J387: Media History Syllabus
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PROFESSOR: Tom Bivins
OFFICE HOURS: Monday and Wednesday, 10:15-11:15, 311-B Allen Hall. I'm also available to chat before class. Of course, you may always email me or the Grad Assistants with questions or concerns.
PHONE: 541-346-3740
E-MAIL: [email protected]
OFFICE HOURS: Monday and Wednesday, 10:15-11:15, 311-B Allen Hall. I'm also available to chat before class. Of course, you may always email me or the Grad Assistants with questions or concerns.
PHONE: 541-346-3740
E-MAIL: [email protected]
A Brief Bio for Tom Bivins
Tom Bivins is the John L. Hulteng Chair in Media Ethics in the School of Journalism and Communication at the University of Oregon where he is the head of the Communication Studies Major and Graduate Certificate Program in Communication Ethics.
He has a BA in English and an MFA in Creative Writing, both from the University of Alaska, Anchorage, and a PhD from the University of Oregon. He has worked in television and radio broadcasting, documentary film production, advertising, corporate and agency public relations, and as a graphic designer and editorial cartoonist.
He is the author of numerous articles on the mass media in academic and professional publications, and has written books on media ethics, public relations writing, publication design, advertising, and newsletter publication. He has three published children’s books and a small book of poetry. He has also designed numerous web sites for education, business, and professional societies.
If you want to learn more about professor Bivins, just click on his face. It doesn't hurt.
Tom Bivins is the John L. Hulteng Chair in Media Ethics in the School of Journalism and Communication at the University of Oregon where he is the head of the Communication Studies Major and Graduate Certificate Program in Communication Ethics.
He has a BA in English and an MFA in Creative Writing, both from the University of Alaska, Anchorage, and a PhD from the University of Oregon. He has worked in television and radio broadcasting, documentary film production, advertising, corporate and agency public relations, and as a graphic designer and editorial cartoonist.
He is the author of numerous articles on the mass media in academic and professional publications, and has written books on media ethics, public relations writing, publication design, advertising, and newsletter publication. He has three published children’s books and a small book of poetry. He has also designed numerous web sites for education, business, and professional societies.
If you want to learn more about professor Bivins, just click on his face. It doesn't hurt.
Graduate Assistants' Office Hours: TBA
READINGS
Listed by week and topic on the Readings and Assignments page. No textbook is required for this class. The length and number of readings will vary. It is best to read them early and not wait until the night before they are scheduled to be discussed.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
American history and the history of the media are intertwined and both have influenced and continue to influence the other. This course will discuss some of the most significant events in communication history—including the development of media technology, the media industry itself, and its role and influence in society. We will consider how media have shaped human experience, including how they have affected society, culture, politics, and much more. At first glance, there are many differences between the past and present but there are striking similarities and themes that repeat over time. The goal of this course is for you to begin to be more personally connected with media history and how your life relates to it.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of the course, you should
WORK AND EXPECTATIONS
We’ll use class time for lectures, discussions, and sometimes to listen to or view media from or about the past. You are expected to have read assigned materials for the entire week before the first class that week and be ready to discuss them.
Graded work for the course will consist of the following assignments, essays, and exams.
READINGS
Listed by week and topic on the Readings and Assignments page. No textbook is required for this class. The length and number of readings will vary. It is best to read them early and not wait until the night before they are scheduled to be discussed.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
American history and the history of the media are intertwined and both have influenced and continue to influence the other. This course will discuss some of the most significant events in communication history—including the development of media technology, the media industry itself, and its role and influence in society. We will consider how media have shaped human experience, including how they have affected society, culture, politics, and much more. At first glance, there are many differences between the past and present but there are striking similarities and themes that repeat over time. The goal of this course is for you to begin to be more personally connected with media history and how your life relates to it.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of the course, you should
- Understand the major developments in media history, including the history and role of professionals in shaping communications.
- Understand the complex relationship between technological, social, cultural, and economic developments in media.
- Understand more about how media of the past have affected personal identity, free expression, and social power—thus addressing diversity in relation to communication across time.
WORK AND EXPECTATIONS
We’ll use class time for lectures, discussions, and sometimes to listen to or view media from or about the past. You are expected to have read assigned materials for the entire week before the first class that week and be ready to discuss them.
Graded work for the course will consist of the following assignments, essays, and exams.
