Austin Peay State University
Department of Communication & Theatre
COMM 5030 APPLIED COMMUNICATION THEORY (Online)
Spring 2006 Syllabus (3 credits)
Instructor: Dr. Weiwu Zhang
Office: MMC 169
Office Hours: Tuesday and Thursday 1:30-3:30pm and by appointment
Office Phone: (931) 221-7973
Fax: (931) 221-7265
Email: zhangw@apsu.edu
Homepage: http://www.apsu.edu/zhangw
Course Description
This course tackles one overarching question: What are the effects of mass media in people’s lives? While scholars take different approaches to addressing this question, this course takes a social scientific approach. It will cover such questions as who is affected and how, what types of effects occur and how much, what different media content is involved, and what factors make media effects more or less likely. You will read scientific studies on these topics and evaluate them critically. By necessity, you’ll deal with results of such studies with tables, figures, and statistics but no statistical expertise is required in this course. The emphasis will be on learning how to think about and understand media uses and effects rather than memorizing a laundry list of facts.
While to many of you, “theory” seems to be mere academic exercises, too abstract and remote, hopefully, I can convince you in this class that knowledge of communication theory is indispensable to future mass communication professionals, responsible citizens, and life-long learners. This course will help you develop skills of the inquiry, abstract, logical, critical and creative thinking, and apply theories to practical settings.
Course Objectives
Provide students with
Required Texts
Severin, W. J. & Tankard, Jr., J. W. (2001). Communication theories: Origins, methods,
and uses in the mass media (5th ed.). New York: Addison Wesley Longman.
(Severin & Tankard)
Perse, E. M. (2001). Media effects and society. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum
Associates. (Perse)
Recommended References for Mass Communication Theories
Baran, Stanley J. & Davis, Dennis K. (2006). Mass communication theory: Foundations,
ferment, and future. (4th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
Berkowitz, Dan. (19970.(Ed.). Social meanings of news: A text-reader. Thousand Oaks, CA:
Sage. (best reader on various influences on news production).
Bryant, Jennings & Thompson, Susan. (2002). Fundamentals of media effects. New
York: McGraw-Hill.
Bryant, Jennings & Zillmann, Dolf. (2002). Media effects: Advances in theory and
Research (2nd ed.). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Bryant, Jennings & Zillmann, Dolf. (1994). Media effects: Advances in theory and
research. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Demers, David., & Viswanath, K. (1999).(Eds.). Mass media, social control, and social
change: A macrosocial
perspective.
Ames, IA: Iowa State
University Press. (great source for a macro-social perspective in mass
communication)
Downing, John D.H., McQuail, Denis., Schlesinger, Philip., & Wartella, Ellen. (2004).
(Eds.). The Sage
handbook of media studies. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Dunwoody, Sharon., Becker, Lee B., McLeod, Douglas M., & Kosicki, Gerald M.
(2005).(Eds.). The evolution of key mass communication concepts: Honoring Jack M. McLeod. Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press. (most recent synthesis of Dr. Jack McLeod’s lifetime mass communication research and the Wisconsin School)
Harris, Richard J. (2004). A cognitive psychology of mass communication. (4th ed.). Mahwah,
NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. (great source for a micro-social perspective in mass communication)
Jeffres, Leo. (1997). Mass media effects (2nd ed.). Prospect, IL: Waveland Press.
Katz, Elihu., Peters, John D., Liebes, Tamar., & Orloff, Avril. (2003).(Eds.). Canonic
texts in media research. Oxford, UK: Polity. (great source for classic research in mass communication).
McQuail, Denis. (2005). McQuail’s mass communication theory (5th ed.). Thousand
Oaks: Sage. (most recent and comprehensive coverage of mass communication theory from a European perspective)
McQuail, Denis. (2001). McQuail’s mass communication theory (4th ed.). Thousand
Oaks, CA: Sage.
McQuail, Denis & Windahl, Sven. (1993). Communication models for the study of mass
communication. New York: Longman.
Perry, David K. (2002). Theory and research in mass communication: Contexts and
consequences (2nd ed.). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Salwen, Michael B., & Stacks, Don W. (1996). (Eds.). An integrated approach to
communication theory and research. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum
Associates. (communication theory and research all in one book).
