DO NOT PRINT THIS
SYLLABUS OR THE COURSE SCHEDULE.
The official course schedule
and syllabus are on this website (http://www.mtsu.edu/~rwyatt)
and are subject to change, with prior notification given in class.
To go to
the course schedule, click here.
To go the the course
discussion board, click here.
Overview: This course is a survey of the basic theories upon which our scientific understanding of mass communication is based. We will consider theories that fall into two broad groups: those based on individuals (cognitive and social psychological) and those based on larger groups (social, political, and anthropological). And we will emphasize two perspectives on media effects: persuasive (message driven) and hegemonic (ritual driven).
We will also examine two broad approaches to accumulating knowledge about mass communication: the scientific (or empirical) tradition ("quantitative" and data-based) and, more briefly, the humanistic (or cultural and critical) tradition ("qualitative" and analytical). In addition, we will learn the advantages and disadvantages of scientific research designs, including experiments, surveys, and observation. The format will be lecture-and-discussion (more lecture at first, more discussion later).
The perspective of this course will be international and intercultural, covering major communication theories from a diversity of cultural perspective and national experiences. Prominent American, Canadian, Asian, and European theorists of both genders will be discussed in comparative perspective.
Follow instructions exactly: You will be given precise instructions about assignments both here and in class, including the use of APA style in papers. These instructions are not guidelines. They are not suggestions. They are not recommendations. They are REQUIREMENTS. And the words mean exactly what they say. Read them carefully; follow them precisely; ask me questions if you don't understand them, but only ask after you have read.
Required Texts:
Objectives of the Course: Students completing the course successfully should have: 1) understanding of the accepted principles and procedures of social-scientific method and research design; 2) knowledge of the major theories informing the science of communication; 3) ability to use standard library and database resources for communication research; 4) ability to understand and summarize scientific articles from standard communication journals and relate them to major theories; and 5) familiarity with American Psychological Association style for scholarly publication.
Assignments:
1. Weekly Reflection Postings: You are to post a reflection on the current week's reading by 9 a.m. on the morning of classes on the course bulletin board, http://www.mtsu.edu/~ocr. As a practice, you should alternate texts in your reflections. On some weeks, I may post a specific issue for you to examine in your reflection. By 10 a.m., you are also to post a response to at least one other student's reflection. When no reading is listed in the course schedule, you should post a reflection regarding the previous week's class session. Messages should be about one double-spaced page long.Reflections may summarize salient points in the reading, relate the reading to real-world issues in communication, criticize the the ideas underlying a reading, or pose questions about unclear points in the text. Anything goes as long as it shows familiarity with the reading and a critical engagement with the issues.
To post and respond, go to the bulletin board using the provided links on the course pages (http://www.mtsu.edu/~ocr). No login is required. You are required to post a reflection and response for each week that has an entry listed. Each requisite week has a separate entry on the "contents" listing (the frame at the top of your screen). First, click on the correct week's link, then post by choosing "reply" right under the banner that says "MC 6000 Discussion Board." To respond to another student's posting, click on the link to their posting and then choose "reply."
Do not begin a new thread on the board's main page; this means that you only use "reply;" never click on "post new article."
You might find it helpful to compose your reflection in your usual word processor, run the spellchecker, then cut and paste into your reflection. But do not attach your word-processing file. Downloading and opening files is just too cumbersome.
I will read all messages but will not grade them individually. Rather than replying on-line, I will usually mention the content of relevant messages in class.
2. Examinations: There will be a one-hour short-answer examination, a two-hour essay examination and a write-at-home final.
3. Article Critiques: Students will produce summaries and critiques of current articles from scholarly and refereed communication journals (no more than 2.5 pp. of text for each article, plus a title page and a reference page). Articles in scholarly journals are "refereed" by anonymous reviewers according to the highest scientific standards. Conference papers, trade publications, and other Internet posts are not acceptable. The major scholarly journals in the field include Journal of Communication, Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, Public Opinion Quarterly, Political Communication, Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media, Communication Research, International Journal of Public Opinion Research, and other journals referenced in our standard bibliographic source, Communication Abstracts. An acceptable refereed communication journal is any journal whose focus is on communication variables, whose method is empirical, and whose contents are reviewed by a jury of peers. The first two critiques, due when specified, should consider two empirical communication articles related to the same theory; the articles should not be more than five years old. The second two critiques should consider two additional articles related to another theory. Note: each assignment calls for two separate critiques, for a total of four.The critiques should include a brief summary of the literature reviewed in the article and show how the study is connected to a theory. This should be followed by a statement of the researchers' hypotheses, an analysis of how the hypotheses are operationalized in the research design, and a discussion of the validity of the conclusions, given the constraints of theory and design. The critiques should discuss flaws and strengths in the research design and should attempt to assess the article's contribution to theory, if any. All papers should follow APA style to the letter, including a title page and a bibliography and no more than two pages of text.
