Methods xpub

Intro:

The Reading, Writing, and Research Methodologies Seminar is tailored towards (further) developing research methods within the first year of this master. By establishing a solid foundation of research skills, it will eventually prepare students for their Graduate research in the second year. Through reading core theoretical texts, they will establish a common vocabulary and set of references to work from. They will learn the practice of classic ‘essayistic methodologies’, including close reading, annotation, description and notation, students learn to survey a body of literature, filter what is relevant to their research and create comparative pieces of analysis. The seminar helps students to establish methodical drafting processes for their texts, where they can develop ideas further and structure their use of notes and references. The course takes as axiomatic that the perceived division between ‘practice’ and ‘theory’ is essentially an illusion.

Curriculum: The seminar will involve:

(a.) Identifying the object of your research: description and analysis of your work

(b.) Contextualizing your work through description and reflection on contemporary and historical practices.

(c.) Identify research material key to your practice.

(d.) Synopsis and annotation of key texts

(e.) Writing machines: creating methods for group and individual writing.

Throughout, there will be an emphasis on working collectively, whether in a larger discussion group or in smaller reading and writing groups.

Editing Reading, Writing & Research Methodologies - handbook information

https://xpub.pzimediadesign.nl/curriculum.html

Plagiarism

Simple Wiki Style Sheet:

Titles and works = italics

Essays = Title in Caps

Notation = Harvard System (writer, page number) = (Smith, 26)

URL = make link

Guide to Essay Writing

A Guide to Essay Writing

Franc Gonzalez

First Draft (needs to be completed)

1) Writer: describe, in your own words, what the text (s) you are reading are about.

“The Art of Cybernetic Union” explores colour-blindness condition from artist Neil Harbisson, by analysing the advantages of connecting technology to a human, as a way to improve and broaden its natural given characteristics, when a particular disorder appears to be affecting the functions of the body. Although the unique possibilities to improving human physical or cognitive limitations by plugging a body to an electronic or mechanical device are yet very hypothetical and might extend beyond our imagination, technology is nevertheless continuously transforming the classic and fictional conception of cybernetics to a more realistic evidence. The communications between both automated and living systems are continuously evolving, upgrading and rising up advanced engineered tools, which might not only be able to increase our knowledge but also expand our senses, consequently inducing a wider, deeper and exclusive experience.

Neil Harbisson developed the ‘eyeborg’, a device that attaches to his head that uses a software and a sensor to transfer the natural wavelength of a colour’s tone into audible frequencies to the brain, allowing to conduct sound through the skull (whether for normal, weaken or damage hearing) enabling him to perceive colours in a complete different way as humans do. As a result of this transformation, he has not only adapted to an alternative new domain of codified information but simultaneously become significantly precise with detecting colours, proving that knowledge can reach superior states by implanting enginery. Moreover, he has increased awareness by upgrading the ‘eyeborg’ to a more sophisticated audio input that detects ultrasound, infrasound, ultraviolet waves and wifi signals with a 360-degree perception. To a certain extent, changing one’s senses for new better mechanical ones, can mislead to ethical interpretations manifesting on specific behavioural principles that might presume of the given nature as granted or unchangeable. However, whether or not technology might be detaching us from each other, the fact of being able to experience beyond our senses things we normally lack by interacting to cybernetics, it would indeed be a more efficient way to predict and have control over specific situations around us. Ironically and contrarily to what human qualities really applies for, Harbisson believes that technology could actually connect us all closer to better comprehend nature, while removing our fears from imaginary dangers, in fact he feels more connected to it than before.

2) Why this text is of interest to you?

It is interesting to make a union between technology and human perception and how this can assist people with rare conditions or disabilities carry on with their lives creatively to be actively not only part of society, but of a distinctive, exceptional and special view of art where imagination and inspiration are enticed by extrasensory computerized gadgets. In a world where art and the use of creative ideas used to be commonly related to artisans, it is nowadays broadening to a wider field where science, its engineers and neuroscientists have been particularly responsible for the fascinating and (in many cases as with Harbisson’s “eyeborg”) unpredictable powerfully compelling effects of connecting electronical devices to our bodies or brains. That can lead us all to new ingenious and insightful thinking, through which we might probably be able to turn ourselves into remote controls being able to operate multiple software at a distance, which in a pedagogic and psychic way it could enhance learning, reading, working or transmitting/communicating thoughts almost telepathically to people while dematerializing information or other tangible strains. In the age of information technology, artificial intelligence is moulding data into disembodied and accessible sources that carries and emerges a specific cultural dimension of man and machine; the “posthuman”. A new range of future cybernetic systems has to be further explored in order to compromise and implicate technology for our living needs but also to question reality and its boundaries in society, freeing individuals to independently merge their qualities to any tool that facilitates a lively feedback/transmission experience, whether or not coming from machinery or seemingly against nature’s constitution fundamental principles.

