CC 396-01 – MASS COMMUNICATION THEORY AND RESEARCH
BRIDGEWATER STATE COLLEGE – FALL 2002
TUESDAY/THURSDAY
10:50-12:05 LIBRARY L103
Dr. Arthur Lizie |
alizie@bridgew.edu |
webhost.bridgew.edu/alizie
| Office: Library L323 | 508-531-2170
| Hours: M 1:30-2:30; T 3:00-4:00; by appointment
| Blackboard:
http://plato.bridgew.edu/
This course explores
historical and contemporary theories of mass media and communication and
investigates methods of scholarly mass media and communication research. Building on the knowledge base of
prerequisite courses, students develop skills to choose a research topic,
create research design, collect and analyze data, write a report, and present
findings. (Prerequisites: CC 220, CC
295, CC 320)
Werner J. Severin and James W. Tankard, Jr. Communication Theories: Origins, Methods,
and Uses in the Mass Media. 5th
ed. New York: Addison Wesley Longman,
Inc., 2001.
Wimmer, Roger D. and Joseph R. Dominick. Mass Media Research: An Introduction. 6th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 2002.
Both texts are required and
must be brought to each class meeting.
Additional readings will be
available in-class and online.
| Philosophy This
class is conducted in a lecture-discussion format, supplemented by online and
in-class group and individual exercises and activities. It is essential for your success, and the
success of the course, that you attend every class and come prepared: Read the
assignment before each class and expect to discuss it in class. In addition, it is expected that you check
Blackboard and a workable e-mail account on a regular basis. Due to the nature of the course, the
instructor reserves the right to make minor adjustments to the course schedule.
| Attendance Attendance
at all class sessions, including online sessions, is required. More than two absences will drop your final
grade, as will habitual lateness, leaving early, and leaving during class. While I appreciate the information, merely
noting your intended absence does not constitute an authorized absence. Authorized absences, in general, include
“illness, participation in official college events, personal emergencies and
religious holidays.” (Course Catalog, p. 52).
These absences require third-party documentation. You are responsible for all material covered
in your absence.
If you miss an exam without
prior authorization, you will receive a 0 for that exam grade. For an authorized absence, I may substitute
an essay or research paper rather than offer a make-up exam.
Be aware that participation,
which constitutes a large portion of your final grade, is not the same as
attendance. Attendance, which is a
minimum requirement, means showing up; Participation, which is an evaluated requirement,
means joining in – comments, clarifications, and questions.
| Assistance If you
require additional or alternate assistance, please inform me as soon as
possible so we can make arrangements to aid your learning.
| Academic Integrity Acts of
academic dishonesty include but are not limited to: cheating on exams;
plagiarism (using someone else’s work and passing it off as one’s own);
presenting work from another course; purchasing exams or term papers; and
submitting work completed by another person.
It is not wrong to consult
reference works, but you need to document your sources. This means using proper citation if you use
someone else’s ideas, and proper citation and quotation marks if you use
someone else’s exact words. When in
doubt, cite.
This course has a zero-tolerance
policy for cheating and plagiarism: Cheat and you get a zero. A documented instance of cheating will
result in a zero (0) for the assignment and notification of the Vice President
of Academic Affairs as outlined in the Academic Integrity section of the
College Catalog (pp. 48-9). This could result in expulsion.
|
Papers Written assignments must be typed and
double-spaced, with proper margins. Use
MLA style to document your work. Do not
submit first drafts: edit your work for spelling, punctuation, grammar, and
paragraph and sentence structure. I
grade papers for form and content: the way you communicate affects what you
communicate.
Papers
are due during class. For late papers,
I drop one grade for each 24-hour period after the end of class.
Missed
presentations will be made up at my discretion.
| Evaluation
You must complete all
assignments to pass the course.
Information on individual
assignments will be available in class and online.
I adhere to the school’s
grading system:
A — Superior; B — Good; C —
Satisfactory; D — Poor; F — Failure.
|
Task |
% of Final Grade |
|
Grade |
Range |
|
Exam 1 |
15% |
|
A |
93-100 |
|
Exam 2 |
15% |
|
A- |
90-92 |
|
Exam 3 |
15% |
|
B+ |
87-89 |
|
First paper |
5% |
|
B |
83-86 |
|
Second paper |
10% |
|
B- |
80-82 |
|
Final project |
25% |
|
C+ |
77-79 |
|
Participation |
15% |
|
C |
73-76 |
|
|
|
|
C- |
70-72 |
|
|
|
|
D+ |
67-69 |
|
|
|
|
D |
63-66 |
|
|
|
|
D- |
60-62 |
|
|
|
|
F |
0-59 |
The
following is a schedule of topics we will cover in the class. Additional
materials will be supplied in-class or
online.
CT = Communication
Theories
MMR = Mass Media Research
|
DATE |
TOPIC |
READING/ ASSIGNMENT |
|
R
9 05 |
Introduction to course |
|
|
T
9 10 |
Introduction to Mass
Communication Theory Models
in Mass Communication and Research |
CT
Ch 1 & 3 |
|
R
9 12 |
Science and Research |
MMR Ch 1 & 2 |
|
T
9 17 |
Scientific
Method |
CT Ch 2 |
|
R
9 19 |
Elements of Research |
MMR Ch. 3 |
|
T
9 24 |
Research Ethics &
Sampling |
MMR
Ch 4 & 5 |
|
R
9 26 |
The Role of Perception in
Communication Problems
in Encoding |
CT Ch 4 & 5 First Paper |
|
T
10 01 |
Analysis of Propaganda: First Theories of Decoding and Effects |
CT
Ch 6 |
|
R
10 03 |
Cognitive
Consistency & Mass Communication |
CT
Ch. 7 |
|
T
10 08 |
EXAM (covers material
9/10-10/01) |
Exam |
|
R
10 10 |
Qualitative Research
Methods |
MMR Ch 6 |
|
T
10 15 |
Content Analysis |
MMR Ch 7 |
|
R
10 17 |
Survey Research |
MMR Ch 8 |
|
T
10 22 |
Longitudinal Research |
MMR Ch 9 |
|
R
10 24 |
Theories
of Persuasion |
CT
Ch. 8 |
|
T
10 29 |
Groups
and Communication Mass
Media and Interpersonal Communication |
CT
Ch. 9 CT
Ch. 10 Second Paper |
|
R
10 31 |
Agenda
Setting |
CT
Ch. 11 |
|
T
11 05 |
EXAM (covers material
10/03-10/29) |
Exam |
|
R
11 07 |
Knowledge-Gap Hypothesis |
CT Ch. 12 |
|
T
11 12 |
Effects of Mass
Communication Research in Media
Effects |
CT Ch. 13 MMR Ch. 17 |
|
R
11 14 |
Uses of the Mass Media |
CT Ch. 14 |
|
T
11 19 |
Mass Media in Modern
Society |
CT 15 |
|
R
11 21 |
Theories
of Cyber Communication Mass
Media Research and the Internet |
CT Ch. 17 MMR
Ch 18 |
|
T
11 26 |
TBA |
|
|
R
11 28 |
Thanksgiving
Recess – No Class |
|
|
T
12 03 |
EXAM (covers material
10/31-11/26) |
Exam |
|
R
12 05 |
Final Presentations |
Final Paper |
|
T
12 10 |
Final Presentations |
|