Unless one accepts the HTML essay or extralinear essay as the model for the research essay as hypertext—a position to which even theorists of hypertext writing seem to default as they write about hypertext—the research essay as hypertext will involve considerably more work than the print research essay.

At my institution (and many others), most students must complete a research writing course in order to graduate. And a fairly sizable number of students want to learn how to author web pages. These factors suggest that many students may have a real interest in hypertext research writing.

For a year, our writing program attempted to bring the research writing requirement together with student interest in web building. While we were able to generate student interest in an experimental approach to the research essay, we were limited by students' legitimate concern that they must accumulate credits if they are to earn a bachelor's degree. Put bluntly, the extra work of a multilinear hypertext essay exceeds the boundaries of a 3-credit course.

We have been unprepared to make the case for additional course credit due to the uncertain status of the hypertext research essay. The HTML essay and extralinear essay do not merit extra course credit. Janangelo's students' hypertexts would not help build the case since, in his estimation, they "indulge in the casual accumulation and juxtaposition of readymade materials" (40). In the absence of clear examples of trailblazing hypertext research writing, we have been unwilling to make a case for more course credit.

The examples necessary to generate interest in credit bearing research writing courses that put hypertext at the center of the writing would bring together new media, multilinearity, and the kind of significant analysis that is standard for a research essay.

Putting these elements together in student hypertext authorship and supporting it with appropriate credit would begin to institutionalize features of several models of alternative research writing that Davis and Shadle identify, in particular the research argument (427-429) and the multi-paper (431-439).

With hard work, and exceptional students, we are starting to see hypertext projects of this sort. So far, Reinhardt's "Camouflaged Corruption" is our most promising project. But we have decided to rethink the institutional limitations on student motivation and link two courses (research writing and web authoring) to offer six credits in an effort to explore and encourage hypertext research writing.

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