C & J
400: Senior Seminar: Perspectives on Communication
Fall 2009
Tues. & Thurs., 12:30-1:45
C & J 119
Dr. Judith Hendry, Instructor
Email:
Phone: 277-2197
Office: C&J 227
Office Hours: Tues.
& Thurs., 10:30-12:00
Course Description
OBJECTIVES
á
Design and deliver competent and ethical oral
presentations
á
Write in a clear, coherent manner
á
Critically analyze communication situations and
messages from multiple theoretical perspectives
á
Become aware and appreciate culturally diverse ways
of communicating
á
Apply communication theories, concepts, and skills
in ways that will enhance studentsÕ professional and personal lives
á Assess what students in this major have learned
from their communication courses.
Required Readings
No text book is required
for the course. However, students
are required to purchase a Supplemental Materials Packet from Education Printing Services. The cost of this packet should be less
than $5.00 (they donÕt take credit cards so bring cash or a check.)
Course Requirements
The following criteria will
be used to determine final grade based on straight percentage of a total of 180
possible points. In addition to
graded assignments, students are expected to attend class, participate in
classroom discussions and activities, and keep up with the assigned readings.
APA
Source Citation ExerciseÉÉÉÉÉ.15 points
Theory
& Application PaperÉÉÉÉÉÉ.50
Cultural
Diversity PresentationÉÉÉÉ..30
Response to Orr EssayÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ..20
Communication Ethics PaperÉÉÉÉÉ..25
Group
PresentationÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ..40
Total 180
*The final grade will be calculated by straight percentage of earned points to the total points.
Grade scale:
180 - 176 = A+ 143 -138 =
C+
175 - 169 = A 137 - 132 = C
168 - 162 = A- 131 - 126 = C-
161 - 156 = B+ 125 - 120 = D+
155 - 150 = B 119 - 114 = D
149 - 144 = B- 113 - 108 = D-
Description of Graded Assignments
APA Source Citation Assignment (15 points): This assignment is
geared to give you working experience with the somewhat complicated source
citation format that is used in our academic journals. Since most of the Communication
journals use the American Psychological Association (APA) format style, this is
the one we will use for this assignment as well as in the papers described
below. In your Supplemental Materials
Packet is the assignment which includes a list of different types of sources
(book, journal, magazine, Web site, etc.) as well as some sentences. You are to correctly site these as if
they were on a reference list or in the text of a paper.
Theory & Application
Paper (50 points): For this
assignment, you will be asked to apply a communication theory to a Òreal worldÓ
event or situation in a 6-7 page paper. The first 3-4 pages will be a description/discussion of the theory you
have selected. The second part of
the paper will take the theory a step farther and apply it to a real-life
situation or event. A minimum
of 5 sources (at least 3 of which would be considered academic sources) is required. We will spend time in class discussing various approaches and directions
for this paper.*
Cultural Diversity
Presentation (30 points): This
is a 5-6 minute oral
presentation in which you will examine some aspect of cultural diversity. The Supplemental Materials Packet
contains ideas for how to approach this and we will explore topics in
class. Your grade for this
assignment will be based on your presentation skills and speech structure (e.g.
organization, transitions, delivery, etc.) as well as the content of the
speech. A minimum of 3 sources should be cited in the speech.
Response to Orr Essay
(20 points): Included in the
Supplemental Materials Packet is an essay entitled ÒWhat is Education For?Ó by
David Orr in which he levels a harsh critique against institutions of learning
and how they have shaped our societyÕs capacity to think and their role in
perpetuating the environmental crisis. In a 1-2 page essay, you
are asked to give a thoughtful response to OrrÕs critique.*
Communication Ethics
Paper (25 points): Communicators in an interpersonal, organizational, public, or mass
communication setting have a responsibility to communicate in an ethical
manner. This 2-3 page paper will explore a communication situation in
which the ethics of the message is critically examined. For example, you might discuss such
things as a product advertisement, a political campaign ad, or a speech. Several examples of ethics guidelines
are included in the Supplemental Materials Packet and we will brainstorm ideas
for this paper in class.*
Critical Analysis of
Communication Artifact Group Presentation (40 points): This assignment requires you and your
team to prepare a 1 hour team
presentation that critically analyzes a communication artifact from varying
perspectives. The artifact and
perspectives of analysis will be chosen by the team based on the team membersÕ
individual concentration of study. You will be assigned to teams to insure that a number of different
perspectives are represented on each team. For example, a team may choose NIKE commercials as their
artifacts for analysis. One team
member may approach the analysis from the intercultural communication
perspective, another from an organizational perspective, another from a
rhetorical perspective, and
so forth. Further guidelines for
this assignment are in the Supplemental Materials Packet and will be discussed
in class.
