Index to "Rhetorics of the Web"

A note on using this index (Read me first!)


Index to the Index (Jump to Major Sections)

Introduction
Cluster 1: Some background explorations of hypertext writing on the web.
Cluster 2: Explorations of hypertext rhetoric: A polylog of optimistic, cynical and just plain questioning voice.
2.1: Hypertext, rhetoric, philosophy--Why all of this matters.
2.2: Genres, Forms and Functions.
Cluster 3: Effects of hypertext on its readers and writers.
3.1: Readers.
3.2: Writers.
Cluster 4: What this means to teachers.
Extras (References, Comments, Annotations)
And now the details:
A Way In Introduction to this Web.
Further Discussion of the Rhetorical Form of This Text Some of the choices I found myself making.

Cluster 1: Some background explorations of hypertext writing on the web.

My Sunny Predictions about Electronic Text An optimistic voice--a summary of my 1991 article predicting that electronic text would change outdated notions of intellectual property. Mainly background.
Few Native Hypertexts Some speculations about why there are so few argumentative hypertexts in scholarly discourse. A bit digressive but sets up the context for the argument.
Webliography of argumentative hypertexts written in "native hypertext" format. (A woefully short list!)
St uart Moulthrop on Native Hypertext Link to Moulthrop's "Going Native" node: more discussion of what "native hypertext" is.
Stu art Moulthrop on the Scholarly Environment Link to Moulthrop's argument on this subject from "Shadow of an Informand."
Moulthrop's "Getting Over the Edge" Link to Moulthrop's "Getting Over the Edge" article.
Resistance to Electronic Scholarship in General A modest digression on this subject.

"Kick-Starting Electronic Sholarship" Link to my article on this subject, pursuing the digression deeper into Harnad's work on electronic publishing.
Stevan Harnad'son Electronic Scholarship Links to Harnad's work.
Is hypertext really different from print text? Print is intertextual too. Does it matter?
Landow on the Uniqueness of Hypertext Quotation expanding on the above.
What's Special about Hypertext on the WWWeb? A brief argument that hypertext is qualitatively different on the Web--more background.
Nelson's Xanadu Page A link out to Ted Nelson's conception of the "docuverse" of webbed material.
"Brent's Law" on the Effects of Media A major theoretical lens.
The Theory of Transformative Technology Background on this theory, useful for those not already steeped in McLuhan, Ong, Bolter, et al.
Nancy Kaplan' on Technological Determinism A caveat on transformation theory.
Postmodern Critical Theory A background note.

Cluster 2: Explorations of hypertext rhetoric: A polylog of optimistic, cynical and just plain questioning voices

2.1: Hypertext, rhetoric, philosophy--Why all of this matters.
Is Hypertext Friendly to Argumentative Rhetoric? The crux of my argument about the rhetoric of hypertext.
Philosophy and Rhetoric, Argument and Exploration Distinctions among these terms to explore my argument.
Kolb and Ess on Rhetoric and Philosophy An elaboration/digression on the above distinctions.
Oakeshott on Conversation An extended quotation to explore the conversational view of rhetoric.
Burke's "Unending Conversation" MetaphorAn extended quotation to explore a related view of rhetoric.
Plato on the Need for Order Quotation suggesting that linear order is crucial to argument.
Exploratory Rhetoric Backing up on myself: maybe "argument" is too narrow a definition of rhetoric.
Is Hypertext Formless? An elaboration of the importance of form plus some self-criticism of my suggestion that hypertext lacks form because it lacks linearity.
Ess' "Modernity and Postmodernism" A link out to Charles Ess's article suggesting that some modernist ideas of determinant form may linger in hypertext.
2.2: Genres, Forms and Functions
Hypertext Genres An overview of the idea of "genre" as a meaning-making set of forms (a la Miller and Bazerman); poses the question of whether hypertext has enough "form" to sustain rhetoric.
Bazerman on Rhetorical Analyses of Genres An extended quotation from Bazerman.
Hypertext Rhetorical Forms Some preliminary speculations on what specific principles might guide hypertext form.
Kolb's List of Hypertext Forms A list from Kolb's "Socrates in the Labyrynth."
December on HT Characteristics and Qualities A list from December's "Living in Hypertext."
Eastgate Publications A digressive link out to Eastgate for readers who want to see what hypertext forms are offered by the leading hypertext commercial publisher.
Hypertext Rhetorical Functions A discussion of how hypertext forms grow out of different hypertext functions.
Bolter on Form in Hypertext Fiction A quotation that suggests the link between form and function in the genre of hypertext fiction.
Barager on Form in Information Retrieval A link to a lit review that suggests the link between form and function in the most "classic" hypertext genre.
"Hypertext Theory as if the WWWeb Matters" A digression to a site that gives some of Jorn Barger's personal speculations on hypertext forms.