- ACTIVITY ESSAYS: Two activity essays. These must be posted to Canvas by the dates on the Readings and Assignments page. (see separate assignment sheet for directions): 30% each, for a total of 60%.
NOTE ON WRITING: There will be a brief style guide attached to each written assignment. You are expected to follow all the suggestions on this style guide. If you are an international student or a student who has problems with grammar and style, please seek advice from the the SOJC's "Writing Central" program (http://journalism.uoregon.edu/sojc-writing-central/). They will help you with organization and editing of your work for grammar and style.
- EXAMS: Exam 1 over all work (readings, lectures, videos, audio) given around the middle of the term worth 20%. Exam 2 over all work from week 5 through week 10 (readings, lectures, videos, audio) given near the end of the term worth 20% for a total of 40%.
Summary of graded work
Activity Essay 1..................30%
Activity Essay 2................. 30%
Midterm Exam...................20%
Final Exam.........................20%
ATTENDANCE
This class, like all SOJC classes, has a mandatory attendance policy. The main reason to come to class regularly is because it creates a better classroom environment for all of us, making the class more interesting and fun. And of course, you will need the lecture and discussion material for the exams. Students who do not attend class may be dropped. Students who stop attending and fail to do the assigned work will receive a final grade of F. You are expected to be in class unless you are ill or have another documentable reason not to be here.
Activity Essay 1..................30%
Activity Essay 2................. 30%
Midterm Exam...................20%
Final Exam.........................20%
ATTENDANCE
This class, like all SOJC classes, has a mandatory attendance policy. The main reason to come to class regularly is because it creates a better classroom environment for all of us, making the class more interesting and fun. And of course, you will need the lecture and discussion material for the exams. Students who do not attend class may be dropped. Students who stop attending and fail to do the assigned work will receive a final grade of F. You are expected to be in class unless you are ill or have another documentable reason not to be here.
- Penalty for unexcused absences: You are allowed a maximum of 3 "free" absences during the term (15 percent of the class). These can be for any reason: illness, weekend trips out of town, athletic event participation, or just laziness. Every absence, beyond 3 will result in a two percentage point reduction of your final grade. So, if you have 80% (B-) at the end of the term and you have been absent 5 times, you will lose 4 percentage points off your grade, which would result in 76% (C). If you have reached your limit on absences, you will need a documentable excuse for any absence beyond that. Documentable excuses are limited to the following:
• Students participating in University-sanctioned athletic or academic events
• Verified illness. If you can get a medical person to verify, that would be best. If not, it's up to you to prove you have been ill.
• Religious observances verified through the UO Affirmative Action Office,
• Verifiable emergencies (other than personal illness) only if accompanied by a note from the office of academic advising.
- If you are absent for any reason, you should e-mail the instructor or the GTFs about your absence AS FAR IN ADVANCE AS POSSIBLE. We will make arrangements for missed work and/or exams. If you do not advise us of your absence and the reason for it, you will be counted absent, regardless of the reason. It is in your best interest to adopt this approach right away and not wait until you have accrued your three allowable absences. That way, excusable absences will not count against your allowable absences.
Grades are determined by weighted percentages as outlined above, NOT total points or a simple average. The "Total" column on Canvas will always reflect your current standing in the class based on assignments that have been graded and entered into the Grade Book at that point. Once all assignments are entered, including the Final Exam, that column will represent your final grade in the class based on the following breakdown:
98-100 = A+
92-97 = A 90-91 = A- 88-89 = B+ 82-87 = B 80-81 = B- |
78-79 = C+
72-77 = C 70-71 = C- 69-60 = D 59 and below = F |
You should check your grades each time they are entered. If you have a problem with your grade, you have one week after it are posted to bring it to the attention of the GTFs or instructor. For exams, questions should be directed to the course instructor. For essays, questions should be directed to the person who graded your work (one of the GTFs or the instructor). In other words, don't wait until the end of the term to question an individual grade. It is only negotiable within a week of its posting.
GRADING CRITERIA FOR WRITTEN WORK—essays, research papers, homework, and other assignments.
F—Reveals you really have no clue what is going on, or are so carelessly inattentive to matters of style as to write an incomprehensible response.
D—Reveals less than adequate understanding of theory, concept, or other relevant information. Answer may also misapply concept, use an inappropriate or weak example in attempting to clarify an explanation, or may ramble on in the hope that something will eventually hit the intended target. Answer also may be more or less on target, but carelessly or sloppily written/proofed.
