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American Literature
Career
English Literature
Grammar
History
Information Technology
Photography
Religion
Research
Sociology
Theater
American Literature
Alice Walker and The Color Purple: Inside a Modern American Classic: Item # 7502
This masterfully filmed interview with the Pulitzer Prize-winning author juxtaposes her comments and literary recitations with dramatic interpretations from Steven Spielberg’s film. Walker reveals the characters as actual people from her childhood. Describing the work as honoring the dignity of all people, especially black women, Walker offers the novel as an example of the power of art as a weapon against racism and sexism. The importance of interpreting literary tradition in the context of history and culture is examined. Director Steven Spielberg is also interviewed. A BBC Production. (62 minutes)
Alice Walker: “Everyday Use”: Item; 32512
Maggie sees the old family quilt—an heirloom already promised to her—as something with practical utility as well as tradition. Her educated, social activist sister wants to hang it on the wall as folk art. With whom will their mother side? A study in class differences and the reclamation of Black history, Alice Walker’s short story "Everyday Use" is beautifully realized in this dramatization. (26 minutes)
Emily Dickinson: Item # 32794
While many of her literary peers achieved notoriety, “the woman in white” remained virtually unknown—by choice. The self-imposed obscurity of Emily Dickinson is just one of many aspects of her life that this program explores. Blending daguerreotypes, paintings, manuscripts, excerpts from Dickinson’s letters, and readings from nearly a dozen of her poems, this program presents the biography of one of America’s most unique and influential voices in poetry. (20 minutes)
Eudora Welty: “A Worn Path”; Item # 9138
On a "bright, frozen day" in Mississippi, 95-year-old Phoenix Jackson makes her mythic journey into town for the medicine her grandson needs. Touching upon themes of family, love, aging, and poverty, this dramatization of Eudora Welty’s classic story "A Worn Path" provides both a heroic image of the human spirit enduring against tremendous odds and a poignant commentary on the African-American experience. An interview with Welty herself by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Beth Henley concludes the program. (32 minutes)
James Baldwin: Item # 7676
This program covers Baldwin’s life, from his youth in Harlem to later years as an expatriate in Paris to his death in 1987. Interviews with the author, his contemporaries, and critics create an intriguing portrait of Baldwin the man, the writer, and avid civil rights activist. The program explores Baldwin’s views on the African-American experience through his writings, which include the novels Go Tell It on the Mountain and Tell Me How Long the Train’s Been Gone and the play The Amen Corner. A BBC Production. (54 minutes)
John Steinbeck and the American Experience: Item # 9326
This program is a comprehensive portrait of John Steinbeck and the America he depicted, providing students with an appreciation of one of the 20th century’s definitive literary voices. Incorporating historic events ranging in magnitude from the devastating Dust Bowl to poignant local histories, Steinbeck portrayed a nation ravaged by poverty and injustice, in which his characters, often drawn from real life, grapple with conditions and events beyond their control. (45 minutes)
Kate Chopin: “The Joy that Kills”: Item # 817
This is the widely heralded adaptation of the short story by Kate Chopin, the late-19th-century writer whose work is only now receiving the major recognition it deserves. The setting is Kate Chopin’s own world—the world of the upper-class Creole society that dominated New Orleans in the 1870s, a world with a strict code of behavior, one of whose strongest tenets required a wife to subordinate her will and her very being to her husband. Produced and directed by Tina Rathborne. (56 minutes)
Kate Chopin: Five Stories of an Hour: Item # 2799
This program consists of five versions of the same short story, "The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin, who scandalized American readers in the late 19th century by questioning the social and marital mores of her time. The story examines the behavior and feelings of a woman on the day she is informed of her husband's death. The program includes a reading of the story by Zoe Wanamaker, plus dramatizations by playwrights Kathleen Potter, David Stafford, and Michelene Wandor. (26 minutes)
Langston Hughes: “Salvation”: Item # 30667
"I was saved from sin when I was going on 13. But not really saved. It happened like this…" So begins this powerful dramatization of "Salvation," Langston Hughes’ eloquent autobiographical story that illustrates how his aunt’s well-meaning efforts to bring him into the spiritual fold resulted in a moral crisis. Calmly waiting for Jesus to appear to him in the hot, crowded church, young Langston’s anticipation changes to confusion and disillusion when pressured to choose between being true to himself or fulfilling the expectations of the preacher, his aunt, and the rest of the congregation. (31 minutes)
