DOCSLIB.ORG

Bibliometrics

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Bibliometrics ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN PRODUCTION NOTE University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library Large-scale Digitization Project, 2007. Library Trends VOLUME 30 NUMBER 1 SUMMER 1981 University of Illinois Graduate School of Library and Information Science This Page Intentionally Left Blank Bibliometrics WILLIAM GRAY POTTER Issue Editor CONTENTS Charles H. Davis 3 FOREWORD William Gray Potter 5 INTRODUCTION Daniel 0. O’Connor 9 EMPIRICAL LAWS, THEORY CON- Henry Voos STRUCTION AND BIBLIOMETRICS William Gray Potter 21 LOTKA’S LAW REVISITED M. Carl Drott 41 BRADFORD’S LAW: THEORY, EMPIRICISM AND THE GAPS BETWEEN Ronald E. Wyllys 53 EMPIRICAL AND THEORETICAL BASES OF ZIPF’S LAW John J. Hubert 65 GENERAL BIBLIOMETRIC MODELS Linda C. Smith 83 CITATION ANALYSIS D. Kaye Gapen 107 OBSOLESCENCE Sigrid P. Milner Jean Tague 125 THE LAW OF EXPONENTIAL Jamshid Beheshti GROWTH: EVIDENCE, IMPLI- Lorna Rees-Potter CATIONS AND FORECASTS Alvin M. Schrader 151 TEACHING BIBLIOMETRICS This Page Intentionally Left Blank Foreword MOREMATHEMATICAL THAN MOST, this issue of Library Trends takes a fresh look at bibliometrics. In choosing both the issue editor and the contributors, we have deliberately selected individuals who can provide a new perspective. Additionally, a mix has been sought so that both theory and potential practical applications would be addressed. Our purpose is to stimulate greater interest in bibliometrics, while also making the subject more accessible to a wider audience, including students. Future issues will continue to address topics in information scienceaswell as traditional aspects of librarianship. On the chance that instructors in library and information science might find this particular issue of value in the classroom, we have extended the print run and would like to take this opportunity to invite special orders from educators. CHARLESH. DAVIS Editor SUMMER 1981 3 This Page Intentionally Left Blank Introduction WILLIAM GRAY POTTER BIBLIOMETRICSIS, simply put, the study and measurement of the publi- cation patterns of all forms of written communication and their authors. Though the word is of recent coinage,’ the practice goes back at least to the 1920s.’ There has been a great increase in the number of publications in bibliometrics over the past two decades. This increase has not been accompanied by critical analyses of the field and of the direction of bibliometrics in general. The purpose of this issue of Library Trends is to provide analyses of the major concepts of bibliometrics and to indi- cate its present and future directions. An effort has been made to make the articles in this issue understandable to persons new to the topic without depriving those readers already initiated into the mysteries of bibliometrics of new insights and a measureof controversy. The authors of these articles are knowledgeable in their topics, but, with a few exceptions, are not usually associated with bibliometrics. These authors were chosen to bring some new names and, it is hoped, new ideas to the literature. In a general introduction to bibliometrics, Daniel O’Connor and Henry Voos argue that because bibliometrics has largely been used only to describe bibliographic phenomena, and is not yet able to explain or predict these phenomena, it is merely a method, not a theory. They state that if bibliometrics is to attain the status ofa theory, to beable to predict and explain, and, thus, to become more useful, researchers must concen- trate on the causal factors underlying bibliographic phenomena. William Gray Potter is Acquisitions Librarian, University of Illinois at lirbana- Champaign. SUMMER 1981 5 WILLIAM POTTER The next four articles deal with the three major “laws” of bibliometrics-Lotka’s law, Bradford’s law, and Zipf’s law-and with attempts to unify these individual laws under one general distribution. William Potter provides a bibliographic history of Lotka’s law and its application. M. Carl Drott examines Bradford’s law and concludes that more work is needed in exploring the underlying causes behind Brad- ford’s observations. Ronald E. Wyllys provides a discussion of the origins of Zipf’s law, with some interesting observations on the charac- ter and context of Zipf himself. John J. Hubert examines efforts to join the laws of Lotka, Bradford and Zipf into one unified, general model. While he finds these attempts statistically sound, Hubert faults them for being too simple, usually with only one dependent variable, and points to research that attempts to account for more variables and which may provide more accurate, predictive and useful models. Citation analysis is perhaps the most written-about topic in biblio- metrics. Linda C. Smith provides an extensive review of the literature and discusses the practical applications of citation analysis. The rate at which literature becomes obsolete is of interest to both the information scientist studying the evolution of disciplines and to practicing librarians concerned with collection management. D. Kaye Gapen and Sigrid P. Milner have prepared a detailed review of research in obsolescence. There has been exponential growth in the number of publications and it is widely believed that knowledge is also growing, though not at the same rate as publications. Jean Tague, Jamshid Beheshti and Lorna Rees-Potter discuss the relationship between the growth of literature and the growth of knowledge. Throughout the articles in this issue, there is a recurring theme which, in essence, says that the traditional bibliometric models and distributions are too simple to reflect reality accurately. To be