C—Provides an on-target recitation of the correct material from the text or other sources being consulted. Answer meets the basic expectations with respect to number of outside sources, or other conditions of a specific assignment. The writing, while clear and comprehensible, is otherwise non-exceptional, or gives evidence of inattention to basic matters of grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
B—Is not only on-target, but is written in a clear, well-organized style, with few errors (and indicates attention given to correcting spelling or punctuation mistakes). In addition, examples illustrate thought beyond recall or recitation of a text’s commentary and adds to the overall understanding of the theory, concept, or other materials being evaluated. There is evidence of having gone beyond the text to consult other sources of information that might be relevant.
A—Goes beyond that required for a "B" response to indicate critical analysis, offering evidence of a cogent, well-reasoned defense of a position or argument that is advanced relative to the object under consideration. In other words, the answer reveals a clear authorial voice in command of the material. In addition, the style is elegant, indicating careful attention to presenting a well-constructed, well-thought-out response that advances understanding, stimulates thought or is otherwise evidence of exceptional thinking.
Note: These standards apply as general guidelines for the evaluation of assigned papers, essays, etc. [for speeches, simply read as if one were presenting report orally]. As should be clear, inattention to matters of style/format will result in a corresponding decrease in a grade, even when content is otherwise clear and on-target. As a further explanation of these criteria, consider the following comments:
(1) A "C" answer is a good answer—it simply does not do any more than is being asked.
(2) A "B" answer is a better answer, but does not reveal depth of analysis that would be required to be considered exceptional.
(3) An "A" is an exceptional piece of work. Simply understanding the material is not the equivalent of an "A."
F—Reveals you really have no clue what is going on, or are so carelessly inattentive to matters of style as to write an incomprehensible response.
D—Reveals less than adequate understanding of theory, concept, or other relevant information. Answer may also misapply concept, use an inappropriate or weak example in attempting to clarify an explanation, or may ramble on in the hope that something will eventually hit the intended target. Answer also may be more or less on target, but carelessly or sloppily written/proofed.
C—Provides an on-target recitation of the correct material from the text or other sources being consulted. Answer meets the basic expectations with respect to number of outside sources, or other conditions of a specific assignment. The writing, while clear and comprehensible, is otherwise non-exceptional, or gives evidence of inattention to basic matters of grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
B—Is not only on-target, but is written in a clear, well-organized style, with few errors (and indicates attention given to correcting spelling or punctuation mistakes). In addition, examples illustrate thought beyond recall or recitation of a text’s commentary and adds to the overall understanding of the theory, concept, or other materials being evaluated. There is evidence of having gone beyond the text to consult other sources of information that might be relevant.
A—Goes beyond that required for a "B" response to indicate critical analysis, offering evidence of a cogent, well-reasoned defense of a position or argument that is advanced relative to the object under consideration. In other words, the answer reveals a clear authorial voice in command of the material. In addition, the style is elegant, indicating careful attention to presenting a well-constructed, well-thought-out response that advances understanding, stimulates thought or is otherwise evidence of exceptional thinking.
Note: These standards apply as general guidelines for the evaluation of assigned papers, essays, etc. [for speeches, simply read as if one were presenting report orally]. As should be clear, inattention to matters of style/format will result in a corresponding decrease in a grade, even when content is otherwise clear and on-target. As a further explanation of these criteria, consider the following comments:
(1) A "C" answer is a good answer—it simply does not do any more than is being asked.
(2) A "B" answer is a better answer, but does not reveal depth of analysis that would be required to be considered exceptional.
(3) An "A" is an exceptional piece of work. Simply understanding the material is not the equivalent of an "A."
CLASS POLICIES
CLASSROOM ETIQUETTE: The following ground rules have been developed out of respect for both the students and the instructors in this class. Inhibiting the learning process of those seriously interested in this subject will be considered rude and immature.
- Participation: Participation means more than just showing up for class. You should come prepared to listen attentively to lectures, ask questions, and take part in discussions.
- Late work: Work turned in after the due date posted on the schedule will lose 10% of the total points available for the assignment per calendar day that the work is late. It will not be accepted at all after three calendar days. Exceptions only with documentable excuse (such as doctor’s note or athletic excuse.) Missed exams may be made up only with documentable excuse. The final in this class is scheduled by the Registrar's Office a year in advance. Early finals are rarely available. Acceptable reasons for an early final are the same as those listed above under Absences (excepting personal illness). DO NOT MAKE TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS FOR A DATE PRIOR TO THE SCHEDULED FINAL EXAM. Unless exempted from a portion of the course, you must do all assigned work in order to pass.