Langston Hughes: His Life and Times: Item # 31533
In this program, Pulitzer Prize-winner Alice Walker and renowned Langston Hughes biographer Arnold Rampersad talk about "The Poet Laureate of Harlem" with award-winning filmmaker Bruce Schwartz. Together they discuss experiences that shaped young Langston, how he came to be a writer, the beauty of his writing style, his practice of reaching out to aspiring writers, and the Harlem Renaissance as a literary and cultural watershed. They also discuss the force of religion in Southern Christian African-American communities and "Salvation," Hughes’ coming-of-age story deftly brought to the screen by Schwartz. (26 minutes)
Nathaniel Hawthorne: “Young Goodman Brown”: Item # 10200
Was there evil lurking in the gloomy New England woods the night that young Goodman Brown went on his secret errand? Or did he bring the evil with him, locked within his own heart? This program features an outstanding adaptation of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s classic tale—shot on location in historic Salem—that deftly captures the story’s mystery and menace. In addition, a discussion of the life of Hawthorne and the Salem witch trials provides the historical context for this dark gem of American fiction. (43 minutes)
The New England Transcendentalists: Item # 7073
Expert interviews, dramatic re-creations at Walden Pond, and readings from major works are used to explore the evolution of the American Transcendentalist Movement in the early 19th century. The lives and writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Margaret Fuller, and Henry David Thoreau are examined to discover the spiritual foundations for America’s first authentic literary voice. Experts include Harvard University Professor Lawrence Buell, University of South Carolina Professor Joel Myerson, and the authors of three current biographies on Emerson, Fuller, and Thoreau. (27 minutes) Touted as one of the first major feminist writers, Charlotte Perkins Gilman spent her life fighting to liberate women from the yoke of domesticity. This is a stunning BBC dramatization of Gilman’s autobiographical account of a woman driven to madness by the repressive mores of Victorian culture. Stephen Dillon as the husband, John, and Julia Watson as the despondent heroine give stellar performances in this production directed by the BBC’s John Clive. (76 minutes)
Walt Whitman: Item # 32793
A self-styled sketch runs, “Walt Whitman, an American, one of the roughs, a kosmos.” He could have added journalist, carpenter, nurse, and one of the greatest poets in English. This program presents a unique literary biography, tracing Whitman’s childhood, various careers, and the evolution of the masterpiece that proved his lifelong work, Leaves of Grass. A collage of photos, paintings, and manuscripts accompanies excerpts of letters from Whitman and Ralph Waldo Emerson, as well as readings from sections of Leaves of Grass, such as “Song of Myself,” “I Sing the Body Electric,” and “Native Moments.” (22 minutes)
The Yellow Wallpaper: Item # 8271
Touted as one of the first major feminist writers, Charlotte Perkins Gilman spent her life fighting to liberate women from the yoke of domesticity. This is a stunning BBC dramatization of Gilman’s autobiographical account of a woman driven to madness by the repressive mores of Victorian culture. Stephen Dillon as the husband, John, and Julia Watson as the despondent heroine give stellar performances in this production directed by the BBC’s John Clive. (76 minutes)
English Literature
A Prologue to Chaucer: Item # 998
A scholarly program that reaches out to students of The Canterbury Tales to relate its characters and themes to everyday life in late-14th-century England. Period art of exceptional richness is combined with location photography that retraces the April pilgrimage to Archbishop Becket’s shrine at Canterbury; excerpts are read from various tales; and the famous beginning is heard in Middle English. Written by Velma B. Richmond, produced by the University of California, Berkeley. (29 minutes)
History
Ancient Greece: Item # 8685
Whether looking at Western language, history, or institutions, no other civilization has so greatly influenced our contemporary world. This program re-creates the Greek world, from the morning market to the evening symposiums, from burial rituals to the Olympics. Beginning with Homer’s account of the Trojan War, this program explores Greek civilization using 3-D re-creations of the Parthenon and Agora, maps, and commentary by scholars to provide insight into the daily lives of Greek citizens. (46 minutes)
Ancient Rome: Item # 8684
At its zenith, the Roman Empire included North Africa, Spain, France, and Britain. The wealth that these conquests generated allowed Roman citizens to live in a sumptuous world of beautifully decorated homes and opulent cities. In this program, scholars discuss Roman unification of Europe, Roman culture and institutions, and the family structure. The role of the army as a major force in Roman society and politics, along with its military structure and tactics, are discussed. The Christianization of Rome and the enduring legacy of Roman Law and institutions in Western government today are also analyzed. 3-D re-creations of the Coliseum and Pompeii allow students to see Rome as it was before the empire collapsed. (49 minutes)