Cluster 3: Effects of hypertext on its readers and writers

3.1: Readers
Reading Hypertext An opening move in my darker ponderings, based on some disturbing analogies between hypertext and television.
Surfing Web Pages Why many personal and academic web pages have no more coherences than television.
Myron Tuman on Zapping A depressing but interesting quotation from Tuman that extends the analogy between hypertext, television and Cliff's Notes.
"Now . . . This": Neil Postman on Television A quotation that captures Postman's view of television as an assault on relevant connection.
McLuhan Hot and Cool A less depressing account of television using McLuhan's framework of analysis.
Michael Heim on Reflection Heim's concerns about electric speed, without the television analogy.
Michael Heim on Discipline Heim's suggestion for a remedy.
Cognitive Growth Speculations on why a diet of hypertext could stunt cognitive growth.
Perry on Cognitive Development An extended background discussion of William Perry's work by Joanne Kurfiss.

3.2: Writers

Writing Hypertext Possible negative effects of hypertext on those who write it.
Tuman's Comments on Kaplan Tuman's response to Kaplan's "E-literacies" article, in which Tuman elaborates on his concerns about hypertext and literacy.
E-literacies A link to the Kaplan hypertext article that Tuman is responding to (how recursive!).
Papyrocentric Attitudes In which I question my own doom and gloom, and segue into some teacherly concerns.
Plato on Writing Plato's famous denunciation of writing, by way of suggesting that we don't always know much about the media we use.
Kaplan on participating in the electronic world A link out to Kaplan's plea for teachers to find out more about these new media.

Cluster 4: What this means to teachers

Our Role as Teachers A fundamental question: do we resist or embrace the new world of hyperliteracy?
The Clickable Classroom What we're resisting or embracing.
Resisting the Clickable Classroom A hard line.
Co-opting the Clickable Classroom Another approach.
Lemk e's "Hypermedia and Higher Education" A link out to an article on teaching students how to use hypertext efficiently.
Barnes' "Hypertext Literacies" Another article on efficient hypertext.
Teaching Hypertext Genres An introduction to the idea of teaching hypertext as a genre.
Teaching Academic Discourse Genre theory to explain why this matters.
Bartholomae on Teaching Academic Discourse More on teaching adademic genres.
"Writing Genres, Writing Classes, Writing Textbooks" A link out to my article on genre--something of a digression but it illustrates the shaping power of generic expectations
Flexible Tools for Hypertext Literacy How to, sort of, maybe.
Responding to Student Hypertexts Back around the circle to the question of how we respond so that students know what good hypertext looks like.
Reading as Exploration in the Hypertext Classroom How to revise our views of reading to take account of hypertext's nature
Collaboration in Hypertext A sprinkling of ideas on how collaboration might be the natural mode of hypertext writing
Intellectual Dishonesty A mild digression on some of the problems created by collaboration.
Patchwriting A discussion of how borrowing can be a transitional stage in writing.
Lunsford et al, "What Matters Who Writes?" A link out to one of Lunsford's articles on ownership of knowledge.
Brent's "Ownership of Knowledge" article, a link out to an article which argues that electronic text deprivileges ownership.
Johnson's "Writing Spaces: Technoprovocateurs and OWLs in the Late Age of Print" A link out to a survey of on-line wriitng labs as sites of collaboration.
Landow's Dickens Web An example of student hypertext.
Hypertext Gallery of Student Writing at Missouri More examples.

References cited in this web.

Comments and Annotations Additional material from readers and afterthoughts from me.