3) What is its relation to yourself directed research?

I am personally interested about our evolution on how we perceive information, and as a result new knowledge, thinking or reasoning based on cognitive experiences that gradually nurtures our understanding of the social life-frame we live in and its diverse environment. Harbisson’s colour-blindness is a particular example of many others prosthetic-like devices that needs to be functional through yet complicated procedures, in which a series of electrodes requires to be implanted onto certain areas of the brain’s surface (right inside the skull) in order to effectively transmit or stimulate electronic signals to and how do we extend our knowledge beyond our human capacity

Detaching from technology makes us feel that we lose part of our senses. Digital Prosthetics. “Just that process of putting it in is a dangerous thing to do. You are still invading the body and you’d be wanting to make sure that the benefit outweighs the risk,” he says. The quest for more accurate, less invasive alternatives will no doubt continue. But even with the best emerging technology, there are risks to connecting our minds with machines.

4) How can you turn the questions these texts raise into work?

Outcome of the seminar (trimester three)

The specific outcome for the RW&RM seminar of 2016-17 will be a 1500 word text which reflects on your own method and situates your work in relation to a broader artistic and cultural context. The various texts produced within the RW&RM seminar will serve as source material for your text on method. In common with all modules on the course RW&RM serves to support your self-directed research. Therefore, the text on method will inform your Self-Evaluation at the end of the third trimester and provide the basis for your Graduate Project Proposal that you will produce in the fourth trimester.

Key texts that will inform this course

XPUB Reader

16 Nov = DEADLINE FOR ESSAY FIRST DRAFT, REVIEW

Todays task

Give a title

Make an abstract (two to three sentences which give outline of the text- answer: what do you want this text to do?)

Use the Harvard method to make references

Make bibliography

Useful links:

Notes on Harvard method are here:

A Guide to Essay Writing

Jstor is a very useful resource

http://www.jstor.org/

This is the guideline from the last session:

Describe, in your own words, what the text (s) you are reading are about.

Why this text is of interest to you?

What is its relation to your self directed research?

How can you turn the questions these texts raise into work?

Make link to your drafts here >

9 Nov

Lesson plan:

Continuing from the last session

The aim between now and the end of the trimester to write an essay (1500 words max).

This week we will discuss the material you are working on and next session (next week) we will review the first drafts.

Aim of essay: Choose two texts that have been reading which have a relation to each other and make a comparison.

To do so you will need to make a synopsis of the texts (outline what the thesis of each is = what is the text about? = what does it have to say?).

Groups of three: Make notes on the pad of what your peers have to say.

http://piratepad.net/zjuOfHBY37

1) Writer: describe, in your own words, what the text (s) you are reading are about.

2) Readers: make notes on the pad of what your peer is saying.

Readers, ask:

3) Why this text is of interest to you?

4) What is its relation to your self directed research?

At 16:30 we meet as a group to review work done.

12 Oct

Lesson Plan

So far you have

(1) made a brief description (what, how and why?) of a project you worked on

and

(2) made notes on a lecture by Vilém Flusser and/ or Marshall McLuhan

If you have not done so, please make a link from the methods page to those texts: like this:

https://pzwiki.wdka.nl/mediadesign/User:Francg/expub/media-wiriting

or this

https://pzwiki.wdka.nl/mediadesign/User:Eastwood

(3) For Wednesday's session: Bring along a text you are reading or want to read in the near future.

Please choose a* text* that has a relation to the work you are doing on the course.

For instance, a text that may have been referred to in Florian's seminar; a text you have discussed in tutorials; or a text you have encountered in your self-directed research.

In this session we will devote time to making a synopsis of the text and ask how we unpick and follow productive research strands.