Special Topics in Language: Introduction to Writing and Editing
3 credits
Crystal Alberts
W 2:00-4:30
Required Texts:
Perspectives on American Book History, Eds. Scott E. Casper, Joanne D. Chaison, and Jeffrey D. Groves
From Gutenberg to Google, Peter L. Schillingsburg
Getting it Published, William Germano
Grading:
Attendance and Participation 10%
Metadata/Copyright Permission Assignment 30%
Editing Assignment 30%
Scholarly Editing Assignment 30%
Objective of the Course:
From pictograms to the computer screen, print culture and the dissemination of information have changed dramatically over the past 7000 years. Building upon the idea that one should not publish without some idea of what goes into creating a book, this class will introduce students to the history of printing, readership, and copyright in the United States and Britain beginning in the nineteenth century. It will also analyze the role that authors, editors, business, and technology have played in shaping American culture.
With this knowledge in mind, students will then learn the skills and procedures of the industry, such as editing texts, drafting proposals, and submitting manuscripts for publication. Specifically, for their final projects, students will write contributions for and/or edit manuscripts (either print or electronic) that are in the midst of the publishing process.
Course Requirements:
Completion of Work: PLEASE NOTE, ALL ASSIGNMENTS FOR THIS COURSE MUST BE COMPLETED AND SUBMITTED ON TIME TO RECEIVE CREDIT.
Attendance, Participation, and Punctuality: Your attendance and participation in class discussion is essential for the success of the class. Screenings will be held in class and the screening reports will be done immediately afterwards; screening reports will only be accepted in class the day of the screening. Please note that 4 or more unexcused absences will negatively affect your grade and that more than 6 unexcused absences constitute grounds for failure of the course. Note that three unexcused tardies is equivalent to an unexcused absence. Also, I will consider a tardiness of more than 20 minutes an absence. If you do miss a class, please see me during my office hours to find out what you missed, including important handouts, changes in the syllabus, etc.
S-U Option (aka Pass/Fail): If you wish to take the course under the S-U option, please consult the registrar’s office for UND’s policies available at: http://www.und.edu/dept/registrar/catalogs/catalog/ugdept/more.htm.
Scholastic Dishonesty:
Plagiarism, or any other form of scholastic dishonesty, is a serious offense and will be subject to official university policy and punitive action as found in the “Code of Student Life” available at http://sos.und.edu/csl/index.php?main=1&pg=s3&subpg=3-3 and reproduced here:
3-3 SCHOLASTIC DISHONESTY
Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating on a test, plagiarism, and collusion. Cases of dishonesty may be handled as a scholastic matter or as a disciplinary matter at the discretion of the instructor. Instructors choosing to treat the case as a scholastic matter have the authority to decide how the incident of dishonesty will affect the student’s grade in the course. If the instructor has treated the case as a scholastic matter involving the grade in a course and the student has a grievance related to this action, that grievance would be processed as outlined in Section 3-2. Instructors choosing to treat the case as a disciplinary matter will refer the case to the Associate Dean of Student Life for possible resolution; if final resolution does not occur the Associate Dean of Student Life may refer the case to the Student Relations Committee which will handle the matter under Section 2.
A. Cheating on a test includes, but is not restricted to:
1. Copying from another student’s test.
2. Possessing or using material during a test not authorized by the person giving the test.
3. Collaborating with or seeking aid from another student during a test without permission from the instructor.
4. Knowingly using, buying, selling, stealing, transporting, or soliciting in whole or in part the contents of an unadministered test.
5. Substituting for another student or permitting another student to substitute for oneself to take a test.
6. Bribing another person to obtain an unadministered test or information about an unadministered test.
B. Plagiarism means the appropriation, buying, receiving as a gift, or obtaining by any means another person’s work and the unacknowledged submission or incorporation of it in one’s own work.
C. Collusion means the unauthorized collaboration with another person in preparing any academic work offered for credit.
Please remember that you must cite all quotations, summaries, paraphrases and ideas of others, or you will be subject to disciplinary action, such as failure for the course or worse. If you have even the slightest doubt about whether or not you should cite a source, err on the side of caution and cite it.
Class Schedule
(Reading Assignments are Subject to Change)
8/27 Introduction/Syllabus/Project Overviews
9/3 Meet in Library Room 108
Intro to Metadata & Intellectual Property
Getting it Published, pp. 97-159; The Book in America, pp. 99-113; 194-211 (handout)
Permission Form Letter Guide
WATCH Copyright File
US Copyright Office Record Search
9/10 Perspectives, pp. 17-108
9/17 Perspectives, pp. 109-194
9/24 Perspectives, pp. 195-254
10/1 Intro to Editing
Getting it Published, pp. 43-96; pp. 160-182
Metadata/Permission Assignment Due
McFarland Author Guidelines
10/8 Perspectives, pp. 255-310
10/15 Perspectives, pp. 311-366
10/22 Perspectives, pp. 367-434
10/29 Gutenberg, pp. 11-79
11/5 Gutenberg, pp. 80-137
Introduction to XML
Editing Assignment Due
11/12 Intro to Scholarly Editing
Gutenberg, pp. 138-172
XML Template for EBB
XML Sample File
11/19 Intro to Archives and Digital Humanities
Reading TBA
11/26 Intro to Electronic Texts
N. Kathryn Hales, “Electronic Literature: What Is It?” available at http://eliterature.org/pad/elp.html
Joseph Tabbi, “Toward a Semantic Literary Web” available at http://eliterature.org/pad/slw.html
12/3 WORKSHOP
12/10 WORKSHOP
Scholarly Editing Assignment Due