Shoemaker, Pamela J., & Reese, Stephen D. (1996). Mediating the message: Theories of
influences on mass media content. White Plains, NY: Longman. (best book on various influences on media content).
Shoemaker, Pamela J., Tankard, James W., & Lasorsa, Dominic L. (2004). How to build
social science theories. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Stone, Gerald., Singletary, Michael., & Richmond, Virginia P. (1999). Clarifying
communication theories. Ames, IA: Iowa State University Press.
Sparks, Glenn G. (2006). Media effects research: A basic overview (2nd ed.). Belmont, CA:
Wadsworth. (best book on media effects using McDonald’s language).
Dennis, Everette E. and Ellen Wartella. (1996). American communication research: The
remembered history. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Lowery, Shearon A., & DeFleur, Melvin L. (1995). Milestones in mass
communication research: media effects (3rd ed.). New York: Longman.
Rogers, Everett (1994). A history of communication study. New York: Free
Press. (best
biographical approach to communication research).
Schramm, Wilbur., edited by Chaffee, S. H., & Rogers, E. M. (1997). The beginnings of
communication study in America: A personal memoir. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Berger, Charles and Chaffee, Steven. (1987). (Eds.). Handbook of Communication Science.
Newbury Park, CA: Sage. (A great resource for introduction to graduate study in the field of communication).
Chaffee, Steven H. (1991). Communication concepts 1: Explication. Newbury Park: Sage.
(best concept
explication book)
Hansen, Anders, Simon Cottle, Ralph Negrine, and Chris Newbold. (1998). Mass
communication
research methods.
Washington Square,
NY: New York University Press.
Poindexter, Paula M., & McCombs, Maxwell E. (2000). Research in mass communication: A
practical guide. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin’s.
Riffe, Daniel, Stephen Lacy, and Frederick G. Fico (1998). Analyzing media messages: Using
quantitative
content analysis in research.
Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Stempel, Guido H. III., Weaver, D. H., & Wilhoit, G Cleveland (2003). Mass
communication research and theory. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. (advanced communication research methods book).
Sterling, Christopher H., James K. Bracken, and Susan B. Hill. (1998). Mass
communications research resources: An annotated guide. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Wimmer, Roger D. and Joseph R. Dominick. (2002). Mass media research: An
introduction.
(7th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. (used in COMM 5000: Methods of Research)
Babbie, Earl. (2004). The practice of social research. (10th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
(most popular social research methods book).
Kerlinger, Fred N. (1986). Foundations of behavioral research. New York: Harcourt Brace.
Singleton, Royce A. (2004). Approaches to social research (4th ed.). New York: Oxford
University Press.
Watt, James H., & Berg, Sjef A. Van Den. (1995). Research methods for communication
science. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Scholarly Journals
That May Be Useful for Your Theory Paper
Communication Research
Critical Studies in Mass Communication
Human Communication Research
International Journal of Public Opinion Research
Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media
Journal of Communication
Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
Journal of Social Psychology
Mass Communication and Society
Media Psychology
Political Communication
Public Opinion Quarterly
NOTE: All journals are available in Austin Peay Library EXCEPT those in
bold.
Use the Media!!!
Outside of class, you should pay close attention to the public affairs mass
media content on a daily basis. You should read at least one newspaper (e.g.,
The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, or The Washington Post),
one news magazine (e.g., Newsweek, Time, or US News & World
Report), and watch a television news program regularly (e.g., ABC World
News Tonight, NBC Nightly News, CBS Evening News, or ABC
News Nightline) or watch BBC World Service on Nashville Public
Television (NPT) at 10pm every weekday or listen to WPLN, Nashville Public
Radio’s “Morning Edition, “ from 5 - 9am, Monday through Friday, “Weekend
Edition” 7 - 9pm Saturday and Sunday; and “All Things Considered,” 3 - 6pm,
Monday through Friday, and 4 - 5pm Sunday, Nashville Public Radio is
found at 90.3FM or 1430AM.
These sources of information will keep you informed of the current
events – something each of us should do as a responsible democratic citizen. In
addition, class examples will frequently be taken from recent media content and
polling data, thus you will be in a better position understanding the
concepts/theories discussed in class if you have already picked them up from the
mass media.
