Communications 150
(introduction to mass comm.)
Benedictine University Springfield
Fall Semester 2011
[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 11 to 11:50 a.m. MWF, Dawson 220. Instructor, Pete Ellertsen. Email,
I. Course Description:
Course Title: Introduction to Communication
Course Number: COMM 150
Credits: 3.00
Description
A writing and speaking-intensive introduction to communication arts theory and research, with an emphasis on analyzing mass media messages and understanding their underlying cultural and historical contexts.
II. Textbooks. Vivian, John. The Media of Mass Communication. (10th or any recent edition). ISBN 978-0205693054 . 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 of Benedictine University. Benedictine dedicates itself to the education for the undergraduate and graduate 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 STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
A. Degree Program Goals
The Communication Arts degree program goals are as follows:
1. Prepare graduates for careers in advertising, electronic and print media, journalism, public relations, publishing, writing or other careers requiring sophisticated communications skills;
2. Prepare graduates for continued study in graduate or professional school;
3. Develop the student's critical and imaginative thinking, reading and writing skills;
4. Develop skills to empower the student to communicate ideas effectively, through speaking, writing and the use of technology;
5. Develop skills for critical interpretation of the media;
6. Foster aesthetic understanding in both production and interpretation of media texts;
7. Develop knowledge of the methods to make responsible social and personal decisions;
8. Develop primary and secondary research methodologies;
9. Develop an understanding of the history, structure and operation of the mass media;
10. Provide an understanding of the impact of mass media industries and messages on the individual, society and culture;
11. Develop professional-level skills in written and oral communication for a variety of media and audiences;
12. Develop professional-level production skills for both print and electronic media;
13. Encourage the development of creative expression; and
14. Help the student develop a professional media portfolio.
Course Goals
1. The main goal of this course is to develop a critical understanding of mass communication and its influence in society.
2. Students will understand the practice, theory and ethics of various communication industries or careers.
3. Students will gain practical experience through observations of their own personal interactions with the media in daily life.
B. Course Objectives/Outcomes
As a course requirement within the degree program, COMM 150 was designed with the above goals in mind. Thus, upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to demonstrate mastery of the following objectives and student learning outcomes:
1. Discuss the historical and social context of mass communication and how it evolved.
2. Describe the major media, functions, and models of mass communication.
3. 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. To avoid class disruption, students in COM 150 must be on time. If a student misses class, is the student's responsibility to get class notes, assignments, etc., from classmates. Missed in-class work, by its very nature, cannot be made up.
If a student knows (s) he 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. 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. Web logs evaluated for course credit in my classes comprise a virtual community and an electronic extension of my classroom. In asking students to post to blogs, as in all of my classes, I encourage you to think for yourselves and try out new ideas; to do that safely, we have to respect and trust each other. Therefore, I must ask that we refrain from negative personal comments or "flame wars" on line. What sounds like friendly kidding when we're F2F (face-to-face) with each other can look hostile and intimidating in writing. 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. Sources of information in all of your writing must be attributed or otherwise documented. If you write down anything that 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.
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 dealing with 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. Additional in-class writing may be assigned without notice. Details will be posted to The Mackerel Wrapper.
• Tests. Both midterm and final 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 should begin nowto keep copies of your written work for your senior portfolio.
Benedictine University at Springfield Student Academic Honesty Policy
The search for truth and the dissemination of knowledge are the central missions of a university. Benedictine University at Springfield pursues these missions in an environment guided by our Roman Catholic tradition and our Benedictine heritage. Integrity and honesty are therefore expected of all University students. Actions such as cheating, plagiarism, collusion, fabrication, forgery, falsification, destruction, multiple submission, solicitation, and misrepresentation are violations of these expectations and constitute unacceptable behavior in the University community.
Student’s Responsibility
Though there is no formal honor code at Benedictine University at Springfield, students are expected to exhibit academic honesty at all times. Violations against academic honesty are always serious and may result in sanctions that could have profound long-term effects. The final responsibility for understanding the Academic Honesty Policy of the institution, as well as the specific policies for individual courses normally found in syllabi, rests with students. If any doubt exists about what constitutes academic dishonesty, students have the responsibility to talk to the faculty member. Students should expect the members of their class to be academically honest. If students believe one or more members of the class have been deceitful to gain academic advantage in the class, students should feel comfortable to approach the faculty member of the course without prejudice.
Violations of the Academic Honesty Policy will be reported to the Office of the Dean of Academic Affairs. Along with a verbal warning, the following are consequences a student 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.
VII. Means of Evaluation. Written work for COMM 150 will be graded for mastery of student learning objectives 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
• Term paper and/or oral presentation, 25 percent
• Midterm and Final Exam, 25 percent
• In-class and online writing, including blogging, 25 percent
Grading scale, A = 90-100. B = 80-89. C = 70-79. D = 60-69. F = 0-59.
If a student believes that an error has been made in reporting a grade, an appeal must be made in writing to the instructor and must be initiated 90 days prior to the end of one semester after the course in question has been completed. The appeal should contain specific information on why it is believed the grade reported is inaccurate. See the Student Handbook for details.
Add/Drop Dates
Please refer to the current Academic Calendar for add/drop dates.
Incomplete Request
To qualify for an “I” grade, a minimum of 75% of the course work must be completed with a “C” or better, 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.
Student Withdrawal Procedure
It is the student’s responsibility to officially withdraw from a course by completing the appropriate form, with appropriate signatures, and returning the completed form to the Advising Office. Please refer to the Student Handbook for important financial information related to withdrawals.
VIII. Course Outline and/or Calendar.
I. Introduction and overview
a. Media literacyII. Media forms and history
b. Technology and mass communications
c. Postmodernist
critiques of media
a. Print – books, newspapers and magazinesIII. Media functions
b. Recordings – audio and video
c. Broadcast – radio and television
d. Internet
a. News, PR and advertising -- Information and persusasionIV. Research
b. Entertainment
c. Transmission of culture
V. Mass media effects
a. On society
b. On government
VI. Media law and ethics
Please see also the tentative calendar below.
IX. Americans with Disabilities Act. Benedictine University at Springfield 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 that will be assessed in the class are stated in this syllabus in Sections IV and VI. Instructor will use background knowledge probes, one-minute papers, reflective essays and/or other Classroom Assessment Techniques as deemed necessary in order to provide continuous improvement of instruction.
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 that might be relevant to our class.] You need to keep up with the assigned 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. Write: How much of what you know did you learn from mass media? How many of your attitudes, interests, tastes, etc., derive from mass media?
Second Week. Read Chapter 3,
Third Week.
Fourth Week. Read
Fifth Week. Read
Sixth Week.
Seventh Week. Read
Eighth Week. Read Chapter
Ninth Week. Read Chapter
10th Week. Read Chapter
11th Week. Read Chapter
12th Week. Read Chapter
13th Week. Read Chapter
Final exam TBA.
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