weisner

• I enjoyed browsing through the websites associated with American Quarterly, and the topic of Hypertext Scholarship in American Studies. Rosenzweig’s essay on hypertext scholarship provided a great synopsis of the project, and the positive or negative consequences related to publishing academic essays online. I think one of the largest benefits to using new technology is the interaction with the text and images. This interaction was largely showcased in the websites posted for this week. For example, I really enjoyed playing with the essay about comic strips. The viewer can read briefly over the information, just like an academic paper. However, you can also interact with the strips by clicking on them for a larger view and a link to more in depth text. This is a way to present much more information about a topic. An author is not quite so concerned with spatial limitations on a website as opposed to a written paper. Additionally, an interactive essay/project is just more interesting!

• However, Rosenzweig does mention some serious drawbacks/problems with hypertext. While articles online from American Quarterly may be more accessible, they may also come with a usage fee. Additionally, there are technical concerns about the presentation of a page and making sure the format is the same on all web browsers. However, there are other problems which go outside of the technical realm. An audience must adapt to a new method of reading comprehension when an essay/article is presented in hypertext. Rosenzweig discusses the idea of “standards” which allow a scholar to immediately pick out a thesis, supporting evidence and sources after only a quick appraisal. However, information in hypertext is clearly laid out differently. This also relates to “reader expectations” and the idea that there is so much information on the site, the viewer cannot possibly read it all. At what point should he or she stop? When is it enough? I feel like I’ve encountered this problem before, especially in this class which is so heavily based on websites and online articles. When have I skimmed over or browsed through an article or site a sufficient amount? Although these concerns are real, they mostly involve a willingness to work outside the standard format or box. Scholars and students alike are going to have to adapt to new ways of learning…

• I briefly wanted to mention David Bell’s article A Bookless Future: What the Internet is Doing to Scholarship. Bell brings up numerous points in his article and I especially enjoyed the section on why reading text on the computer screen is so uncomfortable. I’m glad I’m not alone in feeling this way. But his thoughts on the democratizing effect of the internet were really insightful. It’s amazing that researchers in any part of the world basically have access to the same material, as long as they possess a computer. You are no longer at an immediate disadvantage by living far away from cities with important resources (i.e. the Library of Congress). Although there is a benefit to having all of D.C. at my fingertips, I find that a lot of the research I need to do for a project can be found online as well. It’s amazing how much that can even the playing field.

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