*All papers that require
outside sources should follow APA source citation format.
*Papers must be typed
and attention should be paid to the crafting of the paper (typos, spelling,
grammar, punctuation, sentence
structure, organization, etc.)
*Please turn in all
papers stapled and without plastic cover or folder. No emailed papers please.
*We will be discussing
these assignments in more detail in class and you will be given ample opportunity
to ask questions to insure that you
understand the assignment and what is expected of you.
Policies
Attendance: Because this course requires the
studentsÕ involvement in class exercises and discussions, attendance is
essential. Students are allowed 4
free absences. After that, 3 points will be
deducted for each absence from the
studentÕs total points at the end of the semester. Attendance will be taken at the beginning of each class
period and late arrivals are responsible for insuring that their name gets on
the attendance sign-up sheet.
Graded Assignments: Students are expected to complete all
assignments and turn them in by the beginning of the class period on the
specified dates. Due dates for
graded assignments are printed in bold letters on the daily course schedule. Points will be deducted for late
submissions.
ADA Accessibility: Qualified students with disabilities
needing appropriate academic adjustments should contact me as soon as possible
to ensure your needs are met in a timely manner. Handouts are available in
alternative accessible formats upon request.
Diversity: This course encourages different
perspectives related to such factors as gender, race, nationality, ethnicity,
sexual orientation, religion, and other relevant cultural identities. This
course seeks to foster understanding and inclusiveness related to such diverse
perspectives and ways of communicating.
Ethics: The course emphasizes ethical practices
and perspectives. Above all, students and instructors should strive to
communicate and act, both in class interactions and in assigned coursework, in
a manner directed by personal integrity, honesty, and respect for self and
others. Included in this focus is the need for academic honesty by students as
stated by the UNM Pathfinder. Students need to do original work and properly
cite sources. For example, be aware of plagiarism—directly copying more
than 3 or 4 words from another author without quoting (not just citing) the
author is plagiarism. Further, course content will encourage ethical
communication practices.
Daily Schedule: We will be following the course as it
is outlined in the daily schedule. However, Dr. Hendry reserves the right to make minor adjustments to the
schedule as necessary. Students
will be given ample, fair notification of any necessary changes.
Welcome to Your Senior Seminar!
Daily Schedule
Unit I: Application of Theory
Aug.
T. 25 Introduction to the Course
Th. 27 Uniquely Human
Communication
Sept.
T. 1 Meet your cohort
Th. 3 What Makes Good Communication Theory?
APA Assignment Due
T. 8 Applying
Communication Theory
Th. 10 Theory &
Application Brainstorming
T. 15 Cultural Diversity & American Core Values
Theory & Application Papers Due
Th. 17 Public
Speaking—A Reminder
Th. 24 Diversity
Presentations
T. 29 Diversity Presentations
Oct.
Th. 1 Diversity
Presentations
T. 6 Catch-up and Review
Unit II:
Application of Communication Skills
Th. 8 Generation
X/Y and the Workforce
T. 13 Sapir-Whorf
Hypothesis (or why you just donÕt say some things)
Th. 15 FALL BREAK—NO CLASS
T. 20 EEOC
Response to Orr Essay Due
Th. 22 Tough Interview Questions
T. 27 Grad School
Anyone?
Th. 29 Planning Your Future
Nov.
T. 3 Examining Your Personal Values
Unit III:
Application of Critical/Analytical Skills
Th. 5 A Case Study
in Ethics
T. 10 Group Prep
Ethics Paper Due
Th. 12 NCA
CONFERENCE—NO CLASS
T. 17 Group Prep
Th. 19 Group 1 Presentation
T. 24 Group 2
Presentation
Th. 26 THANKSGIVING—NO CLASS
Dec.
T. 1 Group
3 Presentation
Th. 3 Group 4 Presentation
T. 8 Group
5 Presentation
Th. 10 Group
6 Presentation
T. 15 FINALS—NO CLASS