• Attendance/Participation 10%
• Leading a Seminar Discussion 20%
• Mid-Term Exam 30%
• Final Paper 40%

NOTES:

The School expects that the grades awarded in this course will bear some reasonable relationship to established university-wide practices.  In addition, the School will follow Policy S10.01 with respect to Academic Integrity, and Policies S10.02, S10.03 and S10.04 with regard to Student Discipline.  For further information visit:  www.sfu.ca/policies/Students/index.html.

REQUIREMENTS:

Attendance/Participation (10% of final grade)

I expect people to attend class, be on time, and be ready to discuss the material for the day.  Although I will generally begin each class with some introductory lecture material, I will employ discussions as the primary manner of covering the material.  All class discussions are potential sources for exams.  Through our discussions, we can learn immensely valuable things from each other; the readings are very important, but so are our own individual experiences of the mass media.  By talking, debating, and sharing ideas, we will all grow, both as individuals and as communication majors.

I do not allow unexcused absences; so if you miss something on a day on which you are absent without an excuse, you may not make it up.  (Excused absences generally revolve around illnesses.  Please see me if you have any questions about what is excused and what is not.)  Please do not be late.  If you are having trouble getting to class on time, please see me.  If you are late (i.e., not there by the time I call your name) twice, I will count each subsequent day you are late as an unexcused absence.

Leading a Seminar Discussion (20% of final grade)

This course will be taught as a seminar.  Students must read the assigned readings and attend every class prepared to participate in class discussion.  As a part of this requirement, the students will be responsible for co-facilitating a class discussion on the assigned readings and lectures.

Each seminar meeting will begin with a student presentation prepared and presented in groups of two to three.  The primary purpose is to serve as a basis for class discussion, so please prepare them with that in mind.  The presentation should cover the readings assigned for the class session in which they are delivered, and may also address the topic of the readings more generally.  (That is, you may raise questions or issues not dealt with in the readings.)  You may choose to divide up the readings, or to jointly prepare all assigned readings.

The formal presentation is only the first part of the assignment.  After summarizing and critiquing the readings, presenters will be expected to guide class discussion or other topically relevant class activities for about 30 minutes.  Presentations should not go beyond approximately 15 minutes, followed by approximately 30 minutes of student-led discussion.  Students presenting in week two will receive special consideration in grading for going first.

Here are the details.  First, your presentations should summarize the main points of the readings.  Do not give an exhaustive summary of the readings; remember that everyone else has read them and prepared response papers.  Second, critique the readings.  For example, if the reading presents an argument, how convincing do you find the argument?  Why?  Can you think of additional examples or applications of the reading?  What questions did the author either not satisfactorily address, or not ask at all?  How does the reading relate to other concepts or issues dealt with in class?  In short, this is where you should raise some ideas for class discussion that go beyond mere summary.  Finally, the presentation should lead to class discussion, which you will coordinate.  This can be done by developing questions to start and guide such a discussion (which you will be primarily responsible for leading).

Mid-Term Exam (30%)

The exam will include short answers and essay questions.  The exam will be designed to reward those who do the readings, listen carefully and think about lectures, and really grasp the key concepts and questions.

Final Paper (40% of final grade)

A team of two students or a single student will write an original research paper for the class.  You will prepare a one-page proposal of what you plan to do by the mid-term.  In general, your paper should be well thought out and argued, substantiated with evidence, and well written.  The paper should demonstrate your engagement with the readings and other material covered in the course.  The paper will be around 12 pages long, including references (double-spaced, 12-point font).