Websites for Some News Media Organizations
The Atlantic
http://www.theatlantic.com
The Economist http://www.economist.com
The Los Angeles Times http://www.latimes.com
Newsweek http://www.newsweek.com
The New York Times http://www.nytimes.com
Time http://www.time.com
US News & World Report http://www.usnews.com
The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com
General
Course Structure and Approaches
In the course, we
will be using a variety of learning methods. In the threaded discussion area, we
discuss course concepts and invite students to offer their own experiences,
personal and professional backgrounds, and view points. An active discussion and
your enthusiastic participation are important to your learning experience, to
your grade, and to the success of your fellow students.
Course Assignments and Grading
Weekly discussion questions
- your instructor will regularly present lecture materials, useful web links,
and post online discussion questions, assignments on Monday. Plan for responses
of 200-300 words for each question and at least one response to someone else’s
comment on each question no later than Friday each week. All your
responses should be posted to the DISCUSSION BOARD unless indicated
otherwise.
You should refer regularly to the Course
Schedule which provides a framework for the course, so we can progress through
the same units and discussions together.
Please respond to assignments in a timely way. It's very easy to
miss important information if you don't stay fairly close to the
Course Schedule.
You may post directly into the threaded or attach documents. MSWord is the
preferred format for attached documents. If something prevents your
participation, please make sure to let your instructor know. Students may post
questions or requests for clarification, which may be answered by the instructor
as well as by other students.
Review of Scholarly Articles - One of the strengths of online learning is the opportunity for diverse individuals to share their resources and ideas. You will be asked to find two (approximately one every four weeks) articles online or offline, conduct a brief analysis of the research and its application to mass communication, and submit it on the Discussion Board for that week. The purpose of this assignment is to help you and your fellow learners become exposed to the breadth and depth of scholarly research. The review should provide the complete citation of the article (APA style, 5th ed.), theoretical rationale for the research, hypotheses/research questions explored, a brief summary of methods/results, and a critique of the research in terms of logic, measurement problems, and conclusion. A photocopy of the article should be provided to the instructor when submitting your article review to the DISCUSSION BOARD. See Review of Scholarly Articles for a sample of this assignment under COURSE INFORMATION.
Deadlines
Feb 1 First journal article review
Feb 15 Second journal article review
Theory Paper - The major requirement for this course is an original research paper that bears upon theories of mass communication. The paper should grow out of one of the topical areas covered in the course. The goal of the paper is to contribute, however modestly, to mass communication theory and research.
You should make your papers as empirical as you can, although the methodology need not be quantitative. Regardless of your topic, at a minimum, you should indicate what evidence is relevant and how it might be gathered. You should also consider what your theory implies in terms of a program or agenda for research. Implications for improving existing theories of mass communication and for practical applications should be included.
Originality is an important criterion for evaluating your seminar paper. This does not mean, however, that you must start from scratch. Some of the studies you are going to read in class provide a good starting point. Because we focus on mass communication theories, your paper must include relevant communication variables.
Some of you may wish to extend projects you have developed elsewhere or to
refine ideas toward completion of your graduate research paper or master’s
thesis.
It
is mandatory that you consult with me about your theory paper
topic early in the semester.
The
paper should be 12-15 pages in length (not including references). Go to
INFORMATION for detailed instructions on your theory paper.
All research papers should follow the 5th edition of the American Psychological Association (APA) style to the letter. For help with the APA style, check Psych Web’s APA Style Resources http://www.psychwww.com/resource/apacrib.htm
Deadlines
Jan 26 Selecting a paper topic
Feb 8 Theory proposal and preliminary bibliography
Mar 9 Penultimate version of your paper
Mar 16 Final version of research paper
In
summary, course grades will be based on the following:
Research paper 50%
Review of scholarly articles 20%
Weekly discussion questions responses 30%
Communication with the Instructor
You may
be new to online learning or you may be a little uncomfortable with some of the
technology. Regardless of your experience, it's very important that you ask
questions whenever you have any confusion about an assignment or course
expectations. You can also communicate with me via e-mail or send a fax. All
e-mails must include
COMM
5030
in the subject line. In addition to electronic communication, I am available for
telephone conversations. Contact information is listed on my profile. I suggest
you send an email first so we can arrange a time. If you're encountering
technical problems, you may call the APSU help desk at 931-221-help.
