L565: Computer-Mediated Communication

 

Semester:

Fall 2003

Instructor:

Susan Herring

Time:

Tuesdays 1-3:45 p.m.

Office:

LI 005 B

Place:

LI 031

Phone:

(812) 856-4919 (voice mail)

Section:

7733

Email:

herring @ indiana.edu

Instructor's Office Hours: Tuesday and Thursday 4-5 p.m. and by appointment

Class majordomo list: herring_cmc @ indiana.edu

 

Required Readings:

Photocopied articles to be made available on e-reserves or in the SLIS library.

Sproull, Lee & Sara Kiesler. 1991. Connections: New Ways of Working in the Networked Organization. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

 

0.  Course Summary

This course provides a graduate-level introduction and overview of computer-mediated communication (CMC), the human-to-human interaction that takes place via computer networks such as the Internet. The perspective of the course is simultaneously social (focusing on human behavior), and technological (understanding the design features of CMC systems, and how they affect behavior), with an emphasis on the former. Course content includes the history of the Internet; classification of CMC types; key CMC theories and debates; contexts of use; contemporary trends; and communication in emergent CMC technologies.

 

1.  Course Description

Computer-mediated communication (CMC) is the human-to-human interaction that takes place via computer networks such as the Internet. Historically, most CMC is text-based; examples include email, distribution lists, threaded newsgroups, chat, ICQ, MUDs, and Instant Messaging. Since the mid-1990s, multimodal CMC has become increasingly important, in the form of video chat, audio chat, and graphical virtual reality environments—and, of course, the World Wide Web. CMC may be either synchronous or asynchronous, depending on whether or not the system requires the sender and the receiver to be logged on at the same time in order for communication to take place. 

              

Invented in the late 1960s, CMC has grown at a dizzying rate over the past three and a half decades. Experts claim that CMC is fast on its way to becoming as ubiquitous on a global scale as such now-taken-for-granted communication technologies as the radio, the telephone, and the television. Arguably the moment has already arrived when every educated person in technologically-advanced countries below a certain age is expected to know how to use the Web, and to communicate using email.

              

In this course, we will evaluate the potentials and pitfalls of various modes of CMC in three contexts of use: organizational, educational, and non-institutional (i.e., the Internet at large), with an emphasis on the latter. The order of contexts roughly recapitulates the evolution of scholarly interest in CMC, which first focused in the late 1970s and early 1980s on how CMC affects communication and productivity in the workplace, and starting in the mid-to-late 1980s on the pedagogical potentials and effects of CMC, then expanded with the growth of the Internet in the 1990s to the social and recreational (and economic) practices that take place in public space online. The course is also chronologically organized in that older CMC technologies are discussed first, and newer technologies are discussed later in the semester.

 

The course will be conducted in an informal lecture-discussion format, with opportunity for student participation in each class meeting.

 

2.  Course Objectives

As a result of completing this course, you should gain:

 

    a historical perspective on the development of the Internet and CMC

    familiarity with different modes of CMC

    a theoretically-grounded, critical understanding of the nature of CMC and its social and technical effects in different contexts of use          

    skill in summarizing and synthesizing concepts from published scholarship

 

3.  Course Requirements

 

Readings:  You are expected to read the assigned readings and take informal reading notes on them (1-2 paragraphs identifying each article's main claim(s), and commenting on or questioning some aspect of the article that is of interest to you). The reading notes will help prepare you for class discussions, exams, and will provide feedback that will enable me to conduct the course to better meet your interests and needs. Reading notes will be collected at the end of each class period. Therefore, you will need to print them on individual sheets of paper, rather than write them in a bound journal.

 

Exams:  There will be a midterm (in-class) and a final, essay-type (take-home) exam. The exam questions will be of a synthetic nature, requiring you to draw together, relate and apply key concepts from the readings and class discussions. Review sheets of key concepts will be distributed before the exams. Students who receive a grade of B+ or higher on the midterm will have the option of writing a term paper (see below) instead of taking the final exam.

 

Term paper (OPTIONAL). You may write a 4500-7000 word term paper (excluding references and appendices) reporting on the results of original research on CMC in a mode and setting of your choice. This need NOT be a type of CMC we have discussed in the course, but can be any type of CMC you are interested in (providing you can get reasonable and ethical access to it). However, the analysis should be theoretically grounded in concepts discussed in the course. Students wishing to write a term paper instead of taking the final exam should submit a one-page proposal by week 10 identifying the topic, research question, methods, data and preliminary observations on which the paper will be based. The final paper should follow the formal conventions for a publishable-quality research article, including footnotes and citations of scholarly work in APA (American Psychological Association) style.

