Introduction to Mass Media
Syllabus – Fall 2003
Prof: Kim Gregson Office: Park Hall Rm 244
Phone: 4-7348 Email: kgregson@ithaca.edu
Office Hours: MWF 9-10, MW 3-4pm
Prof’s Webpage: http://www.ithaca.edu/faculty/kgregson/index.html
Textbook: Pavlik & McIntosh, Converging Media: An Introduction to Mass Communication. 2004.
Course Webpage: http://www.ithaca.edu/faculty/kgregson/mass_media_intro_links.html
Course Description: This is a broad survey course that uses lecture, film, discussion, and a variety of written assignments to look at mass media and the Internet, which are integral parts of our everyday lives. They are a major source of information, entertainment, and social interaction for many people. In this course we will look at the historical development and future promise of mass media. We will discuss the effect of the political, economic and technological context on mass media, primarily in the United States, but with some attention to international developments. Survey of American mass media with emphasis placed on the historical development, structure, organization, function, and effects of mass media in society. Discussion includes issues such as convergence, censorship, and economic control , balance of power between media content producers and consumers, and the role of governmental regulation.
Course Goals: By the end of the class
you should be able to
° Identify similarities and
differences between different mass media
and the internet
° Define convergence and
discuss its effects on your media use
° Evaluate trade journals and
other information sources
° Identify and discuss major
historical events in mass media development
° Be an informed consumers of
media by considering your own
exposure to and perception of mass messages
° Define weblogs and discuss
their role in journalism and entertainment media
° Identify methods and
information sources for investigating future career options
Readings
The syllabus contains the textbook readings for each class period. Online readings will be assigned during the semester and will be linked to the online version of the syllabus. Read them before class - this will help you better understand the lectures and more fully participate in the discussions. Most of the readings are in the required textbook. Occasionally an online article may come up. I will mention them in class and post the URL on the website. They are usually some news story or an online commentary that I think you might enjoy and that relate to course material. If you find something that you think would interest others, send me the URL in an e-mail and I'll announce it in class. All of these types of readings extend the information that is available in the textbook and provide you with current information about topics we will discuss in class and that will be included on the tests as well.
Tests
There will be two quizzes with
multiple choice and true false questions to help you become familiar with the
types of questions that will be on the tests and to help you identify the types
of material that the prof considers important to aid you in studying for the
exams. You will take the quizzes on your own during a specified time (usually
over a weekend) - that means you can use your books and your notes (so take
notes<G>), take the quiz in your room while eating pizza, and be a little
more relaxed than during a regular test. We will go over any questions that
were particularly troublesome and you are free to ask questions about the
quizzes in class after everyone has taken them. The exams will all have similar
types of questions - multiple choice,
matching, and true false – as well as open ended short essay type
questions. Questions will come from the textbook, assigned readings, and
lectures. Review sheets will be distributed before the midterm and the final to
help you study. They are NOT comprehensive; the final is just a regular test
and so will be the same length and make up of the midterm test. Make-up exams
will be allowed only in clearly documented situations that have been
communicated to me by phone or in person - NOT BY E-Mail - before the date of the original exam or in the case of a documented
personal medical emergency. This means NO
EARLY FINAL EXAMS.
Grading (Points: 200 from tests, 50 from quizzes, 250 from assignments)
Assignments (Brief Descriptions) – 250 points
Tests
Quiz (ch 1,2) – 25 points
Quiz (ch 3,4,) – 25 points
Midterm (Ch 1,2,3,4,5,6, 13,14) - 100 points – in class 10/20
Final (ch 10,11,12,7,8,9,15) – 100 points
Grades
95 - 100 A 90 - 94 A-
87 - 89 B+ 83 - 86 B 80 - 82 B-
77 - 79 C+ 73 - 76 C 70 - 72 C-
67 – 69 D+ 63 - 66 D 60 - 62 D-
0 - 59 F
Attendance and Class
Participation
Here is the college attendance
policy. I will expect you to follow it. I will take attendance at the beginning
of class each day (either by calling names or passing around a sign up sheet);
if you are not there when your name is called, you will be marked absent.
College Policy
Students at Ithaca College are
expected to attend all classes, and they are responsible for work missed during
any absence from class. At the beginning of each semester, instructors must
provide students in their courses with written guidelines regarding possible
grading penalties for failure to attend class. Students should notify their
instructors as soon as possible of any anticipated absences. Written
documentation that indicates the reason for being absent may be required. These
guidelines may vary from course to course, but are subject to the following
restrictions:
1. In accordance with New York
State law, students who miss class due to their religious beliefs shall be
excused from class or examinations on that day. Such students must notify their
course instructors at least one week before any anticipated absence so that
proper arrangements may be made to make up any missed work or examination
without penalty. Faculty will not schedule examinations or quizzes on
designated religious holidays on the calendar day following the designated
holidays. Designed holidays are Rosh Hashanah (2 days), Yom Kippur, Good
Friday, and Easter Sunday.
