COM 108 Syllabus



Edwards College of Humanities and Fine ArtsDepartment of Communication, Media, and CultureCOMM 340 02Media EffectsFall 2016Classroom: Edwards 248 (T/H 1:40-2:55)Dr. Ho?odyOffice: Brittain Hall 308843-349-2946kholody@coastal.eduOffice Hours:M/W: 2pm-4pm, T/H 10:50am-12noonCourse DescriptionCOMM 340 Media Effects. (3) This course examines the use and effects of media for individuals and societies. It will cover topics such as: what media content affects people, the types of people who are affected by media content, what those effects are and how they occur, and what situations makes effects more or less likely to occur. Offered F, S, M, SuCourse Instructional ObjectivesThe primary objectives of this course are for you to:recognize and distinguish between different media effects theories and research.explore and critique hotly debated issues involving media content in our society.examine current issues in media effects research and the development of research over time.become a reference to others on the matters of media effects.Course Learning OutcomesUpon completion of this course, you should be able to:distinguish between major categories of media effects.analyze and evaluate both media content and research about media effects.identify the major stages of media effects research.develop and present a lecture on a type of media content and its potential effects.TextbooksSuggested:Sparks, G. G. (2009). Media effects research: A basic overview (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Wadsworth Publishers. (ISBN-10: 049556785X; ISBN-13: 978-0495567851)American Psychological Association. (2009). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. (ISBN-10: 1433805618; ISBN-13: 978-1433805615)Additional MaterialsAdditional journal articles, DVDs, websites, or other resources may be required throughout the semester. I will not intentionally add more to the financial costs associated with this course, but it is only fair to warn you that some may exist beyond the initial requirements.Most course content will be delivered on Moodle (). In addition to high-speed Internet access, you will need to be capable of opening .docx, .pptx, .pdf, .mp3, and other common file types, as well as viewing video files (such as on ).Grading ProceduresYour final average will be determined from 2 Exams, 2 Practice Exams, 4 Media Effects Logs, 1 Group Discussion Leading, 5 Participation Assignments, and professionalism/in-class participation, adding to a total of 1,000 points.A = 89.5-100%B+ = 86.5-89.4%B = 79.5-86.4%C+ = 76.5-79.4%C = 69.5-76.4%D+ = 66.5-69.4%D = 59.5-66.4%F = < 59.4%2 Exams (250 total points, 25% of final average)There will be two exams (worth 125 points each), which may consist of multiple choice, matching, fill-in-the-blank, or short answer questions covering the class lectures. You will be required to recall information, but also to apply concepts to specific situations. The final exam is not designed to be cumulative, although you may need to apply previously learned information to answer some questions.The exams will be completed in class, and you will have the full class or exam period to complete each. A full-credit makeup exam will be given only for university-approved absences with supporting documentation. Any other reasons for missing an exam will be approved on a case-by-case basis and at my discretion and may result in lost points. The final exam cannot be taken early without university-approved supporting documentation.The purposes of these exams are to test your ability to remember and apply the information we have learned during the semester. The exams fulfill all four course instructional objectives and learning outcomes 1, 2, and 3.Exam 1 (125 points; on October 13th): Nature of Media Effects / History of Media Effects Research / Basic Effects Research Methods / Time Spent with Mass Media / Persuasive Content / News & Political ContentExam 2 (125 points; at 1:30pm on December 13th): Violent Content / Frightening Content / Sexual Content / Media Stereotypes / New Media Effects2 Practice Exams (100 total points, 10% of final average)There will be two practice exams (worth 50 points each), which may consist of multiple choice, matching, fill-in-the-blank, or short answer questions covering the class lectures. You will be required to recall information, but also to apply concepts to specific situations. The practice exams are not designed to be cumulative, although you may need to apply previously learned information to answer some questions.The practice exams be completed on your own time by their respective due dates, on the course’s Moodle site. will be graded based entirely on participation, rather than on the number of correct and incorrect answers you provide. As long as you complete the practice exams before their respective deadlines and it is obvious that you made a concerted effort to genuinely complete them, you will receive full credit. I ask that you not study for these practice exams; they are designed to test your current knowledge. In other words, do not study, but do try to answer the questions as fully and accurately as you can.The practice exams will be completed on Moodle, and you will have one hour to complete each. Because the practice exams are meant to identify your knowledge level before we cover materials, I unfortunately cannot accept either after their stated deadlines. Do them on