useful, bibliometrics must be able to explain and predict phenomena, not just to describe them. To do this, more complex models are needed. The problem is that bibliometrics is already thought too difficult and out of the reach of most librarians and information scientists. One possible solution is to incorporate bibliometrics into library and information science curricula. Alvin M. Schrader discusses how a course on biblio- metrics might be taught and provides a sample syllabus. In addition to the contributors, I would like to credit the following people for their contributions to this issue: Charles Davis for his encour- agement and guidance; Michael Gorman, Bernard Hurley, Rebecca Lenzini, Daniel O’Connor, and Charlene Renner for their editorial 6 LIBRARY TRENDS Introduction advice and assistance;Wendy Darre and Lisa Olson for their willingness to type and retype seemingly endless tables and bibliographies; and, finally, to the editorial staff of Library Trends for their usual excellent job. References 1. Pritchard, Alan. “Statistical Bibliography or Bibliometrics?” Journal of Documentation 24 (Dec. 1969):348-49. 2. Hulme, E. Wyndham. Stafzstzcal Bibliography in Relation to the Growth of Modern Ctvrlization. London: 1923. SUMMER 1981 7 This Page Intentionally Left Blank Empirical Laws, Theory Construction and Bibliometrics DANIEL 0. O’CONNOR HENRY VOOS BIBLIOMETRICSHAS COMMANDED the attention of numerous individuals in library and information science. The measurement of bibliographic information offers the promise of providing a theory that will resolve many practical problems. It is claimed that patterns of author produc- tivity, literature growth rates and related statistical distributions can be used to evaluate authors, assess disciplines and manage collections. Yet, it is unclear if bibliometrics is merely a method or if it meets the test of a theory in its ability to explain and predict phenomena. This paper examines the properties of bibliometric distributions in a nontechnical manner. Twelve years ago, Pritchard coined the term bzblzornetrzcs and definedit as “the application of mathematics and statistical methods to books and other media of communication.”’ Its purpose was: 1. To shed light on the processes of written communication and of the nature and course of development of a discipline (in sofar as this is displayed through written communication), by means of counting and analyzing the various facets of written communication ...; 2. The assembling and interpretation of statistics relating to books and periodicals ...to demonstrate historical movements, to determine the national or universal research of books and journals, and to ascertain in many local situations the general use of books and journals2 Daniel 0.OConnor is Assistant Professor, and Henry Voos is Professor, Graduate School of Library and Information Studies, Rutgers University. New Brunswick, New Jersey. SUMMER 1981 9 DANIEL O’CONNOR & HENRY voos Both of these purposes emphasize that bibliometrics is primarily a method. The scope of bibliometrics includes studying the relationship within a literature (e.g., citation studies) or describing a literat~re.~ Typically, these descriptions focus on consistent patterns involving authors, monographs, journals, or SubjectAanguage. The literature of bibliometrics is growing rapidly and a recent bibliography lists 2032 entrie~,~while another announced bibliography has 600 entries cover- ing the years 1874 through 1959.5 Two concerns have occupied much of the bibliometric literature: an emphasis on mathematical or statistical methods, and a search for theoretical propositions. Fairthorne, Price and Bookstein have stated that there is great consistency among the various bibliometric distribu- tions6 The Bradford, Lotka and Zipf distributions are considered the basic laws of bibliometrics,’ and each of these distributions was empiri- cally derived. The distributions
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Historians of Technology in the Real World: Reflections on the Pursuit of Policy-Oriented History
    Historians of Technology in the Real World: Reflections on the Pursuit of Policy-Oriented History Richard F. Hirsh Technology and Culture, Volume 52, Number 1, January 2011, pp. 6-20 (Article) Published by The Johns Hopkins University Press DOI: 10.1353/tech.2011.0039 For additional information about this article http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/tech/summary/v052/52.1.hirsh.html Access provided by Virginia Polytechnic Inst. __ACCESS_STATEMENT__ St.University __ACCESS_STATEMENT__ (Viva) (6 Feb 2014 13:11 GMT) 02_52.1hirsh 6–20:03_49.3dobraszczyk 568– 1/22/11 7:49 AM Page 6 Historians of Technology in the Real World Reflections on the Pursuit of Policy-Oriented History RICHARDF.HIRSH Nearly all historians writing about their craft begin by explaining the value of studying the past. According to the authors of a popular primer, history represents a collective memory that provides an awareness of past events, helping us shape our present and future.1 History has great practical signif- icance, notes another academic, because “intelligent action” draws on past experience.2 As a consequence of the way pedagogues extol the relevance of their work, many high-school students can paraphrase Santayana’s dictum that “[t]hose who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”3 Despite widespread acceptance of the notion that history provides tan- gible benefits, historians usually remain reluctant to apply “lessons” to real- world situations, especially in the realms of public and business policy. Eager to be viewed as unbiased, dispassionate observers of events, most aca- demic historians seem happy to write primarily for their peers.
