Dennis G. Jerz

Dennis G. Jerz is a Professor in the Department of English at Seton Hill University, specializing in academic writing, digital humanities, and literacy studies. His career spans over two decades with significant contributions to interactive fiction studies, MLA style pedagogy, and digital rhetoric. His work bridges traditional literary scholarship with emerging digital forms, particularly in the realm of early computer games and web literacy.

Jerz's research interests encompass Academic Writing, Digital Humanities, Literacy Studies, Interactive Fiction, MLA Style and Citation, Web Literacy, Technology in Education, and Literary Analysis. His scholarship demonstrates a consistent focus on the intersection of traditional literary forms and digital media, with particular expertise in early text-based games like Colossal Cave Adventure. His work on interactive fiction has helped establish this field as a legitimate area of academic study.

His publications reveal a strong trajectory from early 20th century American drama to digital humanities, with a particular emphasis on how technological changes reshape cultural production and consumption. His most recent work continues to explore spatial aspects of digital environments, building on his foundational research in interactive fiction. The evolution of his scholarship shows a clear progression from traditional literary studies to pioneering work in digital humanities.

Jerz maintains an active scholarly blog, Jerz's Literacy Weblog (est. 1999), which has served as an important resource for educators and students seeking guidance on academic writing, particularly MLA style. His website has historically received significant traffic, with one page on MLA style alone attracting approximately one million hits over 16 months, demonstrating the impact of his pedagogical work beyond the university setting.