time and get the full credit!The purposes of these practice exams are to provide a baseline of your existing knowledge before taking this class, to assess the extent to which you have learned and can apply information by the time we have reached the midterm and final exams. The practice exams fulfill all four course instructional objectives and learning outcomes 1, 2, and 3.Practice Midterm (by 11:59pm, August 30th): Nature of Media Effects / History of Media Effects Research / Basic Effects Research Methods / Time Spent with Mass Media / Persuasive Content / News & Political ContentPractice Final (by 11:59pm, October 20th): Violent Content / Frightening Content / Sexual Content / Media Stereotypes / New Media Effects4 Individual Media Effects Logs (200 total points, 20% of final average)You will turn in four logs (worth 50 points each) discussing media content you have found outside of class. This content can be in the form of newspaper or magazine articles, webpages or weblogs, print or video advertisements, movies, episodes of television shows, music, video games, or any other content that is relevant to the specific lectures included in each log (see below).The purposes of these Logs are to help you recognize different media effects theories and categories we discuss in class, and identify media effects that may occur in your own life. The Logs fulfill all four course instructional objectives and learning outcomes 1 and 2.Media Effects Log 1 (by 11:59pm, September 15th): Describe one piece of media content and categorize three effects that could occur because of exposure to that content. For this log, you may describe effects from any media content of your choice.Media Effects Log 2 (by 11:59pm, October 4th): The content and effects for this log must relate to Persuasive Content or News & Political Content.Media Effects Log 3 (by 11:59pm, November 10th): The content and effects for this log must relate to Violent Content, Frightening Content, or Sexual Content.Media Effects Log 4 (by 11:59pm, December 6th): The content and effects for this log must relate to Media Stereotypes or New Media Effects.Participation Assignments (100 total points, 10% of final average)You will turn in five Participation Assignments (worth 20 points each) applying lecture content to readings or videos I have provided. You may complete up to four additional Participation Assignments, for up to 20 extra credit points.You are graded based on the quality of your work, so simply completing Participation Assignments will not guarantee you full credit. If you have several grammar or spelling mistakes, use contractions, put little effort into completing the assignments, etc., you will lose points.The purposes of these Participation Assignments are to help you recognize different media effects theories, identify media effects that may occur in your own life, and to explore class concepts from different perspectives than those presented during lecture (i.e., to see what other writers or researchers have to say about the concepts we cover). The Participation Assignments fulfill all four course instructional objectives and learning outcome 2.Note: There are more Participation Assignments available than you are required to complete, which allows you to choose on Moodle which assignments you want to do. You are free to complete whichever assignments you find most interesting, as long as you complete at least one for each lecture.Participation Assignment 1 (by 11:59pm, September 8th): Assignments to this assignment must draw from the lectures on Nature of Mass Media Effects or History of Media Effects Research.Participation Assignment 2 (by 11:59pm, September 22nd): Assignments to this assignment must draw from the lectures on Basic Effects Research Methods or Time Spent with Mass Media.Participation Assignment 3 (by 11:59pm, October 27th): Assignments to this assignment must draw from the lectures on Persuasive Content or News & Political Content.Participation Assignment 4 (by 11:59pm, November 3rd): Assignments to this assignment must draw from the lectures on Violent Content or Frightening Content.Participation Assignment 5 (by 11:59pm, December 1st): Assignments to this assignment must draw from the lectures on Sexual Content, Media Stereotypes, or New Media Effects.Group Discussion Leading (200 total points, 20% of final average)You will work together in groups to lead discussion for one entire class meeting. The discussion should take the entire class period, but must be no shorter than 55 minutes total. Each Discussion Leading will be completed in class, and each group will only present once during the semesterGroups should:present and discuss at least five media messagesdiscuss at least ten potential negative media effects from those messagesdiscuss at least ten potential positive media effects from those messagesdiscuss at least two pieces of key research (academic articles found through library research) related to the content or effects, neither of which should come from in-class lecturesidentify and explain at least one theory or model that could explain the content or effects, and that does not come from in-class lecturesdevelop at least one assignment for classmates/audience to:demonstrate your key theory or model, ordevelop a basic media literacy project to help your audience reduce the negative effects or increase the positive effects discussed in the discussion