Symbolic Systems 255

Building Digital History: Informatics of Social Movements and Protest

Spring Quarter 2015-2016

Todd Davies

Guidelines for Student Presentations and Papers

Here are some pointers for effectively presenting your chosen reading and leading a discussion over your allotted time (20 minutes per presentation). 

1. By May 9: Let Todd know your choice of a digital history website to present during student presentations, which will happen on May 31. We can use the course email list to communicate about this also. (We may need to resolve a conflict if two people want to present the same site.) Once your site is confirmed, post it to the class list. If two people want to work together, you should choose two websites that are related or comparable in some way, so they can be presented in an extended presentation (twice as long as an individual one).

2. Presentation content and timing: Prepare a 20 minute presentation, to be followed by questions and discussion (up to 30 minutes total for one website; 60 minutes total for a paired presentation of two websites). Your presentation should address the following issues:

(a) What is the basic info about the site (name, URL, and purpose)?

(b) Who and/or what organization created the site, when, and with what resources (funding etc.)?

(c) How would you characterize the site, e.g. Is it a collection of documents? Does it contain historical narrative or interpretation supported by documents? Can users upload their own content, and if so what types? Who are the intended audience(s)?

(d) In what ways does the site use visualization? If so, is it effective? How could it be made more so?

(e) How and to what extent does the site link to other resources on the Web?

(f) How was the site (apparently) designed [assuming you can find this out]?

(g) How might site be improved overall? Be specific.

If you are writing a paper as well, it can either be based on your presentation, or it can be on a separate topic. If the latter, I recommend making it somewhat related to the presentation. Talk with me about proposed topics, as the possibilities are various.

3. Presentation format and preparation: 
(a) Bring a laptop for projecting the website you are presenting, so you can illustrate your presentation with examples. If you do not want to rely on real-time Web navigation, you can do a screencast, or slide walkthrough. Send your presentation to Todd prior to class time.

(b) Prepare a handout summarizing the main points of your presentation and website analysis. Bring 5 copies of the handout to class.

4. Paper (for 4-5 units only):

(a) Write a paper based on, or as background for, the project (~8-10 pages for 5 units; 4-5 pages for 4 units, not required if taking for 3 units)

(b) If you are writing a paper as well, it can either be based on your presentation, or it can be on a separate topic. If the latter, I recommend making it somewhat related to the presentation. Talk with me about proposed topics, as the possibilities are various.