- Questions about assignments: If you have a question about an assignment, contact either the GTFs or the instructor for clarification BEFORE the assignment is due.Discussing grades: The GTFs will be grading many of your assignments and will be happy to discuss your grades during their office hours. I’m happy to discuss your grades, but only with individual students, and I prefer this be done in person, not via e-mail. If you need to discuss your grade, you should first see the GTF responsible for a particular assignment. If that doesn’t satisfy you, come to see me during my office hours or make an appointment.
- PLEASE NOTE: It is in your best interest to check your grades on Canvas after each assignment. Any errors or corrections will need to be taken care of NO MORE THAN ONE WEEK after that assignment grade was posted. After that time, we will not change a grade.
- Academic Misconduct: The University Student Conduct Code (available here) defines academic misconduct. Students are prohibited from committing or attempting to commit any act that constitutes academic misconduct. By way of example, students should not give or receive (or attempt to give or receive) unauthorized help on assignments or examinations without express permission from the instructor. Students should properly acknowledge and document all sources of information (e.g. quotations, paraphrases, ideas). If there is any question about whether an act constitutes academic misconduct, it is the students’ obligation to clarify the question with the instructor before committing or attempting to commit the act. Additional information about a common form of academic misconduct, plagiarism, is available here.
CLASSROOM ETIQUETTE: The following ground rules have been developed out of respect for both the students and the instructors in this class. Inhibiting the learning process of those seriously interested in this subject will be considered rude and immature.
- Coming to class on time: Coming to class late interrupts the flow of the lecture and distracts the rest of the students. You are expected to come on time and be seated and attentive when class begins. If you must be late for a legitimate reason, please inform the instructor or the GTFs in advance.
- Once class starts: Put away any distractions. Although you’re not expected to be completely silent during the class, you are expected to keep your thoughts on the subject and your comments at least related to the topic.
- Leaving early: If you must leave early for a legitimate reason, please let the instructor or GTFs know in advance. This class is an hour and 20 minutes long. Unless you have a medical problem, please visit the restroom prior to class and refrain from leaving for that purpose during class.
- Laptop computers: Notes for most of the lectures are available online. Please read the explanation by a colleague on why I restrict laptop use in this class. If you feel you need to use a laptop in class, you must see me in person and explain your need, and you must sit in the first two rows and restrict your use to course-related work.
- Other electronic equipment: Texting is not allowed during class time. Cell phones must be turned off or set to silent. They must be put away and not visible to the instructor or GTFs. We mostly follow Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rules here. Imagine you're flying. Don't forget to return you seat backs and tray-tables to their full, upright positions before we land. Once on the ground, you may reactivate your approved electronic devices.
- A word about free speech and civility: Everyone in this class in entitled to speak freely their thoughts and offer their opinions. However, we must keep in mind that speech may offend, and opinions can sometimes denigrate their opposites. When we offer our thoughts and opinions in class, we must do so with respect for those who might disagree, and with a level of civility expected of intelligent citizens operating within an environment that fosters learning.
ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT: The University Student Conduct Code (available here) defines academic misconduct. Students are prohibited from committing or attempting to commit any act that constitutes academic misconduct. By way of example, students should not give or receive (or attempt to give or receive) unauthorized help on assignments or examinations without express permission from the instructor. Students should properly acknowledge and document all sources of information (e.g. quotations, paraphrases, ideas). If there is any question about whether an act constitutes academic misconduct, it is the students’ obligation to clarify the question with the instructor before committing or attempting to commit the act. Additional information about a common form of academic misconduct, plagiarism, is available here. Also see the Citation Guide for examples of how to properly cite sources in history papers.
The University requires that instructors report all suspected incidents of academic misconduct to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards. In other words, if you commit any act of academic misconduct, it will be reported. No exceptions. Sanctions may include a failing grade on an assignment, a failing grade in the course, expulsion from the SOJC, and/or expulsion from the University.
The University requires that instructors report all suspected incidents of academic misconduct to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards. In other words, if you commit any act of academic misconduct, it will be reported. No exceptions. Sanctions may include a failing grade on an assignment, a failing grade in the course, expulsion from the SOJC, and/or expulsion from the University.