Birth Struggle of the 1964 Civil Rights Act: Item #29839
This documentary from the CBS News Archives examines the stormy passage of civil rights bill H.R. 7152 through the House of Representatives. The program, filmed in 1964, begins with a report on the controversial bill’s history, from its introduction by John F. Kennedy to the eve of its debate on the Senate floor. Following that report, Eric Sevareid moderates as Senators Hubert Humphrey and Strom Thurmond engage in a live television debate on the bill’s merits. Footage of John and Robert Kennedy, Justice Department officials Nicholas Katzenbach and Burke Marshall, President Lyndon Johnson, and the racial clashes of the early 1960s captures the tension and drama surrounding the most comprehensive civil rights law since Reconstruction. Produced by CBS NEWS. (55 minutes, b&w)
Native Americans: Celebrating Traditions: Item # 12107
Once forced to hide their heritage, Native Americans now enjoy both an acceptance and a celebration of their history and culture. By presenting the experiences of Native Americans from a wide array of fields including artisans, performers, and teachers, this program shows how many tribes are returning to the traditions and spirituality of their ancestors. Among those interviewed are Kevin Locke, award-winning Native American vocalist; Wilma Mankiller, the first woman in modern history to lead a tribe; and Richard West, Director of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian. (30 minutes)
Photography
Half Past Autumn: The Life and Art of Gordon Parks
Item # 8750
Gordon Parks' early family life of poverty in Kansas and his mother's influence helped him become successful as he documented the lives of AmericaÕs poor through photography in the 1940s.
The Hungry Eye: Walker Evans Item# 10944
The stark, deceptively simple photographs of Walker Evans have become a part of America's collective memory, forever capturing the places and faces of times long gone. In this program, NewsHour correspondent Ray Suarez outlines Evans' life while talking with Jeff Rosenheim, curator of photography at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Evans' close friend William Christenberry, about the late photographer's approach to his art, his collaboration with writer James Agee on Let Us Now Praise Famous Men, his love of advertising signage, and other topics.
Stryker's America: Photographing the Great Depression Item # 37533
Roy E. Stryker headed the Historical Division of the Farm Security Administration from 1935 to 1943. This program tells the story of how Stryker, a low-level federal bureaucrat with integrity and vision, managed a massive New Deal project to document the Great Depression.
Decoding Photographic Images: Item 30807
When setting up a shot, a photographer works with composition, lighting, and color to create a subliminal subtext that reinforces or even carries the meaning of his or her subject. This program illustrates how basic components of photography—line, shape, form, texture, balance, volume duality, point of view, depth of field, and perspective—contribute to an image’s impact on the subconscious mind. Commentary is provided by Herb Zettl, author of the seminal Sight Sound Motion, and photographers Jo Whaley, Stephen Johnson, Larry Sultan, and Catherine Wagner. (27 minutes)
Introduction to Photography and Visual Literacy: Item 30805
This program takes a close look at the vital importance of visual language skills, how information overload is shortening the human attention span, the proliferation of iconographic communication, and implications for America’s education system. A capsule history of photography, with insights into the medium’s future, is included. (27 minutes)
Magic of the Image: Photography Revealed: Item 8995
This elegant program artistically unfolds the history of photography, including the contributions of Joseph Niépce, Louis Daguerre, Fox Talbot, and the Lumières, with an emphasis on the processes involved in creating photographs. The chemistry of modern film development is described in detail, using computer imaging to illustrate the mechanics of the exposure and development processes. In addition, the recently rediscovered Niépce process is demonstrated for the first time on film, along with the daguerreotype process. (27 minutes)
Persuasion, Propaganda, and Photography: Item # 30811
This program addresses the emotionally manipulative power of photography by illustrating how commercial advertising has created an obsession with youth and physical perfection and can exploit viewers’ fascinations with celebrity, sexuality, and violence. The video also demonstrates how photogenic people who adroitly use the visual media have come to dominate the political scene. Commentary is provided by Steve Luker, formerly a creative director with Publicis & Hal Riney; Shanto Iyengar, director of the Political Communication Lab at Stanford University; museum educator Julia Brashares; and others. (27 minutes)
