A weblog for Pete Ellertsen's mass communications students at Benedictine University Springfield.

Wednesday, January 06, 2010

COMM 150 syllabus


Communications 150, Intro to Mass Comm.
Springfield College/Benedictine University
Spring Semester 2010

[Television] is not a tool by which the networks conspire to dumb us down. TV is a tool by which the networks give us exactly what we want. That's a far more depressing thought. -- "The Vent," The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Jan. 19, 1999.

Communications 150 meets from 1,50 to 2 p.m. MWF in Dawson 220. Instructor, Pete Ellertsen, 211 Beata Hall (old Ursuline convent), telephone 525-1420 x519. email, pellertsen@sci.edu. Office hours TBA. Home, 2125 South Lincoln, Springfield, IL 62704.

I. Course description. Introduction to Mass Communication (3 credit hours), Introduces students to the basic concepts of mass communications. The course fosters an understanding of the nature, functions and responsibilities of communication media in our society; presents concepts and principles of journalism, both oral and written; and prepares students to be intelligent consumers of mass media, including newspapers, books, television, radio and the Internet (prerequisite, IAI MC 911).

II. Textbooks. Vivian, John. The Media of Mass Communication. (9th ed.). Pearson Education, Inc., Boston, MA, 2008. In this course, you will be expected to use AP style writing. A copy of The Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual is on reserve at the circulation desk in Becker Library. If you plan to major in mass comm., I encourage you to purchase this book as a supplement for all communication classes and your future professional career.

III. Mission Statement. The mission of Springfield College in Illinois is to provide students the best liberal arts education in the Ursuline tradition of a nurturing faith-based environment. We prepare students for a life of learning, leadership and service in a diverse world.

Mission statement of Benedictine University. Benedictine dedicates itself to the education for the undergraduate and graduated students from diverse ethnic, racial and religious backgrounds. As academic community committed to liberal arts and professional education distinguished and guided by its Roman Catholic tradition and Benedictine heritage - the University prepares its students for a lifetime as active, informed and responsible citizens and leaders in the world Community.

IV. Goals, objectives and outcomes

A. Goals.
• The main goal of this course is to develop a critical understanding of mass communication and its influence in society.
• Students will understand the practice, theory and ethics of various communication industries or careers.
• Students will gain practical experience through observations of their own personal interactions with the media in daily life.

B. Objectives. The following Common Student Learning Objectives (CSLOs) adopted Dec. 9, 2004, are addressed,
• Content Knowledge (Lifelong Learning) CK-1. Know and apply the central concepts of the subject matter.
• Communication Skills (Lifelong Learning and Leadership) CS-1. Communicate effectively in oral and written forms.
• Problem Solving Skills (Lifelong Learning and Leadership) PS-2. Seek information and develop an in-depth knowledge base, grounded in research.
• Social Responsibility (Service and Leadership) SR-2 Make ethical and informed decisions

C. Course Based Student Learning Objectives. Students will be able to,
• Discuss the historical and social context of mass communication and how it evolved.
• Describe the major media, functions, and models of mass communication.
• Demonstrate critical thinking skills by discussing and evaluating mass-media issues.

V. Teaching Methods. Small group and whole classroom discussion, in-class research and writing assignments, and occasional lectures by the instructor to introduce points of discussion. The instructor reserves the right to pre- and post-testing CATs and embedded questions in test instruments as appropriate will be used for assessment of learning outcomes.

VI. Course Requirements. Readings, Written Assignments and Tests

A. Attendance Policy, Attendance is mandatory. You are allowed one (1) unexcused absence from class during the semester. Your letter grade will begin to drop after your second (2) unexcused absences with each absence following the first.

To avoid class disruption, students are asked to be on time and prepared for class. Attendance will be taken halfway through each class period. If you leave before attendance is taken, you will be marked as absent for the entire class period.

If a student knows they will miss class, it is the student's responsibility to alert the instructor. Assignments should be turned in via e-mail by the beginning of the class period the assignment is due. Absences are not an excuse for missed assignments except for extreme situations. Coordinate with fellow students to get class notes. Contact the instructor or classmates to get assignments due for the next class period.

Participation and class discussion are key to your success in this course. Be prepared to discuss the weekly reading assignments and contribute thoughtful, topical questions and comments about the material. Please be considerate and respectful of one another. Distractions in class will not be tolerated (e.g. disrespectful interruptions of instructor, guest speakers, fellow students, cell phones, and discussions irrelevant to class topics) and can affect your grade. Comments or concerns about specific material presented by the instructor or fellow students (should a student be dissatisfied or concerned) need to be brought to the instructor’s attention before or after class.

B. Reading Assignments, Please see the tentative calendar for reading schedule. In addition to the readings outlined below, you may be given additional reading assignments including articles, journals, websites, etc. Quizzes and/or tests may cover any of the assigned readings or discussions.

