CC 220-02 - INTRODUCTION TO MASS COMMUNICATION

BRIDGEWATER STATE COLLEGE – SPRING 2002

TUESDAY/THURSDAY 9:25-10:40 CAMPUS CENTER R110

 

Dr. Arthur Lizie    | alizie@bridgew.edu |  webhost.bridgew.edu/alizie

| Office: Library L323 | 508-531-2170            

| Hours: M 11-12:00; T 1:00-2:00; by appointment

| Blackboard: http://plato.bridgew.edu/

 

Course Description

This course is a broad survey of and introduction to the field of mass media and mass communication.  With an emphasis on history and critical media literacy, it investigates the relationship between mass culture and mass communication, covers the evolution of the major US media channels (newspapers, TV, radio, etc.), and looks at related communication concerns (public relations, advertising, etc.).

A major goal of the class is to move the student from a subjective/consumer relationship with the media toward an objective/critical relationship.  Key techniques that work toward this goal include use of critical thinking skills, an introduction to professional journals in the field, the learning of media evaluation skills, and a final paper that analyzes and synthesizes external knowledge rather than offers opinions.

 

Required Readings

·        Additional materials available in-class and online

 

Guidelines and Policies

 

| Philosophy  While lectures and presentations are necessary to insure common ground for discussion, this course will succeed based on your willingness to explore and share your experiences and the course materials in thoughtful and meaningful ways.

 

| Attendance  Attendance at all class 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 absence or intended absence does not constitute an excused absence. You cannot learn if you are not here.

If you miss an exam without contacting me, you will receive a 0 for that exam grade.  For an excused absence (approved by me prior to the exam date), I may substitute an essay or research paper rather than give a make-up exam.

 

| 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 without properly identifying the source); presenting work previously presented in another course; purchasing exams or term papers; and submitting an exam or any other work that was 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: You cheat and you get a zero: A documented instance of cheating will result in a zero (0) for the assignment and a notification of the Vice President of Academic Affairs as outlined in the Academic Integrity section of the College Catalog (http://www.bridgew.edu/Catalog/ugpol.htm). This could result in expulsion. 

 

| Technology This is not a web class, but new-media technologies are an integral part of contemporary learning.  I expect you to have basic word-processing, e-mail, and web-browsing skills.  We will integrate Blackboard (plato.bridgew.edu) into the class.

 

| Papers Any written assignment must be typed and double-spaced, with proper margins.  Use MLA style, the accepted style for the BSC Communication Studies department, to document your work.  Do not submit first drafts of papers: 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.

 

For late papers, I will drop a grade per day after the due date. 

 

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.

 

Percentage of final grade / Assignment

 

10% – first paper

10% – second paper

15% – final paper & presentation

10% – response papers (5)

15% – first exam

15% – second exam

15% – third exam

10% – participation

 

100% total

 

 

Grade Scale

A

93-100

A-

90-92

B+

87-89

B

83-86

B-

80-82

C+

77-79

C

73-76

C-

70-72

D+

67-69

D

63-66

D-

60-62

F

0-59

 

 

Schedule of Discussion Topics, Readings, and Assignments

 

The following is a schedule of topics we will cover in the class and the corresponding reading assignments from Mass Media, Mass Culture.  Additional materials will be supplied in-class or online.

 

DATE          SUBJECT                        READING & ASSIGNMENTS

 

T Jan 15       Introduction          

 

R Jan 17       Basic Concepts                  Chapter 1

 

T Jan 22       NO CLASS

 

R Jan 24       Culture                            Chapter 2     RESPONSE 1

 

T Jan 29       Globalization                    Chapter 3

 

R Jan 31       Legal Controls                  Chapter 4     FIRST PAPER

 

T Feb 5        News Media                      Chapter 5

 

R Feb 7                                                                  FIRST EXAM

T Feb 12       Advertising                      Chapter 13

 

R Feb 14       Public Relations                Chapter 14    RESPONSE 2

 

T Feb 19       Books                              Chapter 6

 

R Feb 21       Newspapers                     Chapter 7     SECOND PAPER

 

T Feb 26       Magazines                        Chapter 8

 

R Feb 28                                                                SECOND EXAM

 

SPRING BREAK

 

T Mar 19      Radio                              Chapter 10

 

R Mar 21      Radio                                                  RESPONSE 3

 

T Mar 26      Recorded Music                Chapter 11

 

R Mar 28      Recorded Music                                    RESPONSE 4

 

T Apr 2        Motion Pictures                 Chapter 9

 

R Apr 4        Motion Pictures                                    RESPONSE 5

 

T Apr 9        Television                        Chapter 12

 

R Apr 11      Television              

 

T Apr 16      Research                          Chapter 16

 

R Apr 18                                                                THIRD EXAM

 

T Apr 23                          FINAL PRESENTATIONS

 

R Apr 25                          FINAL PRESENTATIONS

 

T Apr 30                          FINAL PRESENTATIONS

 

R May 2                           FINAL PRESENTATIONS