Photographic Storytelling: Item # 30808
This program examines how photographers work with images to communicate stories and ideas and how viewers interpret those images. Message manipulation deriving from point of view, context, editing, superimposing, cropping, recoloring, and captioning are discussed. In addition, selective perception—seeing pictures through the filters of values and prejudices—is studied. Commentary is provided by Doug Nickel, curator of photography at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; Joel Slayton, of the CADRE Laboratory for New Media at San José State University; Shanto Iyengar, director of the Political Communication Lab at Stanford University; and others. (27 minutes)
Photography and the Brain: Item # 30806
How do photographic images evoke meaning and emotion? To understand that, viewers first need to understand how the eyes and brain process input from the visual world. After an overview of the biomechanics of vision, this program explains how proximity, similarity, and continuity affect perception; what light is and how lighting types and angles alter an image; and how color theory operates. Commentary is provided by photographers Dale Kistemaker, Catherine Wagner, Jo Whaley, and Larry Sultan. (27 minutes)
Photography as Art: Item # 12063
When specialty cameras, trick photography, and digital manipulation are combined with creative genius, photography becomes an extremely versatile medium of expression and self-exploration. This program examines the history of photography, charting its evolution from a technical craft to a fine art. Works of Tim Macmillan, Catherine Opie, Suky Best, Alison Jackson, and Caroline Molloy are highlighted. Archival clips of Man Ray, Cindy Sherman, Bill Brandt, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Andreas Feininger, Robert Mapplethorpe, Duane Michals, Richard Avedon, and Elsie Hill are included. A BBC Production. (29 minutes)
Photography: Making Art and Recording Life: Item # 30810
Once strictly considered a visual recording device, the camera has expanded beyond its documentational niche and made places for itself in the worlds of fine art, advertising, and news media as well. This program describes existing and emerging genres in the photographic arts, including documentary photography, portraiture, still life, commercial photography, and photojournalism. Commentary is provided by Steve Luker, formerly a creative director with ad agency Publicis & Hal Riney, and photographers Larry Sultan, Ed Kashi, Richard Barnes, Jo Whaley, Dale Kistemaker, and Catherine Wagner. (27 minutes)
Portraits and Snapshots: Item # 30809
Since the Civil War, portrait and snapshot photography have provided a visual history of life—and transformed society. This program explores how professional and amateur photographers capture the essence of people while considering the intensely personal nature of portraits and snapshots, their use as means of self-exploration and cultural narrative, and concerns involving their commodification and decontextualization. Commentary is provided by photographers Michael Collopy, Dale Kistemaker, Larry Sultan, Catherine Wagner, Richard Barnes, and Ed Kashi. (27 minutes)
Truth or Fiction? Photography and Ethics: Item30812
Photographs have the potential to present powerful truths—or to create convincing fictions. This program uses case studies involving Iwo Jima, Elian Gonzalez, and O. J. Simpson to show how images can be manipulated to influence the way viewers perceive events. The ethics of photography and the positive and negative impacts of digital technology, which is steadily eroding the border between artistic and documentary photography, are covered. Commentary is provided by photo historian Diana Gaston, former curator at San Francisco Camerawork; Joel Slayton, of the CADRE Laboratory for New Media; and others. (27 minutes)
Religion
Christianity and Judaism: Item # 6236
Because we are removed from spirituality today, Smith believes we find it difficult to understand the true meaning of Christianity. Smith explains that Christianity wouldn’t have existed if its “spirit had not been real and dense and palpable and evident to everyone around.” Smith finds the intimate relationship between the Jews and their God “a living conversation between the human and the divine that goes on generation after generation.” Through his son-in-law, Smith came to admire the beauty of the weekly Jewish shabbat, and when his daughter died, he found solace in Jewish mourning rituals. (57 minutes)
Hinduism and Buddhism: Item # 6234
This program explores the two great religions to come from India. “The historian of religion can find almost anything he wants in India, enacted with intensity. What remains is to carry its insight into everyday life.” Smith uncovered the mysteries of multiphonic chanting among Tibetan lamas, previously unknown in the West. Characterizing these chants as “the holiest sound I have ever heard,” Smith reveals the chanting to be a form of meditation. Smith spent ten weeks with a Zen master silently meditating 8 hours a day, where he derived insights that help the viewer understand the way of Zen Buddhism. (56 minutes)