C. Written Assignments and Tests,
• Writing expectations. In your assignments for COMM 150, try to follow the standards you see in professional writing for a public audience. If you plan to major in mass communications, you are encouraged to create a professional Web log and post your journals – which I define in this class as non-graded writing that counts for class participation but not as a formal documented essay – to your blogs. Sources of information in all of your writing must be attributed or documented. If you write down anything you didn’t know before, say where you found it! Failure to do so, even unintentional, is plagiarism. In our field, it may also be copyright infringement. Do not write just to fill up space. Create clear, concise, accurate, and relevant thoughts. And convey them to readers in a well-written, grammatical, engaging fashion. All journals will address Common Student Learning Ooutcomes CK-1, CS-1 and GP-1; some may also address CK-1, PS-2 and SR-3 as stipulated below.
• Journals and reaction papers, Students will be assigned to complete written exercises from the textbook, articles or other sources. These unique writing opportunities will ask students for a variety of writing styles including research, opinion, or summarizations. The point is to apply the principles and terminology of integrated marketing communication, advertising strategies, account management and other issues covered by their readings, class lectures, or class discussions. Students will be expected to write 1 – 2 pages (350 – 700 words), standard unless assignment otherwise specifies. You may choose to create a Web log and post these papers to the blog. From time to time, you will journal briefly your on mass communications issues by posting comments to the instructor’s Web log The Mackerel Wrapper.
• Media Diary, Students will be asked to keep a media diary for one week during the semester. Keeping an accurate log of all exposure to advertising in one week of your life will be accompanied with a 4-page (1,400 word) paper discussing your results. More details to come on formatting. You may choose to post your diary to your blog.
• Each student will write, (1) a documented term paper (at least 2,000 words or eight pages) on a subject to be chosen by the instructor on some aspect of mass communications, to be agreed upon ahead of time by the instructor and the student; or (2) two documented essays (at least 1,000 words of four pages each) reflecting on topics to be assigned by the instructor. In addition to CK-1 and GP1, the term paper will address CK-2, CS-1 and PS-2. Additional in-class writing may be assigned without notice. Details will be posted to The Mackerel Wrapper.
• Tests, Midterm will be a combination of essay questions, in which students will discuss broad trends related to course goals and objectives; and short answer questions. I reserve the right to give another test during the course of the semester but your final will be a demonstrated understanding of the material.

Note to students, If you are considering going on to major in communications, English or the social sciences, you will want to keep copies of your written work for your senior portfolio.

Academic Integrity Statement

Academic and professional environments require honesty and integrity, and these qualities are expected of every student at Springfield College-Benedictine University. In accordance with such expectations, academic integrity requires that you credit others for their ideas. Plagiarism, whether intentional or not, is a grievous offense. Any time you use words or ideas that are not your own, you must give credit to the author, whether or not you are quoting directly from that author. Failure to do so constitutes plagiarism.
Any incident of plagiarism and/or academic dishonesty may result in serious consequences. Penalties for academic dishonesty vary depending on the severity or extent of the problem but are always serious.
The following are consequences you may face for academic dishonesty,

• a failing grade or “zero” for the assignment;
• dismissal from and a failing grade for the course; or
• dismissal from the Institution.

Please refer to the Springfield College Benedictine University Catalog or the Student Handbook for a complete discussion of the Academic Integrity policy.

VII. Means of Evaluation. Journals will be graded for mastery of CBSLOs as evidenced by an evaluation of content, including clarity of thought and the use of relevant detail to support the student's conclusions. A final examination will be given, consisting of essay and short-answer questions, which will be evaluated for content. Quizzes and in-class journal exercises may be assigned without notice at the discretion of the instructor. Contribution to class discussion and participation in on-line research exercises in class will weigh heavily in each student's grade.

Final grade weighting is as follows,
• Class participation, 25 percent
• Written/oral presentation, 25 percent
• Midterm and Final Exam, 25 percent
• Journals, including blogging, 25 percent
Grading scale, A = 90-100. B = 80-89. C = 70-79. D = 60-69. F = 0-59. Please note, The grade of "E" has been changed to "F." You don't want either.

Grade Appeal Process. According to the Springfield College Catalog, grade appeals must be initiated 90 days prior to the end of one semester after the course in question has been completed. The process for appealing a grade is outlined below.