    [Show full text]
  • Core Literature of WTMC
    Core Literature of WTMC Core Literature of WTMC 2018 edition INTRODUCTION Core Literature of WTMC The Dutch national research school WTMC seeks to The second list, of introductions, is in particular useful for analyse, understand and explain the manifold and intricate new entrants in the field. The classics, of course, are also relationships between science, technology and modern informative, but may require more background knowledge. culture. This, of course, is an interdisciplinary effort that The introductions provide an overview of the main draws from and contributes to various research traditions, perspectives, methods and findings of the research field of each with their own literatures. In this overview we list the WTMC. core literature of the research school WTMC. The third category, the research clusters, proposes more The aim of this list is threefold: specific literature for the many lines of research in WTMC. • it provides an introduction to the intellectual and academic Within each of the clusters some key references are aspirations of WTMC; suggested to orient the researcher interested in these more • it helps PhD students to locate their studies within a broader specific areas of study. These references may also be used set of literatures; in the programs of the PhD workshops, depending on the • it supports the ongoing reflection of research agendas topic. Together, the research clusters are a demonstration of within WTMC. the richness and excitement of the research school WTMC. The list of core literature is organised into four categories: The overview ends with a list of journals that are important classics, introductions, research clusters, and journals.
    [Show full text]
  • Sound Studies: New Technologies and Music
    Sound Studies: New Technologies and Music Trevor Pinch and Karin Bijsterveld Developments in sound technologies over the last 50 years have dramat- ically changed the way that music is produced and consumed. In the 19th century most music was experienced as live performance. Today most music is listened to individually through technologically mediated devices, such as a personal stereo or a personal computer that enables the down- loading of MP3 files over the Internet, and in the past few decades music has been produced with new electronic instruments such as the Theremin, the Hammond Organ, the electric guitar, the synthesizer, and the digital sampler. Technologies such as the phonograph, tape-recorder, and com- pact disk have enabled ‘sound’ to be produced, controlled, and manipu- lated independently from musicians. In today’s recording studios the sound engineers can be as important in the production of ‘the sound’ as are the musicians themselves. But how can such changes be understood and what do they mean for listeners and for science and technology studies (S&TS)? The papers in this special issue address such issues. The papers were first presented at an international workshop, ‘Sound Matters: New Tech- nology in Music’, held at the University of Maastricht, the Netherlands, in November 2002. The scholars at the workshop were drawn from such diverse fields as ethnomusicology, history, anthropology, cultural studies, sociology, and S&TS. All were working on some aspect of what we might call ‘auditory culture’. For such scholars, sound matters. The topic of the workshop was new technologies and music. The papers covered a range of technological innovations in the way in which music was produced and consumed.