Sociology
Coming of Age: ethnographic Profiles from a Global Perspective: Item 35357
Weaving a worldwide narrative of rites of passage, this program takes viewers into the lives of six children and adolescents, all of whom are undergoing critical stages in their transition to adulthood. (60 minutes)
Theater
Antigone: Item 1320
Antigone is perhaps the most easily accessible of all the great classical tragedies, its theme clear and up-to-date: the conflict between moral and political law. Now the tale of Oedipus and his family comes to its end—he, his wife Jocasta, his sons, and now, at the last, his daughter, all dead. Antigone is not the only victim in the play; Creon too comes to a tragic downfall—although he repents in time, bureaucratic ritual results in the deaths of Creon's son and wife, burdening him with guilt as well as grief. With Juliet Stevenson, John Shrapnel, and John Gielgud. (111 minutes)
August Wilson: The American Dream, in Black and White: Item 10089
In this incisive program, two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson returns home to the Hill District of Pittsburgh in 1990 to review his life and career. Archival footage and interviews with Wilson, former New York Times theater critic Frank Rich, fellow writers, and others provide insights into the African-American experience, from the Great Black Migration to more recent times. Scenes from Jitney, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Fences, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, and Two Trains Running reveal the impact of the oral tradition and the blues on Wilson’s poetic prose, a skillful blend of art and authenticity. (52 minutes)
Euripides: Medea: Item # 748
The stunning Kennedy Center production of Euripides' great classic about a woman driven by emotion beyond the brink of rationality. With Zoe Caldwell as Medea and Judith Anderson as the nurse. The English text is by Robinson Jeffers. (87 minutes)
Hamlet: A Critical Guide: Item # 7709
Shakespeare’s troubled character comes to life in this program in the capable hands of leading scholars, as they discuss the major themes of the play, its plot, and the actions of its main characters. Analyzing key scenes, scholars Russell Jackson and Stanley Wells of Stratford-upon-Avon offer insights into the underlying meaning of Hamlet’s eloquent soliloquies, as well as the play’s eight violent deaths, adultery, ghostly haunting, and ultimate tragic end. Death and revenge are explored as major themes of the work, as well as Shakespeare’s playful inclusion of comedic relief. An analysis of Hamlet’s relationships with his mother and Ophelia provides interesting insights into his multifaceted character. (31 minutes)
Oedipus the King: item # 1318
Sophocles often won the leading prize at the Dionysia, the principal dramatic festival of Athens; but Oedipus the King was a runner-up, winner of the second prize. Posterity, however, considers the play second to none. The play tells the beginning of the Oedipus saga, setting the stage and creating the characters who will continue the story to its conclusion in Antigone. With Michael Pennington, John Gielgud, and Claire Bloom. (2 hours)
Shakespeare and His Theatre: The Globe: Item # 3973
A fifth of London’s population in the year 1600 were regular playgoers. Examination of the Globe Theatre shows where they stood, how the stage was constructed, and how the special effects so beloved by the audience were achieved, from thunder and lightning to fairies flying through the air and ghosts emerging from the earth. Rehearsals were minimal and there was no producer or director—just the play, the actors, and the audience of two to three thousand, which could be kept under control only by the interest of the play itself. The program points out that Shakespeare himself wrote the plays to be adaptable: to different theaters when the company was on tour, and to different audiences, for example when an after-supper audience wishing to go to bed would necessitate major cuts in the play. (28 minutes)
The Gods Are Laughing: Aristophanes, His Life and Theatre: Item # 6125
As irreverent and bawdy as Aristophanes, but with more accessible humor, this pseudo-biography juxtaposes elements of Aristophanic plays with the activities of contemporaneous people to show how Aristophanes became the father of political satire and why his theatrical innovations are still staples of the contemporary theatre. Aristophanes is shown as an artist living on the edge, who uses comedy to mock his enemies and wages a one-man campaign against those Athenians who revel in war and death; he is set off against his son, who wants to write to entertain; a coldly rational Socrates; Cephisophon, the Laurence Olivier of ancient Greece; the dictator, Cleon; and Aristophanes’ skeptical mother, who prefers tragedy to comedy. Caution: contains sexual situations. (52 minutes)
The Renaissance: Item # 2332
