The final syllabus will be available in the Learning Management System.
This is a past syllabus providing a general idea of what the course entails. This does not represent the current course's syllabus, requirements or expectations.
This course is designed to introduce you to the role that media plays in modern society and how scholars study what that role is. We will begin the semester by examining the historical and scientific origins of media, how the introduction of each medium affected the societies that received them, and how media are currently being shaped. The majority of the semester is designed to introduce you to the various theories that describe how mass media is expected to influence society – both individually and structurally – and how to interpret evidence of those presumed effects.
At the end of this course, students should be able to:
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At the end of this course, students should be able to… |
Course topics that advance these objectives are: |
This objective will be evaluated primarily by: |
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LG1 |
Demonstrate an understanding of the development of mass media, and communication as a field
Murrow Learning Goals:
WSU Learning Goals:
SSCI Learning Goals:
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This is discussed through the first third of the course, weeks 1-5 |
Exams Literature Review Discussion Topics |
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LG2 |
Utilize library resources to effectively identify source material for media-related topics.
Murrow Learning Goals:
WSU Learning Goals:
SSCI Learning Goals:
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This is discussed in preparation for all assignments |
Library tutorial assignment
APA Citation assignment |
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LG3 |
Demonstrate awareness of how social science theory is generated and tested
Murrow Learning Goals:
WSU Learning Goals:
SSCI Learning Goals:
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This will be discussed in the last two-thirds of the course, weeks 6-14 |
Exams |
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LG4 |
Demonstrate awareness of conflicts that exist between various media theories.
Murrow Learning Goals:
WSU Learning Goals:
SSCI Learning Goals:
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This will be primarily addressed during weeks 6-10 |
Final exam Discussion Topics
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Demonstrate awareness of the various theories that describe economic constraints within media systems and how those effects are assessed.
Murrow Learning Goals:
WSU Learning Goals:
SSCI Learning Goals:
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This will be addressed during weeks 11-14 |
Final exam Discussion Topics |
This course is an introduction to mass communication and mass media, with a strong focus on media literacy, the history and development of mass media, and the effects of media on individuals and society. The following points are central to our approach.
1. Democracy depends on informed citizens, and citizens depend on media for information. Therefore, it’s crucial that we understand where the media came from, how media institutions function, and the roles they play in society.
2. Culture, ideology, reality are socially constructed through both interpersonal and mass communication. Media play important roles in these processes. Therefore, it’s important to recognize the motivations and rewards of societies, media institutions, and media professionals through both a historical and modern-day lens as media were developed and influenced the societies that possessed them, and as societies are continuing to be influenced today.
3. An important part of life today is the media and their effects on their audiences. However, many people simply absorb media messages without considering the potential consequences of those messages themselves or their societies. By developing media literacy skills and critical thinking it is possible to evaluate messages, not just be affected by them, and that will be a part of this class. Specifically, this class will advance students in the following course objectives:
a) understand methods of inquiry used in the field of communication
b) understand the effects that media have had and continue to have on societies
c) demonstrate through exams and papers an understanding of and ability to apply critical thinking to media and their effects on societies
4. The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication has proudly adopted the name of its most famous alumnus because we believe that his influences on journalism and the media, especially radio and television, have profoundly, and positively, affected them. An understanding of his legacy will provide insight into what is valid and useful, and invalid and of little use, as the media and society impact each other, and will be a part of this class.
Exams
There will be two exams comprised of multiple choice and true/false questions. Because the exams are open for a 3-day period, there will be no make-up exams for any reason.
Each exam will open at 12:01 AM of the day listed in the course schedule, and close 72 hours later. You may begin taking the exam at any time during that 72 hours, but you must complete the exam in the time allotted (1 hour for the midterm exams, 2 hours for the final exam) all in one sitting. Budget your time wisely because the exam will automatically close after the allotted time has passed regardless of whether you have answered all the questions or not. You cannot start an exam, leave, and come back later to finish.
BE SURE YOU HAVE A SOLID INTERNET CONNECTION WHEN TAKING ONLINE EXAMS. Take the exam in a library or on campus. It is ill-advised to rely on your home internet connection or a friend's internet connection. If you are disconnected for any reason, the exam submits whatever you have done and you cannot get back in.
