Annotated Bibliography Style Sheet

Meagan Loftin [Header]

Critical Approach: Historical Theory

Primary Source: [Underlined]

1. Cloverfield. Dir. Matt Reeves. Prod. Jeffrey Abrams and Bryan Burk. By Drew Goddard. Perf. Lizzy Caplan, Jessica Lucas, and T. J. Miller. Paramount Pictures, 2008. DVD. [Correct MLA Citation Numbered]

A group of friends throw a party for Rob, who is leaving New York to go and work in Japan. As the party progresses, however, violent shakes and explosions herald the arrival of an unknown creature, which begins its rampage by throwing the head of the Statue of Liberty down into a street. Told from the viewfinder of their video camera, Cloverfield shows how Rob and his friends venture deep into the streets of New York, determined to rescue Rob's true love from her destroyed apartment building in midtown. [Summary]

One of the interesting choices is how long it takes for us to see the monster and that choice along with the first person POV increases the tension as we follow the main characters through the city. The Monster might be an allegory for the carnage 9/11 inflicted on New York, much the same way Godzilla was meant to be an allegory for the damage inflicted on Japan by the atom bomb. There are moments seemingly recreating the documentary footage from 9/11. I can analyze that footage to interpret the film as a product of post-9/11 fears as an unknown and largely unseen terror arises from its sleep to destroy the city. [Assessment/Reflection]

Secondary Sources

1. Green, John. ”How Nerdfighters Drop Insults.” 2007. Video Blog. YouTube (Web). 11 Feb 2012.

This vlog segment was made by John Green, an author of popular fiction and half of the Volgbrothers. The Vlogbrothers are the core of Nerdfighteria, a culture based upon embracing and uniting in the modern identity of nerd. In the video, John asks why the word nerd is considered insulting at all, and depicts it in a manner similar to my definition above- at its core, he asserts, being a nerd is about being intellectual and unashamedly passionate about ideas. He then proceeds to offer up a number of Shakespearean insults intended to create contrast with the popular insults of today.

Green’s deconstruction of the word nerd as an insult, though brief, is effective, and Including it in my paper will help me to articulate my new definition. The fact that Green makes these popular videos and that the Nerdfighters exist at all is testament to the strength of a positive definition of the word nerd- it has united many and created a positive, supportive culture that openly defies society’s condemnation. 2. Kendall, Lori. "`The Nerd Within’: Mass Media and the Negotiation of Identity Among Computer- Using Men." Journal of Men's Studies. 7.3 (1999): 353-69. Web. 13 Feb. 2012.

In this article, Kendall explores the way in which nerds are viewed by society and how this perception affects the way in which nerds form and position their own identities. She does this mainly by examining the portrayal of nerds in the film series ‘Revenge of the Nerds’ and by quoting from her experience participating in an internet forum populated by nerds. The paper ultimately explores the way in which nerds relate to the masculine, white hegemony and to other “oppressed” groups, especially African Americans. She concludes that the nerd stereotype provides a framework on which nerds build their identities, and that the nerd has come to represent oppressed people generally, to the detriment of African Americans and women.

This is a scholarly article and a secondary source, as it analyzes primary sources (specifically films and forum transcripts) and does not present actual data. In redefining the word nerd, I have sought to make it more inclusive by removing reference to many of the elements of the stereotypical (white male) nerd. This article supports the idea that this is a socially-progressive action, as it could break down the public image of nerds that Kendall argues may be harmful to actual oppressed groups.

3. Rentzsch, Katrin, Astrid Schutz, and Michela Schroder-Abe. "Being Labeled Nerd: Factors That Influence the Social Acceptance of High-Achieving Students." Journal of Experimental Education. 79.2 (2011): 143-168. Web. 11 Feb. 2012.

The authors of this study sought to investigate how several key personality and behavioral factors influence the way that children labeled and at risk of being labeled with the title nerd are viewed by their classmates. They hypothesize that modesty about high academic performance, a lack of visible effort, engagement in sports, and sociability will all increase the likeability of potential nerds. They then present the results of two studies which consisted of presenting students with short vignettes that describe a hypothetical average student or a hypothetical student identified as a nerd in terms of the traits listed above and asking the subjects whether they liked or did not like the described person.

Though the studies were fairly small (approximately 300 students for the second, 100 for the first) and though they were based in Germany, their results still provide general indicators for how nerds are viewed by their peers in childhood. This information will be useful in deconstructing exactly what the word means and why it is defined negatively. Since my redefinition has nerds defined by their intellectual efforts, this study could act as a counterargument, supporting the idea that my definition would further isolate nerds from society as children. However, I intend to argue that my definition will increase sociability between nerds, and this study indicates that this may increase their likeability as well.

Etc. [5 secondary sources]