Engl 30813, The Business of Books

Williams, Fall 2015

                       

The Business of Books:

The Past, Present, and Future of Print Production and Consumption

A room without books is like a body without a soul.  --Cicero

The medium is the message.  –Marshall McLuhan

This course will examine the history of reading, writing, and books from the perspectives of both producers and consumers.  Beginning with discussions of orality and writing’s origins, the course will offer a historical survey of print culture since Gutenberg, examining the social and cultural significance of print as a mass media capable of shaping human attitudes.  With the development of moveable type and the printing press in the fifteenth century, human culture experienced profound shifts in every facet of experience.  With advances in technology and the explosive growth of literacy and literary marketplaces during the nineteenth century, human culture was again profoundly changed.  Today with the advent of a new digital media, human culture is experiencing an equally profound shift.  As readers move from the printed page to the computer screen, all areas of traditional print culture are changing as well, including even the most basic concepts of what it means to be a writer, reader, and publisher.  As traditional book production transitions into radical new concepts and forms, this course will conclude with discussions of future literacies.

This class will make use of TCU Press and its unique resources as a learning laboratory, providing an inside view of the publishing business as it moves from a traditional business model (based on retail bookstore sales) into an entirely new digital model (based on social media and online sales).  Also, as an academic class intended to enhance critical skills, the course will require students to keep journals, write brief descriptions of their observations and perceptions, participate in online class discussions, and take mid-term and final exams.

Student Outcomes:

A general familiarity with print culture history, especially from Gutenberg to the present

A general sense of current practices in reading and writing and is likely to happen in the future

A general perception of how print culture has shaped human experience

Enhanced reading and writing skills

Enhanced critical analysis skills while reading and discussing texts

Enhanced capacity to evaluate sources from a variety of perspectives

W, 08/26

Introduction

W, 09/02

The Name of the Rose (film based on Umberto Eco’s novel)

W, 09/09

Reader Interviews

W, 09/16

The Book, 27-86, Chapters 2 and 3

W, 09/23

The Book, 87-158, Chapters 4, 5, and 6

W, 09/30

Writing on the Wall, 1-63, Chapters 1, 2, and 3

W, 10/07

Writing on the Wall, 124-146, 214-250, Chapters 7, 11, and 12

W, 10/14

In-class midterm

Take-home midterm due

W, 10/21

Author interviews

W, 10/28

It’s Complicated, 1-76, Chapters 1 and 2

W, 11/04

It’s Complicated, 77-99, 176-213, Chapters3, 7, and 8

W, 11/11

Print Is Dead, 1-63, “Stop the Presses”

W, 11/18

Print Is Dead, 68-131, “Totally Wired”

W, 11/25

Print Is Dead, 136-203, “Saying Goodbye to the Book”

W, 12/02

Final Presentations

W, 12/09

Final Presentations

Course Requirements:

1)    Blogging: To document your reading and research experiences, and as well to comment overall on your work in this course, you are required to keep an online journal or weblog.  With the help of technology at Blogger (http://www.blogger.com), you will build your own web log, or “blog,” and keep an electronic journal of your experiences as a reader and more generally as an individual reflecting on the literacy revolutions.  You will be expected to write a minimum of 8 brief (1- to 2-page) responses. What you write is up to you.  You do not have to attempt a critical analysis of the assigned texts, but I encourage you to reflect on your experiences as a reader reading about textual production and reading. I would like you to comment on what your reading experiences were like.  What happened when you sat down and opened up a book or text?  How—and why--did you respond to what you read?  In addition to reflecting on your experiences as a reader, I would also like to reflect on what you are learning, both in our class and your other classes.  I would like you to keep a record of what was valuable, and what was less valuable.   Finally, and much more generally, you are encouraged to write about whatever moves you to write.  But please remember that a blog is not a personal—and private—diary.  You must post 4 blog entries before midterm, and 4 after midterm.

Blogging is a less formal form of writing than an essay, and thus blogs are a good

forum to reflect, analyze, vent, explore, and consider.  But blogs are also a more

public form of writing and, because of the technology, an excellent way of sharing,

collaborating, and responding.  In addition to posting your own blog entries, you will

also be required to post 8 brief responses of a paragraph to half page to

other course blogs throughout the semester.  You are welcome to comment on any

of the other course blogs, but please vary the blogs you respond to.  Please do not

respond to the same blog (and person).

Please keep in mind that blogs are a public forum, accessible to anyone who has

internet access, so please do not post anything that you would not share with the

classroom and internet communities.

