peer review

Adam Ringler
Evaluation of Hypertext Response Essays



Many of my fellow English 138 students produced thoughtful, well presented responses to the underlying tension between media ownership and democracy. I chose three students n particular that I find particularly deserving of A’s.

Nicolas Feigenbaum: When reading site after site I began to notice a trend in the way that the essays were introduced. Nicolas began his discussion with an anecdote that drew me into his discussion. His introduction was fresh and made me curious to read more. The substance of his work is complete, clear, and intelligent. His argument for democracy is presented in an unbiased way, yet he makes his position clear. One of the challenging parts of this essay was to include a variety of authors, sites, and groups into the discussion of democratic media. The most effective presentations did not appear to force these elements into their discussion. Nicolas used them strategically yet naturally, strengthening his argument with each example. Finally, his design is unique, mature, and easy to navigate. It is clear he is one of the most advanced and experienced in our class when it comes to Dreamweaver and site development.

Lauren Tsugawa: Lauren’s site has all the elements I would look for
A-quality work. Her layout is both aesthetically pleasing and easy to navigate. The site has the feel of a professionally designed page, from the organization to the presentation. The content of her discussion is also of the highest quality. She clearly has a thorough understanding of the fundamental concepts presented by Jenkins and Lessig, She uses these ideas to engage in a important discussion of fan participation content. Like Nick, her inclusion of the required material does not feel forced. Overall, Lauren’s discussion is both accessible and extremely intelligent.

Jamie Coakley: Jamie’s essay is one of the best because she provides a detailed, well written argument that is fair to both sides of the debate. She makes her own opinion clear while remaining fair to the other side. Her inclusion of authors, sites, and groups is balanced and complete. It is clear she is very comfortable with the material Stylistically, her design is in no way the most flashy or advanced. It is black and white and in standard font. It is not clear from this page that she possesses the Dreamweaver mastery of Nicolas and Lauren. Yet in a sense, such a presentation is most effective. For me, an essay where the design becomes more elaborate than the discussion is not successful. Jamie’s layout has a scholarly feel presented in a very simple, yet pleasing fashion.

I believe my own essay is comparable, yet not quite at the level of these three sites. Though I feel as though I have an equally complete understanding of the material, my discussion is not quite as thorough or well constructed. I believe my writing is on par, but my design elements are definitely lacking. Nicolas and Lauren clearly have a fuller mastery of the Dreamweaver software. Their designs are fresh and stand out compared to the others. I also find Jamie’s simple presentation to be elegant and effective. One element of my work that is unique is my creation of participatory media.