 

There is a majordomo list for this course. You are expected to check your email at least twice between class meetings, including the morning before class for last-minute announcements and reminders. Participation on the majordomo list is encouraged, although it is not a requirement of the course.

 

4.  Grading

 

Your grade for the course will be calculated as follows:

 

Reading notes and class participation

30%

Midterm exam

30%

Final exam OR term paper

40%

                                             Total:

100%

 

 

Grading policy:

 

      Late reading notes will be accepted once during the semester, no questions asked, provided they are turned in at least two days before the next class meeting. If you turn in notes electronically, please send them as plain (ascii) text, rather than as an attachment.

      Reading notes and class participation will be graded with a check mark for each class meeting, to indicate that the requirement was met. Reading notes are to be handed in on the day the reading is discussed. Class participation means being willing and prepared to speak intelligently in class about the topics under discussion. (Note: this does not necessarily mean speaking a lot—you may be penalized if you habitually dominate class discussions.) In order to be able to speak intelligently about a topic, you will need to have done the readings for that topic before class. You will also need to be physically present and alert. Participation cannot be made up if you miss a class.

      The exams and the term paper will be assigned letter grades (A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, etc.).

      The exams will be graded on quality (depth and accuracy) of understanding of key concepts; ability to extend, apply and relate concepts beyond what was discussed in class; appropriate citation of sources; and clarity and organization of written presentation. The expectations regarding the last two criteria are higher for the final (take-home) exam than for the in-class midterm.

      The term paper (if you choose this option) will be graded on content—originality of the research question, appropriateness of the data and methods used to investigate the question, plausibility of your interpretations—and form—organization, clarity and quality of written expression, and appropriate use of scholarly conventions such as citations and footnotes. An 'A' quality term paper addresses an interesting research question, makes use of an appropriate empirical method to analyze real CMC data, and interprets the findings thoughtfully, in addition to being well-organized and clearly and professionally written.

 

Note:  Learning is a collaborative enterprise. However, plagiarism, copyright infringement, and other types of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. To help you recognize plagiarism, the IU Writing Center has prepared a short guide: Plagiarism: What It is and How to Recognize and Avoid It. Please read this guide and refer to it when you produce your written assignments for this course.


 

Course Schedule

(Subject to change with advance notice)

 

----------------

Week 1 (9/2):

Introduction to computer-mediated communication. Modes of CMC.

 

Read:

1. Herring, S. C. (2002). Computer-mediated communication and the Internet. Annual Review of Information Science and Technology, 36, 109-132.

(No reading notes are due for this article.)

 

 ----------------

Week 2 (9/9):

The early days of CMC technology and use. The development of the Arpanet, the Internet, and Usenet.

 

Read:

1. Leiner, B. M. et al. (1997). The past and future history of the Internet. Communications of the ACM, 40 (2).

2. Licklider J. C. R. & Taylor, R. W. (1968). The computer as a communication device. International Science and Technology, April. http://memex.org/licklider.pdf

3. Hafner, K. & Lyon, M. (1996). E-mail. Where Wizards Stay Up Late: The Origins of the Internet.

4. Rheingold, H. (1993). Grassroots groupminds. The Virtual Community: Homesteading on the Electronic Frontier. http://www.rheingold.com/vc/book/

 

Demonstration:

 

Dejanews; The Wayback Machine

 

----------------

Week 3 (9/16):

The debate over the nature of CMC. Information exchange vs. socio-emotional expression. What is CMC good (or bad) for?

 

Read:

1. Daft, R. & Lengel, R. (1984). Information richness: A new approach to managerial behavior and organization design. Research in Organizational Behavior, vol. 6, 191-233.

2. Kiesler, S. et al. (1984). Social psychological aspects of computer-mediated communication. American Psychologist, 39, 1123-34.

3. Rice, R. & Love, G. (1987). Electronic emotion: Socioemotional content in a computer-mediated network. Communication Research, 14, 85-108.

4. Walther, J. (1996). Computer-mediated communication: Impersonal, interpersonal and hyperpersonal interaction. Communication Research, 23(1), 3-43.

