Essay 1: Harold Innis will be posted on BB DUE Feb 14 by 5pm in Rick's mailbox UC 173
How would Harold Innis (died 1952) analyze the Internet? Based on class readings and your
experience as an Internet user, does the Internet reflect Innis’ understanding of Oral tradition?
Written tradition? Both? Something else? There is no ‘correct’ answer here. Consider this a
persuasive essay in which you connect the theories of Innis to your experiences of the Internet
— including social networking tools or other applications, software, and mobile devices related
to your daily use of the Internet.
Maximum 700 words, or approximately two pages in length.
General thoughts:
Think about your assumptions or things you take for granted that underlie your experience as an
internet user, be reflective, jot down notes about innis before get started
General guidelines:
Think about boundaries, only 1 or 2 of Innis' ideas (oral tradition, written tradition, knowledge
and power, bias) introduce ideas upfront, fast pretend Jeff doesn't really know much.
Personal experience with it, get specific, how it is part of your daily life, down to applications,
programs, aspects and functions of fb, how you use it and affect your daily life and relate to
Innis. Choose 1 example on the internet to make it more focused.
Examples: Youtube. How Google trying to dominate... Microsoft. Nature of online courses...
Can use 'I', first opinion based on your experiences, but still need evidence and arguments
May write in a journalist style - like telling a story, BUT STILL CITE WORK, double space, can
cite lectures
Specific Things TA looking for:
Connect ideas to personal experience
Traditional thesis? Should have an idea on where you stand, have an opinion, statement. This is
what I think about Innis...
Not big questions about revolutionary...
Consistent style: MLA, APA, etc.
Will get detailed feedback from TA
Next class: Star, Michael Cooke, 3-4, on Rob Ford and mass media
RESPONSIBLE FO WHAT HE SAYS ON THE EXAM
Bias of writing, print, can't go back and forth or engage in long exploration
Factual, cut dry info
We only know the written tradition through the reflection of oral? - Innis
Noah Chomsky? Media critic. Challenge mainstream media
Media in democracy here is not that different from mass media controlled by gov, ministry of
propg
Reflect what people with power, gov want people to think, only difference is flavor
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