    [Show full text]
  • Applying Library Values to Emerging Technology Decision-Making in the Age of Open Access, Maker Spaces, and the Ever-Changing Library
    ACRL Publications in Librarianship No. 72 Applying Library Values to Emerging Technology Decision-Making in the Age of Open Access, Maker Spaces, and the Ever-Changing Library Editors Peter D. Fernandez and Kelly Tilton Association of College and Research Libraries A division of the American Library Association Chicago, Illinois 2018 The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of Ameri- can National Standard for Information Sciences–Permanence of Paper for Print- ed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1992. ∞ Cataloging-in-Publication data is on file with the Library of Congress. Copyright ©2018 by the Association of College and Research Libraries. All rights reserved except those which may be granted by Sections 107 and 108 of the Copyright Revision Act of 1976. Printed in the United States of America. 22 21 20 19 18 5 4 3 2 1 Contents Contents Introduction .......................................................................................................ix Peter Fernandez, Head, LRE Liaison Programs, University of Tennessee Libraries Kelly Tilton, Information Literacy Instruction Librarian, University of Tennessee Libraries Part I Contemplating Library Values Chapter 1. ..........................................................................................................1 The New Technocracy: Positioning Librarianship’s Core Values in Relationship to Technology Is a Much Taller Order Than We Think John Buschman, Dean of University Libraries, Seton Hall University Chapter 2. ........................................................................................................27
    [Show full text]
  • Some Notes on Theories of Technology, Society and Innovation Systems for S&T Policy Studies
    1 Some notes on theories of Technology, Society and Innovation Systems for S&T policy studies Mónica Salazar-Acosta and Adam Holbrook CPROST Report 08-02 2 3 Some notes on theories of technology, society and innovation systems for science and technology policy studies Mónica Salazar-Acosta and Adam Holbrook, with editorial comments by Glenda Shaw-Garlock CENTRE FOR POLICY RESEARCH ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY Vancouver BC Report 08-02 Introduction Does technology shape society, or does society influence our technological choices? Is technological determinism a theory of society or a theory of technology? The debate on Science, Technology and Society (STS) studies has been animated by two opposite views on technology: one that affirms that technology shapes society, and the other that society shapes technology. The former, is commonly associated with the notion of technological determinism; while the latter could be labeled ‘social shaping of technology’ which covers various approaches, such as social constructivism and actor-network theory. Neither provides an overall view: one looks at the forest and the other at the trees, but both have failed to give us a comprehensive view of technological change and the major forces driving social change. What follows is an examination of technological determinism – the shaping of society by technology - and the influence of society on the evolution of technology . It does not pretend to be exhaustive or representative of the most recent scholarship on the subject. A good, recent,
    [Show full text]
  • STS Departments, Programs, and Centers Worldwide
    STS Departments, Programs, and Centers Worldwide This is an admittedly incomplete list of STS departments, programs, and centers worldwide. If you know of additional academic units that belong on this list, please send the information to Trina Garrison at [email protected]. This document was last updated in April 2015. Other lists are available at http://www.stswiki.org/index.php?title=Worldwide_directory_of_STS_programs http://stsnext20.org/stsworld/sts-programs/ http://hssonline.org/resources/graduate-programs-in-history-of-science-and-related-studies/ Austria • University of Vienna, Department of Social Studies of Science http://sciencestudies.univie.ac.at/en/teaching/master-sts/ Based on high-quality research, our aim is to foster critical reflexive debate concerning the developments of science, technology and society with scientists and students from all disciplines, but also with wider publics. Our research is mainly organized in third party financed projects, often based on interdisciplinary teamwork and aims at comparative analysis. Beyond this we offer our expertise and know-how in particular to practitioners working at the crossroad of science, technology and society. • Institute for Advanced Studies on Science, Technology and Society (IAS-STS) http://www.ifz.tugraz.at/ias/IAS-STS/The-Institute IAS-STS is, broadly speaking, an Institute for the enhancement of Science and Technology Studies. The IAS-STS was found to give around a dozen international researchers each year - for up to nine months - the opportunity to explore the issues published in our annually changing fellowship programme. Within the frame of this fellowship programme the IAS-STS promotes the interdisciplinary investigation of the links and interaction between science, technology and society as well as research on the development and implementation of socially and environmentally sound, sustainable technologies.