2. Any student who misses class
due to a verifiable emergency - such as an illness requiring attention by the
health center, or hospitalization, death, or serious illness of a family
member, or required appearance in a court of law - shall be excused. Students
may notify the Office of Student Affairs about any emergency, and that office
will notify the appropriate faculty member
A student may be excused for
participation in college-authorized co-curricular and extracurricular
activities such as athletic events, musical and theatrical performance, and
professional conferences if, in the instructor's judgment, this does not impair
the specific student's or the other students' ability to succeed in the course.
The course instructor has the
right to determine if the number of absences has been excessive in view of the
nature of the class that was missed and the stated attendance policy. Depending
on the individual situation, this can result in the student being removed from
or failing the course.
Regarding Academic Dishonesty
Academic dishonesty includes
cheating, plagiarism, unauthorized collaboration, falsifying academic records,
and any act designed to avoid participating honestly in the learning process.
Scholastic dishonesty also includes, but is not limited to, providing false or
misleading information to receive a postponement or an extension on a test,
quiz, or other assignment, and submission of essentially the same written
assignment for two courses without the prior permission of the instructor.
Plagiarism can involve not only written work but computer programs,
photographs, artwork, films, videos, and audio recordings. Scholastic
dishonesty damages both the student's learning experience and readiness for the
future demands of a career. Students who violate college's rules on scholastic
dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the possibility of
failure in the course and/or dismissal from the college. If you are at all
unsure about what constitutes plagiarism or academic dishonesty, or how to give
credit see me and consult the Student Handbook (see "plagiarism" in the index)
In a collaborative project, all
students in a group may be held responsible for academic misconduct if they
engage in plagiarism or are aware of plagiarism by others in their group and
fail to report it. Students who participate in a collaborative project in which
plagiarism has occurred will not be held accountable if they were not
knowledgeable of the plagiarism.
Students with Special Needs
Special accommodations are
available for students with appropriately documented disabilities. These
services are confidential. To access them you must (1) register with the
coordinator of Academic Support Services for Students and Disabilities and (2)
request a formal accommodation plan at the beginning of each semester. See the
current College Catalog under
"Disabilities".
Questions/Comments/Criticisms/Suggestions
If at any time something seems
unclear or unreasonable to you, please make an appointment to discuss it with
me. I'm open to your suggestions and comments. This class is meant to be an
open forum for learning and discussion.
Schedule:
Week Date Topics
1 August 27 Ch1: Introductions, Mass Communication Concepts
August 29 Convergence discussion
(Notes: Big Apple Anime festival in Time Square – I’m going for the weekend so no homework)
2 Sept 3,5 Ch2: Media Literacy
(notes: James McBride lecture on Tuesday 7-9 pm – you need to sign in with me at the lecture for extra credit)
3 Sept 8, 10, 12 Ch13: Media Effects research
Media Literacy Paper – 25 points - 3-5 pages – due Friday
(notes: Homecoming weekend)
4 Sept 15, 17, 19 Ch14: Media Regulation
5 Sept 22, 24, 26 Ch3: Books/Print
Trade journal review – 25 points - 2-3 pages – due Friday
6 Sept 29, Oct 1, 3 Ch4: Movies
(notes: AnimeNext in Rye, NY – yep, I’m going to this one too)
7 Oct 6, 8, 10 Ch 5: Music, Radio & TV
Analog/Digital mass media comparison - 25 points - 2-3 pages – due Friday
(notes: Family weekend – Ithacapella performs Sunday at 9pm)
8 Oct 13, 15, 17 CH 6: Digital Media, no class on the 17 for fall break
9 Oct 20, 22, 24 Midterm, Ch 10: Journalism
(notes: I have to turn in midterm grades by 10am on Tuesday 10/21)
10 Oct 27, 29, 31 Ch 11: Entertainment
Media Diary – 50 points - 3-5 pages – due Friday
11 Nov 3, 5, 7 Ch 12: Advertising & Public Relations
12 Nov 10, 12, 14 Ch 8: User Interface
13 Nov 17, 19, 21 Ch 7: Storing, representing, retrieving digital content
User Interface Evaluation – 25 points - 1-2 pages – due Friday
(fall break starts AFTER class on Friday)
14 Dec 1, 3, 5 Ch 9: Distribution of Digital Content
15 Dec 8, 10, 12 Ch 15: Mass Media & Politics, Final Review
Company Profile – 100 points - 10-15 pages, group assignment – due Monday
Final Exam Tuesday 12/16 at 4:30 – 7pm
Extra Credit Possibilities
(5 points each – you can do up to 25 points worth of EC)
8/26, 8/26 – rush nights for Park Media (see me to sign-in at the meeting)
9/2 – James McBride lecture 7-9 (wrote the book for freshman reading project – see me to sign in at the event)
??//??- There will be at least 2 speakers at the Park School this semester – see me to sign in at the event, you can get credit for going to 2 speakers
??/?? – write a one page review of a website listed in our textbook (the weblinks) – describe the content, evaluate the source of the info, its timeliness, and its usefulness to other students in this class, give them to me electronically, saved as an html file and I’ll add them to the course website
??/?? – there may be other speakers on campus that would fit in with our class – I’ll announce in class (let me know if you hear of any speakers or movies on campus that you think would be good for extra credit)