This course introduces students to the new genre of hypertext literature (literature that uses the "linking," dynamic, and multimedia abilities of digital media to experiment with narrative form). Readings include works of hypertext fiction, multimedia, and theory of hypertext (in print, on the Web, and on CD-ROM) by some of the leading authors in the field. Hypertext authors or works include Michael Joyce, Shelley Jackson, M.D. Coverley, Stuart Moulthrop, Ed Falco, the Riven computer game, and others. Theorists who help place hypertext in its literary context include: Vannevar Bush, Ted Nelson, Roland Barthes, Fredric Jameson, George Landow, Espen Aarseth, and Janet H. Murray. The course will respect a balance between primary and secondary materials; and will include a practical assignment that asks students to build a small, but interesting, hypertext construct on the Web. Mainly, the idea is to have fun exploring and evaluating a new form of literature. Two papers and a hypertext project. (Note: access to a computer and the World Wide Web is desirable, though arrangements will be made to accommodate students without such access. The course requires no advance knowledge of Web-authoring and will provide workshops for learning the necessary skills.)

Overview of Literature and Cultures of Information Specialization

Overview of the Transcriptions Project