Digital Aesthetics of Failure — Assignments & Grading

Course Attendance & Participation (15%, 150 pts.)

• Attendance in class.
• Preparation for class, in addition to the quantity and quality of your contribution to class discussions.
• Miscellaneous in-class assignments.

Reading Reflections (25%, 250 pts.)

• To make our discussions as fruitful as possible, you will be required to submit reading reflections on a weekly basis.
• You will need to be prepared to summarize your reflections in class as part of our discussions about the readings.
• Your reflections can take multiple forms; be creative.
• Your reflection should be around 250 words in length (approx. one double-spaced page). Minimally, your reflection should account for the following:
  • A one-sentence summary of the reading. This could also take the form of a “click bait” headline or perhaps an illustration, GIF, or meme you create.
  • Either:
    • A question (or series of questions) you have about the reading. Provide context/clarification about why you have these questions and/or an initial answer to your question(s).
    • An examination of one concept/argument in the reading, which you could create based upon connections to insight you have from other course (work) or connections to contemporary examples (the author wouldn’t/couldn’t address).

Reading/Media Presentation (20%, 200 pts.)

• Each student will present a critical response to a course reading (10-15 minutes presentation about reading, excluding primary audiovisual media/text).
• Your presentation should include:
  • Structural material(s), such as a handout, Powerpoint, or Prezi.
  • Information about the author’s general aim(s), e.g. arguments or summary points.
  • Key terms (optional: connect terms/concepts to their use in previous readings).
  • Audiovisual media/text to illustrate/complicate something the author addresses (media/texts can but do not have to be mentioned in the reading).
  • Initial discussion points (optional: questions to initiate discussion or requiring clarification).

Final Paper Proposal (10%, 100 pts.) DUE on 4/4

• Provide a research question or thesis statement to explore based upon a topic of your choosing; be sure you designate the media object(s) you will address in your paper. (1-2 sentences)
• Summarize the approach you will use to answer this question. You need to indicate the subject matter and two course concepts/topics you will address in your paper. (1-2 paragraphs)
• Provide an example for how you will address your topic by providing critical analysis about your object. (300-600 words)

Final Paper (30%, 300 pts.) DUE on 4/25 by 5:00pm

Your research paper should:

• Be 8-10 pages, filled with polished prose (all paper formatting requirements still apply).
• Provide an argument about “digital aesthetics” within relation to a specific media object. This argument should develop upon the topic you addressed in your proposal.
• Utilize two course concepts/topics as part of your argument about digital aesthetics.
• Address the concept of failure. Your paper could directly engage with this concept within the context of digital aesthetics, or could utilize readings about the productive value of failure to address the concept more broadly. In either case, be sure you clearly indicate how the term is being used.
• Include at least 6 scholarly/academic sources (books/journal articles). At least two of your sources should not be listed as required course readings. All non-peer-reviewed sources (e.g. websites/blogs/newspapers/magazines) do not count toward minimum source requirements.
• Utilize appropriate citation practices.
  • Select ONE citation style, preferably Chicago, MLA , or APA. (Differences between these styles are illustrated in this document by Purdue’s Online Writing Lab. You can find more detailed examples for each style guide on the Purdue website).
  • The body of your paper should include in-text citations, which indicate where each source you paraphrase/quote can be found (these differ based upon the style you use).
  • Create a bibliography at the end of your document and include all sources you have used to construct your research paper (do not forget to include pertinent course readings). NOTE: Regardless of specific style guide instructions, you do not need to include the web address for indirect links to sources you’ve read within online databases (e.g. journal articles found through EBSCOHost) but you should include the direct link for webpages (e.g. a blog / online newspaper article).

 

Grade Breakdown & Criteria

“A” indicates truly exceptional work, which demonstrates command of concepts and theories, presenting them in a well-argued and logically structured manner. “A” work significantly surpasses the expectations of the assignment, is free of spelling and grammatical errors, and does not merely address the questions through a repetition of course material or lectures. It provides fresh, creative, and original perspectives with a unique voice, offering connections between the topic and broader issues and contexts. Superior research skills are demonstrated with relevant citations and quotations advancing the argument.

“B” indicates above-average work that clearly achieves the goals of the assignment, providing smart and solid analyses with thoughtful and organized arguments I expect any diligent student to be able to produce. “B” work offers some originality, contains few (if any) typos, spelling errors, or grammatical mistakes, and addresses most questions directly by citing specific materials from the texts and lectures to illustrate points being made.

“C” indicates meets the course requirements in an adequate fashion by addressing the questions without sufficient engagement with materials from texts or lectures. “C” work tends to recycle examples from discussion without providing connections to the analysis, contains unfocused, uncritical, or insufficiently supported arguments, and typically contains acceptable but awkward prose with various typos, spelling errors or poorly structured sentences that result in vague arguments.

“D” indicates work that is off-topic, poorly written, disorganized and, instead of the course materials, utilizes “personal experience” or inapplicable research materials or support (such as readings obviously applicable in other subjects or classes). In other words, the assignment shows little to no evidence that a student was paying attention in class, does not incorporate materials used in course readings or class discussion, and sounds like a summary or review of materials rather than critically engaged analyses. This type of work may also fall short or far exceed the page limits or time constraints for the assignment and typically contain many spelling and grammatical errors and/or show no signs of being proofread.

“F” indicates work that dramatically fails to meet the goals and expectations of the course. “F” work is incoherent, plagiarized, and/or never submitted.