First, contact the Instructor.
1. A student must appeal to his/her instructor in writing (e-mail is acceptable) and provide specific reasons why his/her grade should be changed.
2. The instructor must respond to the student in writing (e-mail is acceptable) and provide a copy to the division chair. Second, contact the Division Chair.
3. If the student wishes, he/she may then appeal to the division chair in writing (e-mail is acceptable) and provide specific reasons why his/her grade should be changed without the instructor’s permission. The student should understand that overwhelming evidence must be presented to the division chair to prove that the current grade is incorrect.
4. The division chair must respond to the student in writing (e-mail is acceptable) and provide a copy to the academic dean. Lastly, contact the Academic Dean.
5. If the student wishes, he/she may appeal to the academic dean in writing (e- mail is acceptable) and provide specific reasons why his/her grade should be changed without the instructor’s or the division chair’s permission. The student should understand that overwhelming evidence must be presented to the academic dean to prove the grade is incorrect.
6. The academic dean must respond to the student in writing (e-mail is acceptable). The academic dean’s decision is final.

Add/Drop Dates
Jan. 25 - Last day to add courses
Jan. 25 - Last day to drop a course without a W (4,00 p.m.)
April 5 - Last day to drop courses

Incomplete Request. To qualify for an “I” grade, a minimum of 75% of the course work must be completed with a passing grade, and a student must submit a completed Request for an Incomplete form to the Registrar’s Office. The form must be completed by both student and instructor, but it is the student’s responsibility (not the instructor’s) to initiate this process and obtain the necessary signatures.

VIII. Course Outline and/or Calendar.
I. Introduction and overview

a. Media literary
b. Technology and mass communications
c. Postmodernist critiques of media

II. Media forms and history


a. Print – books, newspapers and magazines
b. Recordings – audio and video
c. Broadcast – radio and television
d. Internet


III. Media functions

a. News, PR and advertising -- Information and persusasion
b. Entertainment
c. Transmission of culture
IV. Research
V. Mass media effects
a. On society
b. On government

VI. Media law and ethics

See calendar below.

IX. Americans with Disabilities Act. Benedictine University at Springfield College in Illinois provides individuals with disabilities reasonable accommodations to participate in educational programs, actives and services. Students with disabilities requiring accommodations to participate in class activities or meet course requirements should contact the Director of the Resource Center as early as possible.

If documentation of the disability (either learning or physical) is not already on file, it may be requested. Once on file, an individual student’s disability documentation is shared only at that individual’s request and solely with the parties whom the student wishes it shared. Requests are kept confidential and may be made by emailing jharris@sci.edu or by calling 217-525-1420, ext. 306.

X. Assessment. Goals, objectives, and learning outcomes to be assessed will be stated in the Learning Contract. Primary means of assessment will be self-reflective essays and examination of any portfolio artifacts.

Tentative Calendar

All readings listed herein are in Vivian. In addition to the textbook, I will link to World Wide Web sites for supplemental reading on issues as they arise. Due to the nature of mass communications, we will discuss real-world events as they arise – even though they may not follow the exact order listed in the textbook. [Newsmakers have a distressing habit of not consulting with me before they do things.] You need to keep up with the readings in Vivian, however, order to understand the context for events as they arise.

First Week. Introduction to Class, syllabus, academic integrity, etc. Read Chapter 1, Mass Media Literacy; Chapter 2, Media Technology


Second Week. Read Chapter 3, Books; Chapter 4, Newspapers; and Chapter 5, Magazines

Third Week. Read Chapter 6, Sound Recording; and Chapter 7, Motion Pictures

Fourth Week. Read Chapter 8, Radio; and Chapter 9: Television

Fifth Week. Read Chapter 10, Internet.

Sixth Week. Midterm over Chapters 1-10. Read Chapter 11, News; and Chapter 12, Public Relations. Study

Seventh Week. Read Chapter 14, Entertainment.

Eighth Week. Read Chapter 15, Media Research

Ninth Week. Read Chapter 16, Mass-Media Effects on Society

10th Week. Read Chapter 17, Global Mass Media

11th Week. Read Chapter 18, Mass Media and Governance

12th Week. Read Chapter 18, Mass Media Law

13th Week. Read Chapter 18, Mass Media Ethics

Final exam TBA.

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About Me

Springfield (Ill.), United States
I'm a retired English, journalism and cultural studies teacher at Springfield College in Illinois (acquired by Benedictine University and subsequently closed). I coordinate jam sessions for the "Clayville Pioneer Academy of Music" at Clayville Historic Site and the Prairieland Strings dulcimer club, and I sing in the choir and the contemporary praise team at Peace Lutheran Church in Springfield. On Hogfiddle I post links and video clips for our sessions and workshops on the mountain dulcimer (a.k.a. "hog fiddle"), as well as research notes on folklore and cultural studies, hymnody and traditional Anglo-Celtic and Scandinavian music. I also posted assignments and readings in my interdisciplinary humanities classes. The Mackerel Wrapper (now on hiatus), carried assignments and readings for my mass comm. students. I started teaching b/log when I chaired SCI-Benedictine's assessment committee, and reopened it as the privatization of public schools grew increasingly troubling and closer to home.