 

----------------

Week 4 (9/23):

CMC in organizations, Part I: Genres. Efficiency, decision-making, and group dynamics. Secondary social effects.

 

Read:

1. Yates, J. & Orlikowsky, W. (1991). Genres of organizational communication: An approach to studying communication and media. MIT Sloan School of Management Working Paper.

2. Sproull & Kiesler, Chs. 1-5.

(Take separate reading notes for each chapter.)

 

----------------

Week 5 (9/30):

CMC in organizations, Part II: Influence, control, and organizational change. Speculation vs. empirical findings.

 

Read:

1. Sproull & Kiesler, Chs. 6-9.

(Take separate reading notes for each chapter.)

2. Ahuja, M. K. & Carley, K. M. (1998). Network structure in virtual organizations. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication 3(4). http://jcmc.huji.ac.il/vol3/issue4/ahuja.html

 

----------------

Week 6 (10/7):

CMC and education. Online learning. Review for midterm.

 

Read:

1. Bourne, J. R., McMaster, E., Rieger, J., & Campbell, J. O. (1999). Paradigms for on-line learning: A case study in the design and implementation of an asynchronous learning networks (ALN) course. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks 1(2).

http://www.aln.org/alnweb/journal/issue2/nssee.htm

2. Noble, D. F. (1998). Digital diploma mills: The automation of higher education. First Monday 3(1).  http://www.firstmonday.dk/issues/issue3_1/noble/index.html

3. Hara, N. & Kling, R. (2000). Students' distress with a Web-based distance education course. Center for Social Informatics Working Papers  00-01-B1. http://www.slis.indiana.edu/csi/WP/wp00-01B.html

 

----------------

Week 7 (10/14):

Midterm exam.

 

----------------

Week 8 (10/21):

CMC on the Internet: Community. Examples of a listserv community (The Well) and a MUD community (ElseMOO).

 

Read:

1. Fernback, J. & Thompson, B. (1995). Virtual communities: Abort, retry, failure? http://www.well.com/user/hlr/texts/VCcivil.html

2. Rheingold, H. (1993). Introduction & The Heart of the Well. The Virtual Community: Homesteading on the Electronic Frontier. http://www.rheingold.com/vc/book/

(Note:  Treat the two Rheingold chapters as one article for reading notes.)

3. Cherny, L. (1999). Conversation and Community, Chs. 1-2.

(Note:  Treat the two Cherny chapters as one article for reading notes.)

 

Demonstration:

 

A social MUD

 

----------------

Week 9 (10/28):

CMC on the Internet: Community (continued). Usenet and IRC.

 

Read:

1. Baym, N. (1995). The emergence of community in computer-mediated communication. In: Cybersociety, ed. by S. Jones.

2. Reid, E. (1991). Electropolis: Communication and Community on Internet Relay Chat. Senior Honours thesis, University of Melbourne, Australia. http://www.crosswinds.net/~aluluei/electropolis.htm

3. Liu, G. Z. (1999). Virtual community presence in Internet Relay Chatting. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication 5(1). http://www.ascusc.org/jcmc/vol5/issue1/liu.html

 

Demonstration:

 

Internet Relay Chat

 

----------------

Week 10 (11/4):

Computer-mediated language. Linguistic features of CMC.

 

Read:

1. Herring, S. C. (1998). Variation and change in e-mail style. (English version of: Le style du courrier électronique: variabilité et changement. Terminogramme 84-85: 9-16.)

2. Cho, N. (In press). Linguistic features of electronic mail: A comparison with memoranda. In: Computer-Mediated Conversation, ed. by S. Herring.

3. Werry, C. (1996). Linguistic and interactional features of Internet Relay Chat. In: Computer-Mediated Communication: Linguistic, Social and Cross-Cultural Perspectives, ed. by S. Herring.

4. Cherny, L. (1999). Conversation and Community, Ch.3.

 

Recommended:

 

1. Suler, J. (1996). E-mail communication and relationships.

http://www.rider.edu/users/suler/psycyber/emailrel.html - anatomy

2. Suler, J. (1996). TextTalk: Psychological dynamics of online synchronous conversations in text-driven chat environments. http://www.rider.edu/users/suler/psycyber/texttalk.html

 

----------------

Week 11 (11/11):

Identity, gender, and race. Conscious self-presentation vs. unconscious cues given off through communication styles.

 

Read:

1. Donath, J. (1999). Identity and deception in the virtual community. In: Communities in Cyberspace, ed. by M. Smith & P. Kollock.