The exams will cover lectures and readings. There are only two exams - a midterm and a final. The final exam is largely focused on material covered after the midterm. Keep in mind, however, that some concepts are overlapping and there may be content in the final exam that hearkens back to earlier content. There will not be a review period, so make sure you are keeping up on the material and ask questions as we go along if any of the material is confusing to you. Cheating on a test, of course, like any assignment will result in an automatic F for the course and referral to the Office of Student Conduct.
Written Assignments
Protocols and format. Everything for this class will be turned in via Canvas. To submit your paper, go to the Assignments page and click on the title of the assignment you're turning in, then follow the instructions to select and upload your paper to Canvas. Submissions must be in a .doc, .docx, or PDF format. DO NOT submit .pages documents or anything via Google Docs. You must save your assignment to your computer in the proper format and then upload it to Canvas. Written papers must be typed using 12-point Times New Roman or Calibri font, double spaced, and have one-inch margins. Everything should be written in paragraph format using complete sentences and paragraphs. All sources for assignments must be cited, both within the text and on a reference page, and must conform to APA style.
Use this site to learn and apply the proper APA style for your citations and reference list: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_style_introduction.html
Ensure proper assignment upload. It is your responsibility to ensure that your assignments are properly submitted. Digital copies must be submitted in .doc, .docx, or .pdf format. Always go into Canvas after you upload an assignment to be sure it is there and can be viewed. DO NOT rely on the auto-generated email you get from Canvas saying your assignment was uploaded. All Canvas "knows" is that "something" was submitted - it will not tell you if the format is acceptable or that the instructor is able to open it!
Plagiarism. All assignments are run through the anti-plagiarism software SafeAssign. Please note that self-plagiarism is still plagiarism and everything you turn in for this class should be created for this class, in the current semester. That is, you cannot turn in a paper you submitted in a prior attempt at this course, or in a different course. To do so will result in a score of zero.
Grading. I will be as fair and impartial as is humanly possible in the grading process. Each of you will be graded on the same basis. Because of this, no extra work, extra credit, or special assignments will be given. Grades are earned; they are not gifts. Grades are awarded on the basis of the quality of the work performed, not the amount of time expended.
Number. There will be one "practice" APA-style reference list done in conjunction with the Library Tutorial (described below), and one literature review (4-5pages, double-spaced).
The APA reference list assignment is worth 50 points, and the literature review is worth 150 points.
Please note that the "literature review" actually consists of two separate "assignments:" The first one entails a 50-point assignment designed to help you focus toward a research question and to develop the organization of your paper, and the second is the literature review itself, worth 100 points. Detailed instructions for each assignment will be provided in the assignment submission spaces as well as embedded within the weekly Canvas lesson content.
Visual Assignments
There will be two "visual creation" assignments, each worth 50 points. The first is a personal collage and the second is a "subvertisement." Detailed instructions will be provided in the assignment spaces in Canvas and also linked in the weekly lesson content.
The goal of the first visual creation is to apply the concept of framing to yourselves and to see how your "unframed" message varies compared to your "framed message" in terms of interpretability by a viewer.
The goal of the subvertisement is to not just learn about one aspect of media activism but to apply it by creating your own piece of work. Parody and satire are often essential components of "subvertisements," and so you will want to consult with your instructor if you need further explanation after reading the instructions and doing a bit of research on subvertisements.
The visual assignments must be turned in using .doc, .docx, .pdf, .jpg, .png. You can use other programs to create the work, but the work must be saved in one of those formats and submitted to Canvas using one of those formats. Ultimately, if we can't view it, it will be a zero.
Library Tutorial
On Canvas there is a link to an online library tutorial (http://libguides.wsulibs.wsu.edu/Com101) put together by the Communication librarian, Erica Nicol. The tutorial will teach you how to use the library resources we have on campus and give you instruction on how to assess the quality of the sources you are using. This tutorial will help you succeed in your written assignments which require you to use library resources. There are two assignments within the tutorial that require you to search for information and must be completed to obtain credit for this assignment. For the online course, this is to be completed with a focus on researching a media-influence-related topic. Check the library tutorial assignment description for it. Please note that your tutorial score doesn't appear in Canvas until the end of the semester when I receive a list from the library of students who completed the assignment and enter the scores manually.
Class Discussions (Packback): PLEASE READ CAREFULLY
Participation is a requirement for this course, and the Packback Questions platform will be used for an online discussion about class topics. Packback Questions is an online community where you can be fearlessly curious and ask open-ended questions to build on top of what we are covering in class and relate topics to real-world applications.