leading for people not in this classGroups will be evaluated based on: completing the assignment as described, the significance/interest of their presentation content, the rigor and completeness of their arguments, proper use of audiovisual aids, presentation preparedness and group equity, creativity, and knowledgeable responses to peer questions. Although there is no formal dress policy, you should dress in such a way that shows respect to your audience and establishes credibility (e.g., tuck in shirts, do not wear hats or ear buds, etc.). Meeting these minimum requirements above will result in a C grade for the assignment, so you are encouraged to exceed expectations.Group members who are absent on the day of their group’s Discussion Leading will receive only partial credit if it can be determined that they significantly contributed to the group’s preparation. Group members who do not contribute to their group’s Discussion Leading at all will receive a failing grade for the entire course, not just for this assignment.The purposes of Discussion Leading are to help you recognize different media effects theories and categories we discuss in class, explore and critique hotly debated issues, become a reference to others, and develop and present an entire lecture’s worth of material to fellow students. The Discussion Leading fulfills all four course instructional objectives and learning outcomes 1, 2, and 4.Group 1 (September 27th): This group will present media content and effects and lead discussion related to Persuasive Content.Group 2 (October 6th): This group will present media content and effects and lead discussion related to News & Political Content.Group 3 (November 1st): This group will present media content and effects and lead discussion related to Violent Content and/or Frightening Content.Group 4 (November 17th): This group will present media content and effects and lead discussion related to Sexual Content and/or Media Stereotypes.Professionalism / In-Class Participation (150 total points, 15% of final average)You should be present, ready, and attentive for every single class meeting. When applicable, you will receive 10 points for participation (for a total of 150 points) each week you participate at least once. This can involve completing in-class assignments, answering my questions, or asking your own questions.You begin the semester with 150 participation points, which you can lose throughout the rest of the semester. For example, if you attend every class meeting and participate each time, you will keep the full 150 points. If you do not participate sufficiently over the course of a week, you will lose 10 points from your participation grade. I keep a record of who participates on each date we meet, so feel free to ask at any point in the semester about your score.Any student caught sleeping, texting, surfing the Internet (on computers or tablets), doing work for other courses, talking about unrelated topics, or otherwise interrupting/ignoring class will lose all participation points for that week. Any student caught texting, etc., after already receiving a verbal warning will be asked to leave the classroom. Any student who does not show his or her classmates or me proper respect (see “Professionalism” below) will also lose participation points and may be asked to leave the classroom. You should remain courteous, respectful, and professional in all interactions with your classmates and me.The purposes of In-Class Participation are to encourage critical thinking, help you explore and critique hotly debated issues and become a reference to others, and so that you can contribute to the class and make it relevant to your own needs and interests. In-Class Participation fulfills all four class instructional objectives and learning outcomes 1, 2, and 3.Attendance and Tardiness PolicyYou are marked for 1 absence in this course:for every 1 unexcused absencefor every 2 times you are tardy (arriving after class activities or lectures have begun)Instructors are permitted by the CCU Course Catalog to impose a penalty, including assigning the grade F, for unexcused absences in excess of 25% of regularly scheduled class meetings. However, in this course: if you miss 25% or more of class meetings (or are tardy an equivalent number of times), you will lose 10 points off of your overall average and cannot receive an A, regardless of your overall average.if you miss 40% or more class meetings (or are tardy an equivalent number of times), you will fail receive a zero for the course, regardless of your overall average.Absences should be an infrequent occurrence for this course. It is your responsibility to inform me of potential absences before the class meetings you will miss. I am more likely to accept an absence as excused if you inform me of it in advance and/or within a reasonable period of time.Absences due to doctor’s appointments, incapacitating illness, official representation of the University, or the death of a close relative or loved one will be excused if you can provide supporting documentation. Court dates, car troubles, appointments with other professors, responsibilities for other classes, etc., are not accepted excuses for absences or tardiness.- You must contact the Dean of Students () before leaving campus for long-term illness or the death of a close relative or loved one in order for your absences to be excused and, if necessary, in order to receive credit for missed coursework.