2. Burkhalter, B. (1999). Reading race online. In: Communities in Cyberspace, ed. by M. Smith & P. Kollock.

3. Danet, B. (1998). Text as mask: Gender, play and performance on the Internet. In: Cybersociety 2.0, ed. by S. Jones.

4. Herring, S. C. (2001). Gender and power in online communication. Center for Social Informatics Working Papers  01-05. http://www.slis.indiana.edu/csi/WP/WP01-05B.html

 

----------------

Week 12 (11/18):

Social problems in cyberspace. Cyberstalking, trolling and hate speech.

 

Read:

1. Gilbert, P. (1997). On space, sex and stalkers. Women and Performance 17. http://www.echonyc.com/~women/Issue17/art-gilbert.html

2. Herring, S. C. et al. (2002). Searching for Safety Online: Managing 'Trolling' in a Feminist Forum. Center for Social Informatics Working Papers  02-03. http://www.slis.indiana.edu/csi/WP/WP02-03B.html

3. Zickmund, S. (1997). Approaching the Radical Other: The Discursive Culture of Cyberhate. In:Virtual culture: Identity and communication in cybersociety, ed. by S. Jones, 185-205.

 

Recommended:

 

1. Dibbell, J. (1993). A rape in cyberspace. The Village Voice, Dec. 21, 36-42. http://www.levity.com/julian/bungle.html

2. Herring, S. C. (2002). Cyber Violence: Recognizing and resisting abuse in online environments. Asian Women 14 (Summer).

 

----------------

Week 13 (11/25):

The World Wide Web. Hypertextuality. Mass vs. interpersonal communication.

 

Read:

1. Berners-Lee, T. (1996). The World Wide Web: Past, present and future. http://www.w3.org/People/Berners-Lee/1996/ppf.html

2. Hoffman, D. & Novak, R. (1995). Marketing in Hypermedia Computer-Mediated Environments: Conceptual Foundations. http://www2000.ogsm.vanderbilt.edu/cmepaper.revision.july11.1995/cmepaper.html

3. Jackson, M. (1997). Assessing the Structure of Communication on the World Wide Web. JCMC 3(1). http://www.ascusc.org/jcmc/vol3/issue1/jackson.html

4. O'Sullivan, P. (1999). 'Personal Broadcasting': Theoretical Implications of the Web.

http://www.ilstu.edu/~posull/PersBroad.htm

 

----------------

THANKSGIVING BREAK

 

----------------

Week 14 (12/2):

Multimodal CMC. What are the effects of adding other channels of communication? Graphics, audio and video.

 

Read:

1. Lombard, M. & Ditton, T. (1997). At the heart of it all: The concept of presence. JCMC 3(2). http://www.ascusc.org/jcmc/vol3/issue2/lombard.html

2. Walther, J. (1999). Visual cues and computer-mediated communication: Don't look before you leap. http://www.rensselaer.edu/~walthj/ica99.html

3. Hollan, J. & Stornetta, S. (1992). Beyond being there. ACM. http://doi.acm.org/10.1145/142750.142769

4. Sellen, A. (1992). Speech patterns in video-mediated conversations. ACM. http://doi.acm.org/10.1145/142750.142756

 

Recommended:

 

 

Demonstration:

1. Neal, L. (1997). Virtual classrooms and communities. http://www3.ncsu.edu/dox/NBE/neal/nealtitle.htm

 

Video conferencing

 

----------------

Week 15 (12/9):

Graphical Virtual Reality Environments. Review for final exam.

 

Read:

1. Krikorian, D. H. et al. (2000). Isn't that spatial? Distance and communication in a 2-D virtual environment. JCMC 5(4). http://www.ascusc.org/jcmc/vol5/ issue4/krikorian.html

2. Herring, S., Börner, K.,  & Swan, M. B. (2002). "There, you're right next to me": Spatial reference in a 3-D virtual world. MS.

(No reading notes are due for this week's articles.)

 

Recommended:

 

 

 

Demonstration:

1. Suler, J. (1996). The Psychology of Avatars and Graphical Space in Multimedia Chat Communities. http://www.rider.edu/users/suler/psycyber/psyav.html

 

ActiveWorlds

 

----------------

Week 16 (12/16):

Take-home Final exam OR Term paper due by 5 p.m.

 

----------------

 

Last updated: 8/26/03