CMNS 452 Su11 syllabus - SFU Wiki

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Attendance/Participation This course covers a lot of ground in thirteen weeks and we have a lot of work to do together. First off (and so important), attendance is mandatory. Making it to class (on time!) and being present for the discussions is a large part of being successful in this class. Second, group discussion is a central aspect of our daily class life, so please come prepared to talk about the readings and issues of the day. Being an upper level seminar, the expectation is that you will read all the readings for each week, and contribute meaningfully to the discussion. Class participation is worth 20%. Mini Blog You will upload a “mini blog” (your summary of the article(s) in a few sentences) to the course wiki by midnight before class (see “readings” page in the wiki for mini blog links). The mini blogs are not graded but they are worth 18%/18 points of your final grade. You will receive 3 points if the post is on time, 1 point if it is late, and 0 for missing a post. You do not have to make a post the class you are presenting (so, you do 6 out of 7 topics). For this course to be successful you need to be present in class, attentive and respectful of others, contribute to the discussion in a constructive and productive manner, and participate in the class wiki. Course Resource Pages There are a number of resources on the wiki on the “Course Documents” page. One of the fantastic advantages of a wiki is that everyone in the course can contribute and past classes have started to build bibliographic and other lists to share with each other and future students. We will continue to build on this community effort. You will be required to contribute to the resource pages as part of your participation grade. 5/10 of your participation grade will be based on your contribution to the “resource pages” on the wiki (which is 5% of your overall grade). Your contribution is due the same time as the final paper. Prospectus and Term Paper In addition to the mini blogs, writing for this course consists of two main parts: the paper prospectus and the term paper. The prospectus (no more than 3 pages, not including the references) is due at the beginning of class on Class 9 (June 7). In it, you will outline the topic and give a supporting rationale for choosing it. You will also include theoretical perspectives, empirical site of study, and potential secondary sources (bibliography). You are also required to include 1 or 2 guiding research questions and a working title. At this point, you should be in dialogue with Marcos and I about how to approach reading, researching, organizing, and writing about your topic. The prospectus is graded. The term paper (3000 words) is due at the end of the term (see the wiki for the date). Submission of the prospectus and term paper must be in both paper and electronic form. Submissions will not be considered complete until a hard copy and an electronic copy are received. Both assignments will be further outlined in class. Presentations Students will work in groups to prepare a short discussion/presentation at a seminar for one of the days of the course schedule. You will be assigned a set of readings from one of the day’s of the course and must formulate a set of questions that are engaging enough to ensure class discussion. You will also be required to draw on the media screened in the previous class and identify and utilize outside media artifacts
of popular culture (such as a film or television show) to ground your exploration of the theme of the week and the readings to prompt (or provoke) group discussion. The purpose of this assignment is to provide you with the opportunity to develop your critical reading skills, make formal presentations to the class and lead class discussion. Evaluation of your presentation is based on four elements: • Your thematic treatment of the issues and controversies from the collection of papers and/or chapters with interpretation, implications, context (including chronological context), conclusions (no annotated bibliographies!). • Your production and management of class discussion of provocative questions (see “Tip” below). • A ‘game/activity’ that involves the class (see “course resources” on the wiki). • Uploading your presentation materials to the course wiki. The instructions for the game/activity go in the “course resources” section. Tip: Try to avoid the question, “So what do you think” When using media, you need to set up the clip by unpacking the issues, theories, and/or concepts from the readings, introduce the clip, show the clip, and then debrief the clip and present one or two accessible and productive discussion questions that refer back to the specifics of the setup (such as the theory or concept). You may use powerpoint in your presentation, but it is not necessary. Someone must take notes during the discussions and record incorporate important points, issues, and controversies that arise in class. Include this report with your uploaded presentation to the wiki the evening of the class. You can go back and edit this, if necessary, but do have it up there by that evening. Deadlines Assignments are due on the date indicated. I will not grant extensions except in the direst of circumstances and under no circumstances will I grant an extension within 24 hours of a due date. Missed deadlines will be assessed a deduction of one third of a letter grade per day (e.g. from A- to B+ for 1 day late). All assignments must be completed in order to pass the course. If the term does not go the way you planned (life does happen when we are not expecting it), don’t panic or hide. The best thing you can do is to talk to Marcos or I and keep us in the loop. Usually, we can work something out. It becomes very difficult to work anything out at or after a deadline. A word about laptops in class: I don't mind you bringing your laptop to class, as they can be productive for learning. Taking notes and finding relevant information, for example, are acceptable uses. However, they are not to be used as a distraction from the class. I especially will not tolerate surfing the web, checking facebook, etc. during presentations. You all will put a lot of time and effort into the presentations. Be respectful to your colleagues and yourself and give your full attention.
Page 1: Race and the Media Communication 45
Page 5: Academic Integrity The School of Co

CMNS 452 Su11 syllabus - SFU Wiki

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?