- I will not excuse an absence that occurs at the beginning of the session if a student does not provide documentation until the end of the session, regardless of what documented excuses the student may have. You do not need to provide specific details about absences related to health or private matters, but you must still provide university-approved documentation in order for the absences to be excused.It is course policy that class will be in session as long as CCU is open. If you reasonably feel it is unsafe to come to campus because of weather on a day when class is still in session, feel free to not come, but inform me that you are not coming to class before it begins. To be fair to all students, you will not receive credit for assignments missed on days you are absent, but the absence will still be considered excused.Absences due to the celebration or observance of religious holidays or ceremonies will be excused, but permission to miss assignments must be given by me prior to missing. You are still responsible for turning in formal assignments due on the dates you will be missing. If you are unable to use the Internet, you should make plans to turn in assignments early.Assignment GuidelinesBecause assignments are available for completion on Moodle from the start of the semester, there are no chances to turn in assignments late. If you predict not having Internet access around the times that assignments are due, you must turn them in early to receive full credit.You are expected to use correct grammar, spelling, syntax, and style in all written and oral work. All written assignments, even those submitted to Moodle, must also feature college-quality writing and contain no contractions (e.g., it’s, don’t, can’t, I’m, etc.).Cite all external sources appropriately in 6th edition APA style (within your paper/presentation and in a References section at the end). It is okay to paraphrase or use other people’s words to help clarify your own points, but you should avoid using a large number of direct quotations. If you have any question about whether to cite a source or not, the answer is almost always that you should cite it and give credit where it is due.You will be held fully responsible if found guilty of any Academic Dishonesty violations at CCU. You must be aware of and avoid the dangers of plagiarism, cheating on exams, fabricating data for a project, submitting the same assignment for more than one course without permission, or submitting work authored by anyone but you. Do not plagiarize when writing assignments or allow others to plagiarize your work, and do not cheat or share answers while taking tests. Severe cases of cheating can and do lead to expulsion from the university or even criminal prosecution.During exams, you may not wear sunglasses, billed-caps, etc., and your desk must be clear of everything (including food and drink) except your exam and writing utensil. You are free to write on your exams and to use pen. Exams will be kept in my office for no less than three years after our class is over. Students who attempt to take the exams with them, rather than returning them to me, will lose (potentially all) points on that exam.ContactAccording to the CCU Course Catalog, you are responsible for all information sent to you by email or available to you on the Moodle site. In other words, you should check your email and Moodle regularly to make sure you fulfill all class requirements.I am always available through email and/or during my office hours. I am also available most weekdays while school is in session, so please feel free to set up meeting times with me if you are unable to come by during my set office hours. In the event my office hours must be canceled, I will let you know for when they will be rescheduled.Contacting me through email is generally your best chance for receiving a prompt reply (voicemails from my left to my office phone will forward to my email. Although I actively and normally try to respond much more quickly, any time you email me outside of my office hours, please allow at least 24 hours for my response. I also suggest contacting me again if you have not received a response after 48 hours have passed.I do not call or text personal numbers, so expect email replies to your messages.ProfessionalismThe most important element of a class environment is respect. If any student does not treat others or me with the respect we all deserve, that student will not be able to participate in class assignments and his or her grade will suffer as a consequence. Further, please refer to me as Dr. Holody and I will refer to you by whatever name you desire.While we may not always agree with one another, it is important that we behave respectfully toward one another and encourage a positive communication climate. It is important that we:display respect for all members of the class.pay attention and participate in class sessions and activities.avoid unnecessary disruptions during class (e.g., having private conversations, sleeping, doing work for other classes, using a cell phone, etc.).avoid racist, sexist, homophobic, or other negative language that may unnecessarily exclude members of our campus and classroom.Any student who fails to meet any of these decorum requirements will be asked to leave the classroom and/or will be counted as absent. If you feel disrespected by me or