    [Show full text]
  • History of Science, Medicine, and Technology) 1
    AS.140 (History of Science, Medicine, and Technology) 1 AS.140.177. Freshmen Seminar: Techno-ethics. 3 Credits. AS.140 (HISTORY OF We are all familiar with bio-ethics: dealing with living subjects is an enterprise prone to ethically questionable practices, and we have learned SCIENCE, MEDICINE, AND the hard way to raise the ethical questions regarding biomedical projects. But what about technology? Can technology be unethical? Sure, one can TECHNOLOGY) design technologies of pain and destruction, or simply ignore regulations and make unsafe products—those technologies would be unquestionably AS.140.105. History of Medicine. 3 Credits. unethical. But what if somebody comes up with new technology with the Course provides an introduction to health and healing in the ancient best intentions in mind? Could those technologies be ethically unsound? world, the Middle Ages, and the Renaissance. Topics include religion and In addition to learning the skills required in college, academia, and medicine; medicine in the Islamicate world; women and healing; patients professional world, the freshman seminar on Techno-ethics will explore and practitioners. the ethical issues involved in technological designs. Students will learn Area: Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences how to identify groups of people who could be harmed by technologies, how to detect factors that may result in unethical use of technologies, AS.140.106. History of Modern Medicine. 3 Credits. and how to pay attention to social dynamics that could turn even useful The history of medicine and public health from the Enlightenment to the technologies into a nightmare. present, with emphasis on ideas, science, practices, practitioners, and Area: Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences institutions, and the relationship of these to the broad social context.
    [Show full text]
  • Arizona State University B0167
    U.S. Department of Education Washington, D.C. 20202-5335 APPLICATION FOR GRANTS UNDER THE National Resource Centers and Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships CFDA # 84.015A PR/Award # P015A180167 Gramts.gov Tracking#: GRANT12660448 OMB No. , Expiration Date: Closing Date: Jun 25, 2018 PR/Award # P015A180167 **Table of Contents** Form Page 1. Application for Federal Assistance SF-424 e3 2. Standard Budget Sheet (ED 524) e6 3. Assurances Non-Construction Programs (SF 424B) e8 4. Disclosure Of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) e10 5. ED GEPA427 Form e11 Attachment - 1 (1236-GEPA 427 Response) e12 6. Grants.gov Lobbying Form e13 7. Dept of Education Supplemental Information for SF-424 e14 8. ED Abstract Narrative Form e15 Attachment - 1 (1235-Abstract ASU Asia UG NRC FLAS 2018) e16 9. Project Narrative Form e17 Attachment - 1 (1237-project narative final) e18 10. Other Narrative Form e78 Attachment - 1 (1238-CV) e79 Attachment - 2 (1239-Position Descriptions) e123 Attachment - 3 (1240-Course list) e126 Attachment - 4 (1241-Performance Measures) e142 Attachment - 5 (1242-Letters of support) e145 11. Budget Narrative Form e152 Attachment - 1 (1234-BudgetNarrative.pdf - Adobe Acrobat Pro) e153 This application was generated using the PDF functionality. The PDF functionality automatically numbers the pages in this application. Some pages/sections of this application may contain 2 sets of page numbers, one set created by the applicant and the other set created by e-Application's PDF functionality. Page numbers created by the e-Application PDF functionality will be preceded by the letter e (for example, e1, e2, e3, etc.). Page e2 OMB Number: 4040-0004 Expiration Date: 12/31/2019 Application for Federal Assistance SF-424 * 1.
    [Show full text]
  • ©2015 George W. Boone
    ©2015 George W. Boone VIDEO GAME RHETORIC AND MATERIALIST CONTINGENCY: GENRE, CIRCULATION, AND NARRATIVE BY GEORGE W. BOONE DISSERTATION Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Communication in the Graduate College of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2015 Urbana, Illinois Doctoral Committee: Associate Professor Ned O'Gorman, Chair Associate Professor Cara A. Finnegan Professor Susan Davis Associate Professor Kevin Hamilton ABSTRACT As technology changes, people find new ways to entertain themselves, tell stories, and create imaginary worlds. This dissertation examines the development of Dragon Quest, a video game created for Nintendo’s Famicom game console. I argue Dragon Quest provides insights into the rhetorical techniques that comprise video game design. Attending to Dragon Quest as digital rhetoric highlights how rhetorical contingencies shape the invention of, engagement with, and circulation of video games. This rhetorical analysis analyzes technical documents, business contracts, and popular video game press to provide a historical understanding of the economic, social, and aesthetic exigencies that shaped Dragon Quest. In the first chapter, I trace the emergence of the role-playing game (RPG) in the United States, how it traveled to Japan, and the ways Dragon Quest utilized conventions of this genre. In the second chapter, I attend to the patterns of circulation that Dragon Quest traveled once it left Japan and Enix sold it to North Americans as Dragon Warrior. Chapter three looks at how Dragon Quest creates a linear narrative form through the management of game spaces. The dissertation concludes by arguing that rhetorical analysis of a video game as rhetorical history brings new understandings to how critics might engage the material and economic components of genre, circulation, and narrative.