The intermediate step between the modern theatre and its classical antecedents was the Renaissance stage—an obvious, if by no means simple, step, for while texts of classical plays were more or less readily available, there was no knowledge of what Roman theatre had looked like and how plays had been performed. This program traces the earliest Renaissance attempts to stage classical drama through the application of medieval concepts of production; follows the deductions made from Vitruvius’ De Architectura and the impetus provided by the appearance of dramas in Italian; the building of the Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza and the theatres in Ferrara and Parma; shows the varying uses of perspective in scene painting and the development of moveable scenery; and explains how, when the façade was eliminated and the door opened to reveal the scenery behind, the proscenium arch and the picture frame theatre were born. (30 minutes)
The Role of Theatre in Ancient Greece: Item # 1634
This program looks at the theatres of Herodus Atticus, Epidauros, Corinth (where Arion is said to have taught the dithyramb), and many others to explain the design of the ancient theatre, the synthesis of art forms that was ancient Greek drama, the origins of tragedy, the audience in classical times, the comparative roles of writer/director and actors, and the use of the surrounding landscape in many plays. (23 minutes)
Career
Goal-Setting and Action-Planning
This video helps students establish criteria for attainable goals and objectives, and shows them how to evaluate goals on the basis of these criteria. Students begin to draft their own goal lists and action plans for implementing their search.
Resume Preparation
This video covers the development and use of chronological and functional resumes. Students learn how to create accomplishment statements that use action verbs and display concrete results.
Grammar
Common Errors (2) / “Acceptable Errors”
When should the red pen be wielded to the hilt, and when should writers and readers simply agree to disagree? Part one of this program deals with three unequivocal errors—sentence fragments, comma splices, and run-on sentences—and three major enemies of clarity—tense shifts, vague pronoun references, and faulty parallels. Contraction/possessive pronoun confusion is also sorted out. In part two, syntactical errors that many no longer consider unacceptable are examined: contractions, split infinitives, and dangling prepositions.
Flexibility in English / Common Errors (1)
When is a noun not a noun? And is improper agreement really like wearing plaid with stripes? Part one of this program summarizes the parts of speech and then looks at the ways in which one part of speech can be used syntactically as another. In part two, tiny animated dancers and other helpers provide examples of errors in subject/verb agreement and article/noun agreement. Idiom is also addressed.
Introduction to Grammar / Parts of Speech (1)
Can a noun have a number? What do demonstrative pronouns demonstrate? And is an article really an adjective? After a concise explanation of grammar and SEAE—Standard Edited American English—this program explains the ins and outs of common, proper, compound, and demonstrative nouns; personal, possessive, and demonstrative pronouns; and adjectives, including the tiny article. Singular and plural subjects are also covered.
Parts of Speech (2)
In this program, top verb experts including the yodeling Midori sisters and a circus sideshow barker demonstrate the past, present, and future forms of the simple, perfect, progressive, and perfect progressive tenses. Conditional statements, conjugation, helping verbs, and the verbals—gerunds, infinitives, and past and present participles—are considered as well. Dangling participles and other faux pas are also explained.
Parts of Speech (3) / Sentences
Part one of this program completes the study of the building blocks of grammar with a thorough explanation of adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections—wow! Then, part two covers the basic rules of syntax, featuring subjects and predicates; appositive and verb phrases; direct and indirect objects; linking verbs; predicate nominatives, nouns of direct address, and appositives; dependent and independent clauses; and compound and complex sentences. Also, the egregious sentence fragment is introduced.
Punctuation Potpourri
Ranging from the everyday to the esoteric, this program rounds out the study of punctuation by investigating the many functions of hyphens, apostrophes, slashes, and ellipses. Topics presented include the following: using hyphens to create compound nouns and adjectives, spell out numbers, and break lines of text; using apostrophes to form contractions, possessives, and plurals; using slashes to separate lines of poetry, offer a choice between words, and represent fractions; and using ellipses to indicate omitted text, a trailing-off of thought, and a lengthy pause.
Introduction to Punctuation / The End Marks
Mastering punctuation requires both understanding and finesse. In this program, Mama Napoli, a crossing guard, and other savvy English authorities open a dialogue on punctuation and then skip to the end—of the sentence, that is. The use of the period in commands, in declarative sentences, and with abbreviations; the question mark in interrogative sentences and to show disbelief or sarcasm; and the exclamation point for emphasis are all discussed in detail.