The minimum requirement? 8 blog entries (1 to 2 page journals) and 8

responses to other course blogs (paragraph to a half page).  You may write more, but

this is the minimum.

I may not respond to every blog, but I will read all entries and respond often.

2)    Lead Respondent Assignment: Throughout the semester students will be asked to help lead our discussions, and these discussion-leader assignments may be undertaken individually or in small groups (maximum of 3).  Each individual or group will choose a class and will be expected to make a presentation to the class on that day’s assigned reading[s].  These presentations may include summaries of the primary themes and issues.  Individuals and teams are also encouraged to offer their opinions on the opinions, perceptions, assumptions, and conjectures of the various authors.  Equally importantly, these presentations should also include a brief discussion of what the individual (or group) thinks is significant and/or relevant in the text[s] and a list of questions for discussion.  Responders will be expected to help lead the class discussions.  These presentations should be informative and provocative.  Yet at the same time they should also be interesting!  I encourage you to consider creative suggestions for stimulating interest and arousing attention.  Multimedia presentations are always welcome.  You should think about how you can make these presentations engaging.

A brief handout summarizing key points, pertinent information, and listing the questions for discussion is required.

3)    Two Interviews:  At two different times during the semester you will be asked to conduct interviews and then come back to class to present what you have learned from your interviews.  These interviews may be undertaken individually or in a small group.  Early in the semester you will be asked to interview 4 readers (These I perceive as more surveys than interviews).  As we proceed in the semester, you will then be asked to interview an author.  For the reader surveys, I would like a 1 to 2-page synopsis of your findings.  The final author interview must either be videotaped or sound recorded, and by the last day of class—at the latest!—you must turn in a transcription of your interview.  The last class is the last possible day I will accept your transcriptions, but I strongly encourage you to submit them earlier!

4)    Exams:  There will be midterm and final exams.  Each exam will consist of two parts, a take-home essay section and an in-class brief description section.  The midterm take-home essay topics will vary.  The final take-home essay will require you to pose a business plan for TCU Press.

5)    Final Presentations:  For your final assignment, I would like you to put together a multimodal project that presents a reflection of your semester’s research and learning—your final thoughts, observations, and ponderings of your experiences as a student of book culture throughout the semester. Consider what you have learned that was relevant, interesting, striking, or memorable.  These projects may include photographs, videos, sketches, recordings, music, prose, and poetry. You may use Power Point or present a video, or use other forms of multimodal presentation.  Please be as creative as you like.  As with the lead respondent assignments, please consider how to engage your audience’s attention.  Along with your presentation, you must submit a 1- to 2-page explanation and justification of your presentation.  These projects may be done individually or in small groups (maximum of 3).  If done as a group project, each person's individual contributions must be apparent.

6)    Short Writing Assignments and In-Class Activities:  Students will often be asked to write a brief response in class to a specific question or quotation.  These responses will be used to stimulate discussions and, while they will not be formally graded, they will be collected and receive participation credit.  Often, and also for participation credit, students will be asked to take part in in-class group activities.  These may vary from drawing pictographs to creating broadsides to putting together hypertexts.

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7)    Class Attendance and Participation:  For my own records I will take attendance, but I am not formally setting an attendance policy.  You are responsible for your own attendance.  I caution you, however, to keep in mind that in-class writing assignments and activities cannot be made up or turned in late.  Also, I caution you to keep in mind that you are required to contribute to the class’s success.  I want to have the best possible class, and I need your helkp in doing this.

8)    Familiarity with the Texts:  This is a primary requirement.  A reading knowledge of the assigned texts is expected and essential.  Failure to demonstrate a familiarity with the assigned texts (whether in discussion or in writing) will result in low grades.  Please read the assigned texts.

9)    A Sense of Humor and an Appreciation of Irony:  I also ask for your patience, understanding, and good humor.  I sincerely wish that all of us enjoy our work together, and I ask for your help in making this course a success.  I will do my best to make the class interesting and engaging.  The more we enjoy what we are doing, the more we will get out of the course.