4. Literature Review Paper:
Later in the term,
students will select one of the two theories examined for
the critique assignments, find four more recent articles (for a total of
six) and produce a critical
summary of recent research related to the theory. The
critique should also draw material from the two theory
texts for the course, at least one other book on
communication or social theory, and an original article
upon which the theory is based.
By implication, the paper should discuss how the theory has
developed, its advantages, and disadvantages. The introduction might also
discuss what attracted you to the theory or some practical problem that you
feel the theory solves. This summary should be 6-12 pp. long, plus a title
page and a reference page. The paper should be a coherent essay with a beginning,
middle, and end. The purpose is to place the theory in
perspective, assess its advantages and disadvantages, and
analyze the contribution of recent research toward
extending, qualifying, or refuting the theory. In sum, the paper should
include: 1) findings from six recent articles; 2) material from each of our
texts; 3) material from another theory book; and 4) references to an
original statement of the theory.
Communicating by e-mail: Each student must have e-mail and Internet access, either through University computers or through a commercial service. When you register, the University assigns you an account on "Frank," the University's chief link to the Internet, and PipelineMT. When I send e-mail to the class, I will use your MTSU e-mail address. If you use a different e-mail server either at home or at work and want your MTSU e-mail forwarded there, you must either log on to frank through a direct dial-up connection or use telnet from within MS Windows to establish a direct connection. (To use telnet from within Windows, choose Start/Run, then type "telnet frank.mtsu.edu" in the space provided. (Omit the quotation marks, of course.)) Log on with your MTSU username and password, then type "autoresponder" (no quotes) at the prompt. When autoresponder loads, chose "Edit Forward File," then replace the line giving your MTSU email address (say, xxx3x@mtsu.edu) with your regular email address (say yourname@yahoo.com) and save the by typing ^X, then responding to the prompt to save.
Final Grade: As a guideline, the reflection posts will count 10%, the short-answer test will count 10%, the essay test will count 20%; the two two-article critiques will count 10% each; the summary critique will count 25%; the write-at-home final will count 15%. In assigning letter grades, 94 and above = A, 90 to 93=A-, 89 to 87=B+, 84 to 86=B, 83 to 80=B-, etc. But improvement will also be considered in determining the final grade.
Attendance: For graduate students, attendance is expected at all class sessions.
Late assignments: Any late paper or missed examination must be accompanied by a adequate excuse, and arrangements must be made with me in advance, not after the fact. Otherwise, late papers will be docked one letter grade (catastrophic), and make-up examinations will not be given at all (more catastrophic).
Academic misconduct: Plagiarism, cheating and other forms of academic dishonesty are prohibited. Students guilty of academic misconduct, either directly or indirectly through participation or assistance, are immediately responsible to the instructor of the class. In addition to other possible disciplinary sanctions which may be imposed through the regular institutional procedures as a result of academic misconduct, the instructor has the authority to assign an F or a zero for the exercise or examination; or to assign an F in the course. If the student believes he or she has been erroneously accused of academic misconduct, and if his or her final grade has been lowered as a result, the student may appeal the case through the appropriate institutional procedures.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism, most simply defined, is representing someone else's work as one's own. Failure to document sources adequately is the most common form of plagiarism. But adequate documentation is not always enough. When a graduate student presents a paper, the student implicitly asserts that the synthesis of though represented, though drawing for the work of others, is his or her own. Thus, excessive reliance on the thought of others to the exclusion of one's own -- even if documented -- is also plagiarism. Plagiarism is a cause of failure in this course.
Reasonable accommodation of students with disabilities: If you have a disability that may require assistance or accommodation, or if you have a question related to any accommodations for testing, note takers, readers, etc., please speak with me as soon as possible. Students may also contact the Office of Disabled Student Services (898-2783) with questions about such services.
Office Hours: Listed on my home page; other times by appointment, particularly before or after class. The best way to contact me is by e-mail at rwyatt@mtsu.edu.
To go to
the course syllabus, click here.
To go the the course
discussion board, click here.
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