final paper should be about 750-1000 words long (3-4 pages) in MLA format (typed, double-spaced, with 1” margins, and a 12-point legible font). Your essay should at least reference our textbook once. Sources must be documented in impeccable MLA format—parenthetical citation (author’s last name & page number) and works cited page. Incorporating screenshots as figures is encouraged— and again, MLA format tells you how to do it correctly. There are many online resources for this, but I like the Online Writing Center (OWL).

Option #2: Creative Option

For this option you will produce a work of electronic literature in one of the assigned genres (hypertext, interactive fiction, or Twine game) and a short essay in which you connect your work with the class discussions. The goal is to explore the concepts creatively, discussing them explicitly in your short essay.

To create your work, you can prepare it using any of the following platforms:

  • Straight-up HTML, JavaScript, CSS, and other programming languages, if you have the skills.
  • Remixing an existing generator, such as Taroko Gorge, any of the Taper works, or Memory Slam e-poems:
  • Using Inform 7 to create a work of Interactive Fiction.
  • Using Twine to create a hypertext / Twine game, hosted with Philome.la.

The accompanying paper should be about 250-500 words long (1-2 pages) in MLA format (typed, double-spaced, with 1” margins, and a 12-point legible font). Your essay should at least reference our textbook once.Sources must be documented in impeccable MLA format—parenthetical citation (author’s last name & page number) and works cited page. Incorporating screenshots as figures is encouraged— and again, MLA format tells you how to do it correctly. There are many online resources for this, but I like the Online Writing Center (OWL).

Evaluation

Your essay will be evaluated in the following areas, with areas 1-3 carrying most of the weight of the grade:

  1. Assignment (fulfilling requirements, quality of thesis, and depth of analysis),
  2. Organization (clarity of thesis, thorough paragraphing, overall organization),
  3. Development (relevance of claims, adequacy of support, and textual evidence),
  4. Form, Sentence Structure, Word Choice, and Grammar (weaknesses will be identified in these areas, but they will not affect grade significantly unless they get in the way of understanding the essay).

Deadline and Submission

Upload a digital copy to our Google Drive folder (UPR login required), and bring a printed copy to class on Thursday, March 7. If you chose the creative option and have a work hosted online, provide a link to your work in your short paper.