English 394
Fall 2000
"Writing (in) Cyberspace"

Computer-mediated communication and the Web make it easier for people with similar interests (ranging from scholars in specific fields, to activists, to fringe groups) to communicate with each other about politics, social issues, hobbies, business and professional concerns, health issues, and much more.

In this assignment you are to analyze one or more virtual communities in relation to their construction, representation and rhetoric. Your task is to write an in-depth analysis of how the community presents information in the context of knowledge-making. Here you'll want to concentrate on a virtual community which can enhance your academic and/or professional pursuits.

There are a number of ways to approach the assignment, but some basic steps are necessary whatever your particular approach. First, you will need to locate and join a virtual community. Below you will find a series of links to some communities; there are others to choose from. I've also included links to various discussions of virtual communities. If you have a particular interest you'd like to pursue, try to find a community that is focused on your area of interest. If you have any questions or are having difficulty finding or choosing a community, feel free to contact me . Once you've chosen and joined a community, you'll need to become familiar with its workings and what makes it unique.
 

• To study a virtual, on-line community
• To become aware of how technology shapes human interactions and vice versa
• To become aware of the ethical, social and cultural dynamics of a virtual community
• To become more knowledgeable about a virtual community which can enhance your academic and/or professional pursuits
• To learn how virtual communities conduct themselves with the goal of becoming a more knowledgeable and effective member of virtual communities
• To develop an analysis of the rhetoric of a particular virtual community

Please Note: Most of us have heard about hate groups and other groups with questionable, and sometimes dangerous agendas who dispense their views over the Internet. We should be aware of such groups, but it may not be wise to get involved with a "malignant" group for fear of being identified with their agenda and getting unwanted material or being harassed.

• Internet relay chats (IRC);
• listservs, listprocs, majordomos;
• Moos and Muds;
• Usenet groups

How to Investigate:

• Use search engines to find your resources. Many include searches of newsgroups. Do key word searches for type of online community you may be interested .
• Decide how many newsgroups, listservs, Web sites, etc. you will need to investigate to get a fair picture of the community. Too many may bog you down. Too few may be misleading.
• If possible, interview someone who is a member of the community via a newsgroup or other medium.
• Look at various mediums of communiction and various Web sites. A look at one newsgroup or one Web site is not a broad enough sample to give you an accurate picture.
• Try joining the virtual community--lurk for several days on various discussion groups, reading posts.
• When you feel comfortable, add your own voice to the discussion. How are your comments received?
• Once you've become familiar with and a participant in the community, you can begin to collect the data you'll need to develop an analysis--four to six pages--of the community.
• Develop an understanding of how the community operates.
• Take notes and include the Internet addresses for the places you visit so you can return. Keep a bookmark list of the sites you visit.

Collecting Data
I'd like you to keep a research log detailing your experiences and observations each time you log onto the community. Be sure to note the date and time you log on. You might also try to capture a transcript, save a newsgroup thread, or save the email mesages your receive from the community's listserv. During and at the end of each on-line session, write a reflection of what you observed or learned about the community during the session.

Specific Details

• Is there a a frequently asked questions (FAQ) file or message available about for the group? If so, read it carefully. Such documents often give crucial background information about the purpose of the group, the list owner, and the rules of participation.
• Quantitative data including the number of posts during a given session for a synchronous environment and the number of posts sent over a given time period (a day or week ) for an asynchronous community.
• Demographic data including the number of males and females participating, the race, class, education level and ages of community members, the number of people subscribed to a listserv,
• Social dynamics including flame wars, moments of community building, personalities of the more frequent participants. . . .
• Rhetorical dynamics including the kinds of language used--informal, formal, slang, technical jargon, etc.--the kinds of information shared, the standards of netiquette, etc.

Suggestions for your project:

• Review the assignment to see what report should contain and suggestions to find the information. Create a title for your paper.
• Give examples to support your points.
• Describe the community as fully as possible
• Define the components of the community such as membership, purpose, language, behaviors, interaction patterns, etc)
• Analyze how the community works:
  • Do they have predominant interests, themes, philosophies and styles?
  • Is there a predominant tone in the correspondence?
  • Did you discover any ethical, social, and cultural issues that are of concern to the community?.
  • Do members of the group have their own language--terms or expressions that are unique to the group?

Remember: You will publish your finsihed project on your Web page, so consider elements of layout and desogn: title, graphics, links. If you include graphics, be sure you have gotten permission to use the graphics you didn't create or are not advertised as "free." Be sure to cite sources of quotes and paraphrases.

Some Virtual Communities

Discussions of Virtual Communities

The Culture and Rhetoric of Cyberspace

Lost in Usenet

Usenet News Groups

Usenet - MUDs, MUSHes, MUSEs, MOOs, etc. Directory

Knowledge Base - What are Usenet newsgroups?

List of USENET FAQs by Newsgroup

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Some Moo Lacations:

• MediaMoo: for folks interested in Media Research
• RiverMoo HomePage
• ChibaMOO themed on William Gibson's Neuromancer
• LinguaMOO: Arts & Humanities and electronic media.
• DaMOO

Netiquette