Course Assessment
Other course assessment activities include the following:
Course Evaluation: You will receive a course evaluation form to complete. It will be returned to the department evaluation coordinator, not to your instructor. Evaluations are anonymous and will not be reviewed until grades have been assigned.
Important
Course Rules and Policies
Any student who has a disability that may affect his/her academic performance is encouraged to make an appointment with me t o discuss this matter, or you may contact Disability Services in the Clement Building, Suite 140 at 221-6230 (Voice) or 221-6278 V/TDD.
Since this is an online class, regular attendance is not taken. However, you’re expected to check my lecture postings on a daily basis. My lectures may not necessarily be redundant with textbook materials and lecture notes will not be posted permanently on the course sites.
Cheating on exams or plagiarism or any form of violation of the University honor code is serious offense and will be dealt with appropriately ranging from a failing grade for an assignment, for the entire course to even expulsion from the University. The work you turn in must be entirely your own.
Late assignments will be accepted only under extreme circumstances on a case-by-case basis.
I don’t give them. The only way to qualify for consideration of an incomplete is for extreme cause to be determined on a case-by-case basis.
Instructor’s Educational Philosophy
I believe that the major purpose of teaching is the nurturing of students’ curiosity, the logical and creative ways of thinking, and essential skills of observation and task execution that lead to life-long, self-initiated learning. In keeping with this philosophy, I will give you what you want to know and what I think you NEED to know, and provide as much intellectual stimulation as my abilities permit, but I also expect you to challenge me and to question my and other scholars’ assumptions. I expect you to take an active part in this learning process. I am “notoriously” good at getting you to worry more (to a certain extent), so don’t sit back and expect me to entertain you. In addition, learning involves more than memorizing facts and figures. The most useful learning, I think, is about how to think, both creatively and critically; how to find, use, and evaluate information; and how to express ideas effectively in writing and speech.
Final Note
While I do not regularly lose things, I expect that you will make a copy of everything you give me. Should there be any dispute about what you turned in, I will expect to be able to ask for a xerox copy of the paper within a reasonably SHORT time period (same day as requested). If you are unable to produce one, I will consider this as evidence that the paper is not turned in at the assigned time. At any rate, the dollar it costs you to make a photostat is a small price to pay to insure the document on which you have spent a chunk of your life.
COURSE SCHEDULE
Note: The course schedule is not written in stone. We won’t follow it to the letter. You’re expected to read the latest announcements on a daily basis.
Week 1 Intro to Mass Communication Theory; Scientific Approach to Mass Communication Research; Theory Testing
READINGS:
1. Severin & Tankard Chapters 1& 2
Week 2 Communication Models; Research Primer; Theory Building; Evaluating Communication Theories
READINGS:
1. Severin & Tankard Chapter 3
2. Hawkins’s Research Primer
3. Shoemaker et al’s Chapter on evaluating theories under COURSE DOCUMENTS
Week 3
Persuasion; Mass media and Interpersonal Communication
READINGS:
1. Severin & Tankard Chapters 8 & 10
Week 4 Propaganda; Intro to Mass Media Effects; Models of Media Effects
READINGS:
1. Severin & Tankard Chapters 6 & 13 (pp. 262-268)
2. Perse Chapters 1 & 2
Week 5 Effects of Media Violence and Pornography
READINGS:
1. Perse
Chapters 7 & 8
Week 6 Media Effects on Public Opinion: Agenda-Setting and Framing; Summary lecture on Cultivation; Spiral of Silence; Third-Person Effect
READINGS:
1. Severin & Tankard Chapters 11 & 13 (pp. 268-283)
2. Perse Chapter 4
Week 7 Learning from the Media; Knowledge Gap & Socialization Effects
READINGS:
1. Severin & Tankard Chapter 12
2. Perse Chapters 5 & 6
3. McLeod’s piece on
Political Socialization under COURSE DOCUMENTS (recommended)
Week 8 Uses and Gratifications; New Media Technology; New Directions for
Mass Communication Theory & Research; End-of-Semester
“Sermon”
READINGS:
1. Severin & Tankard Chapter 17
2. Perse Afterword: social impacts of new mass media technology (pp. 251-259)