    [Show full text]
  • MT-Project Isabella Wagner 1114
    MASTERARBEIT Titel der Masterarbeit Gaining a Picture of Science? Visualisations in the Research Community of Scientometrics and Informetrics A Case Study at the ISSI Conference 2013 verfasst von Isabella Elisabeth Wagner angestrebter akademischer Grad Master of Arts (MA) Wien, 2014 Studienkennzahl lt. Studienblatt: A 066 906 Studienrichtung lt. Studienblatt: Masterstudium Science-Technology-Society Betreut von: Univ. Prof. Dr. Ulrike Felt 2 Content 1. Introduction .................................................................................................................... 5 2. Visualisations in Scientometrics ..................................................................................... 8 2.1. Scientometrics ........................................................................................................ 8 2.1.1. Entering the Discipline ..................................................................................... 8 2.1.2. Entering the Community ................................................................................ 12 2.2. Illustrating Dynamics in Science ............................................................................ 14 2.3. Representations of Scientific Knowledge .............................................................. 17 2.3.1. Production ..................................................................................................... 19 2.3.2. Engagement .................................................................................................. 21 2.3.3. Deployment
    [Show full text]
  • Science and Technology Studies: Exploring the Knowledge Base
    Science and Technology Studies: Exploring the Knowledge Base Ben R. Martin *†, Paul Nightingale * and Alfredo Yegros-Yegros ‡ Abstract One of a number of new research fields to emerge over the last four or five decades is Science and Technology Studies (STS). This paper attempts to identify the core contributions to this emerging field. Following the methodology developed by Fagerberg and Sapprasert (2010) in their parallel study of Innovation Studies, it adopts the perspective of the authors of individual chapters in a number of authoritative ‘handbooks’, analysing the references cited by these authors. The assumption is that these authors will collectively have been reasonably systematic and comprehensive in their efforts to identify the core contributions to the field of STS. The study analyses those publications that have been most highly cited by the handbook authors, examining the content of those core publications and what they reveal about the various phases in the development of STS, as well as identifying the most prominent authors and the institutions in which they are based. In the second part of the empirical study, we analyse the ‘users’ of the STS core contributions – in other words, the authors that have cited these contributions in their own work. This includes looking at the research fields of the users, the journals in which they publish, and their geographical location. The paper concludes with some comparisons between STS and the fields of Innovation Studies and Entrepreneurship, in particular with regard to the role of ‘institution builders’ in helping to develop a new research field. 1. Introduction Over the last few decades, numerous new research fields in the social and natural sciences have formed, frequently at the interstices of established disciplines.
    [Show full text]
  • Technology & Culture in America
    Technology & Culture in America 01.050.314.01 – Spring 2010 Department of American Studies – Rutgers University Mondays 6:40PM-9:30PM – Lucy Stone Hall A143 Course SAKAI Site: https://sakai.rutgers.edu/portal/site/techculturefall2010 Course Blog: http://techculturefall2010.blogspot.com/ Instructor Matthew B. Ferguson, M.C.R.P. E-mail: [email protected] (Subject Line: Technology & Culture-Monday) Office Hours Monday 5:30PM – 6:30PM & By Arrangement Office Hours Location: Livingston Student Center 107D Required Texts Computers - The Life Story of Technology (Approx $17.00) By: Eric Swedin & Dave Ferro- ISBN: 9780801887741 Technopoly - The Surrender of Culture to Technology (Approx $10.00) By: Neil Postman - ISBN: 9780679745402 The World and Wikipedia – How We Are Editing Reality (Approx $25.00) By: Andrew Dalby - ISBN: 9780956205209 Made to Break – Technology and Obsolescence in America (Approx $18.00) By: Giles Slade - ISBN: 9780674025721 The Facebook Effect (Approx $17.00) By: David Kirkpatrick - ISBN: 9781439102114 Additional Readings on SAKAI site or provided by Instructor (Free!) Books are available at online retailers such as BN.com, Amazon.com & Half.com Course Description This course looks to examine the effects of web 2.0, social media and digital technology on American culture and identity. This course will take an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the growing phenomenon of user generated web content and interactive multimedia technology paying special attention to how these institutions are changing how we access information, how we communicate and how we identify within our culture. Additionally, this course will explore the potential consequences of multimedia technology on current and future generations and representations of race, class, gender and sexuality within these media outlets.
    [Show full text]