As technology advances, it is important to look at the role of intertextuality within digital spaces. Doug Eyman discusses this in his book “Defining and Locating Digital Rhetoric”. Eyman seems to argue that the Web must be viewed in a different light than it is currently. As it stands, online platforms are seen as digital text. In other words, there is no difference between a physical piece of literature and the digital transcription of that piece. Eyman believes that this must change. He urges researchers in the English field to account for the gaps between traditional and digital texts.
Document Design
This concept that Eyman discusses connects to a previous blog post I have written. Within this post, I reflected on the article “Beyond Black on White: Document Design and Formatting in the Writing Classroom” by Klein and Shackelford. One of the key ideas that I discussed was the basic format of how a piece of literature is designed. Whether it be a book, a letter, a poem, etc., each piece of writing has a specific document design. The same applies for digital spaces. A book is a platform for writing. The internet is another platform. These platforms follow the same document design. This concept goes hand in hand with intertextuality. The idea that all documents have a specific design connects with the idea that all texts are interconnected. Therefore, digital rhetoric will vary from the traditional rhetoric individuals are used to seeing with writing.
Shifting Intertextuality in Society
With a society that is changing in its technological capacity on a daily basis, it is critical to evaluate how technology changes the atmosphere for writing. I would like to argue that nearly every individual uses technology for writing. From comments on social media to research papers, we are all adjusting to this new world. Intertextuality is no longer simply physical texts, but instead, intertextuality deals with digital text as well. This shift from physical to digital platforms is a change that requires more than a simple adjustment. It is something that must be analyzed and studied in order to best advance English studies.
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