your fellow students, let me know and the situation will be addressed. You should treat any form of contact with me or your fellow students with courteousness, respect, and professionalism (e.g., proper email etiquette). I will do the same when communicating with you.Statement about Equal RightsIf at any point during your time at Coastal Carolina University you feel discriminated against based on your age, color, disability, gender, national origin, race, religion, sex, pregnancy, parenthood, or veteran's status in regard to the administration of all campus programs, services, and activities”, I highly recommend that you let university officials know. Depending on the severity of the incident, you should also contact either Public Safety or local law enforcement.Federal law requires that any employee of the university that you let know about an incident (sexual acts without consent, sexual content without consent, sexual exhibition, sexual exploitation, or sexual harassment committed by fellow students, faculty, or employees of the university) must report the incident to the university’s (whichever is relevant) Title IX Coordinator (843-333-6229, coastal.edu/titleix, Kearns 104B) or Dean of Students (843-349-4161, coastal.edu/deanofstudents, dso@coastal.edu, Kearns 105)The person you contact and the Title IX or Student Advocacy coordinators will ask you basic information about the incident (What happened? When did it happen? Who else may have witnessed this?) and will try to keep your information as private as possible. The university will not force or hinder you from reporting the incident to law enforcement; the university employee reports to the university only that an incident occurred, so that others can be protected. The coordinators will then help you proceed with whatever course of action you prefer.These policies apply to incidents that occur either on- or off-campus and there is not “statute of limitations” on how long you can wait to file a complaint. You can report any safety incident at on DisabilityIf you have a documented disability or special need, please inform me of this before the end of the second week of classes so that I may accommodate your needs for the rest of the semester. All disability needs must be submitted to the Office of Accessibility and Disability Services (843-349-6561, coastal.edu/disabilityservices, Indigo House/Kearns 106) in order for your needs to be accommodated. Although it is my responsibility to meet the needs of all of my students, it is your responsibility to make your needs known. I also recommend that you remind me of your needs as needed, such as in the week before an exam.Student ResourcesDepartment of Public Safety: 843-349-2911, 843-349-TIPS, coastal.edu/safety/witness/Dean of Students Office: coastal.edu/students/deanofstudents/, Kearns 105Campus Life & Student Engagement: coastal.edu/students/Student Health Services: 843-349-6543, coastal.edu/students/health/, 204 University Blvd.Counseling Services: 843-349-2305, coastal.edu/counseling, 204 University Blvd.Title IX Coordinator: 843-333-6229, titleix@coastal.edu, coastal.edu/titleix/, Kearns 104BWomen’s Resource Center: 843-349-2218, coastal.edu/students/wrc/, Wall 313Library Services: coastal.edu/libraryLearning Assistance Centers: 843-349-6536, coastal.edu/lac, Kearns 205Writing Center: 843-349-2937, coastal.edu/writingcenter/, Kearns 203Mathematics Resource Center: coastal.edu/mathcenter/, Kearns 203Student Computing Services: 843-349-2908, 843-349-2220, coastal.edu/scs, Kearns 113Moodle Support: coastal.edu/moodle, moodle@coastal.eduCCU Course Catalog: coastal.edu/academics/catalog/Course ScheduleThis schedule is subject to change based on the needs of the class and my discretion. Unless otherwise noted, all assignments must be submitted on Moodle by 11:59pm on their due dates.DateTopicsAssignments Due This DateWeek 1Aug 23Nature of Mass Media EffectsAug 25- Nature of Mass Media EffectsIntroduction AssignmentWeek 2Aug 30History of Media Effects ResearchPractice Exam 1Sep 01- History of Media Effects ResearchWeek 3Sep 06Basic Effects Research MethodsSep 08- Basic Effects Research MethodsParticipation Assignment 1Week 4Sep 13Time Spent with Mass MediaSep 15- Time Spent with Mass MediaMedia Effects Log 1Week 5Sep 20Persuasive ContentSep 22- Persuasive ContentParticipation Assignment 2Week 6Sep 27Group 1: Group Discussion Leading (Persuasive Content)Sep 29News & Political ContentWeek 7Oct 4- News & Political ContentMedia Effects Log 2Oct 6Group 2: Group Discussion Leading (News & Political Content)Week 8Oct 11Exam ReviewOct 13Exam 1Week 9Oct 18Violent ContentOct 20- Violent ContentPractice Final ExamWeek 10 (Last “W” drop date is October 27)Oct 25Frightening ContentOct 27- Frightening ContentParticipation Assignment 3Week 11Nov 01Group 3: Group Discussion Leading (Violent Content / Frightening Content)Nov 03Sexual ContentParticipation Assignment 4Week 12 (Graduation Application due November 11)Nov 08Election Day (No Class)Nov 10- Sexual ContentMedia Effects Log 3Week 13Nov 15Media StereotypesNov 17Group 4: Group Discussion Leading (Sexual Content / Media Stereotypes)Week 14Nov 22Thanksgiving Break (No Class)Nov 24Week 15Nov 29- Media StereotypesDec 01New Media EffectsParticipation Assignment 5Week 16Dec 06Exam ReviewMedia Effects Log 4FINAL EXAM PERIODT-Dec131:30pmExam 2 ................
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