Finally, I take pride in working closely with students.  I will make myself available whenever necessary.  If you have questions or problems with this course or your general

studies, please let me know,

Grading Scale:

            Blogs                                                               20%

            Lead Discussions                                            10%

            Interviews                                                        20% (10% each)

            Midterm exam                                                 10%

            Final exam                                                       10%

            In-class Writing/Activites                                10%

            Final Presentations                                          20%

Extra Credit:

Students will be able to gain an extra three to five points of extra credit by researching one of the following: broadsides, dime novels, pulp magazines, pictographs, cuneiform, papyrus, parchment, paper, copyright, banned books, codex/codices, the right of free speech, literacy, “the medium is the message,” the printing press, The Espresso Book Machine, fan fiction, and hypertext.  Other topics related to our general exploration of print culture might be possible, but please check with me first.  For the extra credit, you must research your topic and then present your research to the class in a five-minute presentation.  Extra credit presentations may be undertaken individually or in groups (no more than three).  Extra credit presentations must be scheduled with me at least two weeks in advance.

           

Dan Williams

TCU Press, Scharbauer 3018D

817-257-5907 (campus)

d.e.williams@tcu.edu

Office hours: by appointment.  I will always try to make myself when it is convenient for you.  But please verify where I am before trying to locate me.  I am most often found at TCU Press, located at 3000 Sandage on the far eastern edge of campus.

Required Texts:

The Book: The Life Story of a Technology, Nicole Howard

Writing on the Wall: Social Media, The First Two Thousand Years, Tom Standage

It’s Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens, Danah Boyd

Print Is Dead: Books in Our Digital Age, Jeff Gomez

Academic Conduct:

An academic community requires the highest standards of honor and integrity in all of its participants if it is to fulfill its missions. In such a community faculty, students, and staff are expected to maintain high standards of academic conduct. The purpose of this policy is to make all aware of these expectations. Additionally, the policy outlines some, but not all, of the situations which can arise that violate these standards. Further, the policy sets forth a set of procedures, characterized by a "sense of fair play," which will be used when these standards are violated. In this spirit, definitions of academic misconduct are listed below. These are not meant to be exhaustive.

I. ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT

Any act that violates the spirit of the academic conduct policy is considered academic misconduct. Specific examples include, but are not limited to:

A. Cheating. Includes, but is not limited to:

1. Copying from another student's test paper, laboratory report, other report, or computer files and listings.

2. Using in any academic exercise or academic setting, material and/or devices not authorized by the person in charge of the test.

3. Collaborating with or seeking aid from another student during an academic exercise without the permission of the person in charge of the exercise.

4. Knowingly using, buying, selling, stealing, transporting, or soliciting in its entirety or in part, the contents of a test or other assignment unauthorized for release.

5. Substituting for another student, or permitting another student to substitute for oneself, in a manner that leads to misrepresentation of either or both students work.

B. Plagiarism. The appropriation, theft, purchase, or obtaining by any means another's work, and the unacknowledged submission or incorporation of that work as one's own offered for credit. Appropriation includes the quoting or paraphrasing of another's work without giving credit therefore.

C. Collusion. The unauthorized collaboration with another in preparing work offered for credit.

D. Abuse of resource materials. Mutilating, destroying, concealing, or stealing such materials.

E. Computer misuse. Unauthorized or illegal use of computer software or hardware through the TCU Computer Center or through any programs, terminals, or freestanding computers owned, leased, or operated by TCU or any of its academic units for the purpose of affecting the academic standing of a student.

F. Fabrication and falsification. Unauthorized alteration or invention of any information or citation in an academic exercise. Falsification involves altering information for use in any academic exercise. Fabrication involves inventing or counterfeiting information for use in any academic exercise.

G. Multiple submission. The submission by the same individual of substantial portions of the same academic work (including oral reports) for credit more than once in the same or another class without authorization.

H. Complicity in academic misconduct. Helping another to commit an act of academic misconduct.

I. Bearing false witness. Knowingly and falsely accusing another student of academic misconduct.

Disabilities Statement:

Texas Christian University complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 regarding students with disabilities.  Eligible students seeking accommodations should contact the Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities in the Center for Academic Services located in Sadler Hall, 11.  Accommodations are not retroactive, therefore, students should contact the Coordinator as soon as possible in the term for which they are seeking accommodations. Further information can be obtained from the Center for Academic Services, TCU Box 297710, Fort Worth, TX 76129, or at (817) 257-7486.

Adequate time must be allowed to arrange accommodations and accommodations are not retroactive; therefore, students should contact the Coordinator as soon as possible in the academic term for which they are seeking accommodations.  Each eligible student is responsible for presenting relevant, verifiable, professional documentation and/or assessment reports to the Coordinator.  Guidelines for documentation may be found at http://www.acs.tcu.edu/DISABILITY.HTM.

Students with emergency medical information or needing special arrangements in case a building must be evacuated should discuss this information with their instructor/professor as soon as possible.