The Semicolon, Colon, and Dash
Filled with solid information and good advice, this program defines the rules for using the semicolon, the colon, and the dash, offering clear-cut caveats against misuse and overuse along the way. Litmus tests such as the "furthermore" test and the "and here it is" test make it easy to tell when to utilize these punctuation marks, while Thai food, spaghetti sauce, and even oatmeal with paprika spice up the numerous examples.
Surrounding Information: Punctuation that Comes in Pairs
Using a talking gingerbread man and an infomercial for punctuation marks, this program demystifies the art of working with quotation marks, parentheses, and brackets. Both the basics and the finer points are covered, including when to use double quotation marks and when to use singles, the difference between quoting and paraphrasing, and how quotation marks, parentheses, and brackets interact with other forms of punctuation.
The Wily Comma
This program inquires into the correct handling of the much-abused and frequently misused comma. Section one deals with the separation of items in a list. Section two shows how to set off introductory elements such as interjections, prepositional and participial phrases, and independent, dependent, and subordinate clauses. Section three demonstrates the use of interrupters, including nouns of direct address, appositive phrases, and non-restrictive clauses. Section four explains how to employ commas to provide emphasis and enhance clarity.
Information Technology
An Introduction to Web Site Design
This program offers a comprehensive introduction to the basic principles of Web site design. Applicable to online retail outlets, electronic newspapers, blogs, search engines, and other types of sites, it explains how to identify the target audience, determine the site’s core purpose, apply Ben Schneiderman’s eight golden rules of GUI design, address technological issues and matters of visual appeal, and carry out an ongoing test/evaluation/update cycle. Interviews with two successful Web site designers are also included, to illustrate how it all comes together in the real world.
Computer Worms and Viruses
Computer bugs are no mere prank. A disruption of global communications networks by today’s sophisticated worms and viruses is costing companies billions and can do lasting damage to the world’s economic health. This NewsHour program begins by defining these binary invaders and then examines the escalating security challenges of keeping networks free of infection. Members of the Computer Emergency Response Team at Carnegie Mellon University and other white hats discuss proactive ways to detect and then block electronic intruders through single-user protocols and enterprise-wide defenses.
The History of Computers
The history of computers is not just the story of a specialized machine but of a great idea and the people who made it happen. Initially designed as large-scale calculators, computers have quickly become indispensable tools in every field of endeavor. This fascinating program traces the course of technological innovations leading up to today's computers, from Charles Babbage and his analytical engine of the 1860s to the latest laptops.
Spam
What is spam? How do spammers get their unwanted offers into your in-box? And how can the flow of electronic junk mail be stopped? Filmed in news report style, this program explains how shady advertisers send spam and then presents proactive strategies for combating it: spam filters, blacklists and white lists, opt-in and opt-out protocols, anti-spam legislation with real teeth, and greater cooperation between legitimate businesses, Internet and online service providers, and consumers. Spammer techniques—how spammers harvest e-mail addresses, use open relays and spoofing to cover their tracks, and more—are revealed.
Supercomputing: The Power of Visualization
Astonishing ways to share scientific data are emerging in the digital age. This program explores the phenomenal growth of supercomputing and its impact on medicine, oceanography, air traffic control, law enforcement, and other fields. Showcasing practical examples of dynamic visualization technology, the video looks at three-dimensional renderings of cities accurate to the square foot, medical imaging capabilities on the cellular level, and instantaneous collaboration between laboratories a hemisphere apart. Commentary by virtual reality pioneer Jaron Lanier and other innovators underscores the need to recognize the human factor in the age of supercomputers.
Research
Information Literacy: The Perils of Online Research
In a world of information overload, information literacy has become a survival skill. But what exactly does information literacy mean? With a focus on the Internet, this video explains how to conduct solid online research by collecting information in an organized, efficient, and ethical way. Professor Maurita Holland of the University of Michigan School of Information provides expert commentary and guidance on a range of research activities, including evaluating the credibility of Web content, documenting online sources, and paraphrasing—not copying—the words of others. Additionally, a high school teacher and a graduate student demonstrate real-world examples to reinforce the challenges and rewards of online research. The consequences of plagiarism and shaky facts are emphasized.
