COMM 256 FUNDAMENTALS OF COMMUNICATION - Fall 2003

 

 

Instructor:  Dr. Steve Mortenson                                                                     Email: rocket@udel.edu

Office: 247 Pearson Hall                                                                    Office Phone/Voice Mail: 831-8025                               

Office Hours: M &W 1:00-2:00 or by appt.                                     Department Phone: 831-8041

(must sign up on appt sheet next to office door)                                         

 

WEB RESOURCES

 

 

Dr. Mortenson’s Home Page: Professor Mortenson's Homepage

 

Required Course Readings: 

1.  Infante, Rancer, & Womack (2003) Building Communication Theory

2.  Reading Packet available at News Stand on Main St.

 

Attendance & Participation

For each meeting please be prepared to ACTIVELY ENGAGE IN DISCUSSION. I will lecture on Monday and Wednesday. Make sure you bring your note packet on these days. On Friday you are expected to come to class having already read an assigned chapter from the text. Make sure you bring your textbook on Fridays.

 

 

ALL STUDENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR CHECKING THEIR EMAIL to receive announcements and other updates or information relevant to our course.  Course announcements will be communicated via the course email list (i.e., using official University of Delaware email addresses).  

               

Exams

Missed exams will result in a failing grade (0) for the missed assignment, except in the case of an extreme emergency.  The only acceptable excuses for missing an exam (1) hospitalization the day before the exam or the day of the exam [with written proof], or (2) the death of a family member the day before the exam of the day of the exam (with the Dean’s approval).  In addition, there are other rare, but serious cases that are acceptable – however, these situations will require approval from the Dean.  Missing an exam for any reason other than those listed above (or without written proof of the above reasons) will automatically result in the receipt of a zero (0) on that missed exam.  Exams will not be scheduled on religious holidays.  If an exam conflicts with your religious practices, please let me know in advance. 

 

 

Course Grading (Note: subject to changes announced in class)

Your grades in this course are based upon the assignments below.  There will not be any curve, so make sure that you are performing at a level that will enable you to earn the grade that you want.  For each assignment you will earn a grade ranging from 0 to 100 %, then each assignment grade will be weighted according to the scale below in order to calculate your course grade.  Your course grade will be based on the following assignments: Exam 1 = 33.3%; Exam 2: = 33.3%; Exam 3 =  33.2%.                                                                                                                FINAL GRADE CUTOFFS

A   92-100 
B   82-87
 
C   72-77
 
D   62-67
 
A-  90-91
 
B-  80-81
 
C-  70-71
 
D-  60-61
 
B+  88-89
 
C+  78-79
 
D+  68-69
 
F     0-59

 Assignments and Exams (Note: subject to changes announced in class)

 

Exams will be 50 multiple choice questions. Each Exam is worth 100 points. All three are total 300 points. You may also wish to participate in extra credit assignments. These range from 1-4 points. Extra credit may entail participating in a data collection (filling out a survey), attending a lecture or film and writing a one page reaction paper about it, or even answering a question in class.

 

 

 

 

Academic Dishonesty

WITHOUT EXCEPTION, ANY form of cheating or academic dishonesty WILL result in a failing grade for the assignment, a failing grade for the course, and a formal referral to the Dean of Students Office.  This includes, but is not limited to: handing in plagiarized work, misrepresenting others’ work as your own, falsifying any information related to class business.  See your student handbook for the official University policy on academic dishonesty.

 

COMM 256:  Fundamentals of Communication MWF 11:15- 12:05 SMITH 120

  ** ALL SCHEDULED EVENTS AND ASSIGNMENTS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE **** - Changes will be announced ahead of time in class.  Students are responsible for all changes, even if absent when they were announced.

 

 

 

 

Topic

Reading/Assignment (due on date listed)

1

 

 

Wed

SEP3

Freedom and Education

 

 

Fri

5

                Cont.

 

2

Mon

8

Of Dogs and People

 

 

 

Wed

10

On Asking Questions

 

 

Fri

12

 Text Review

Chapter 1

3

Mon

15

 What is a Theory?

 

 

Wed

17

 Cont.

 

 

Fri

19

 Concl.

 

4

Mon

22

 The Meaning of Meaning

 

 

Wed

24

 Metaphor and Meaning

 

 

Fri

26

 Text Review

Chapter 3

5

Mon

29

 Language: Experience and Context

 

 

Wed

OCT1

 Text Review

Chapter 6

 

Fri

3

  ***FIRST EXAM***

 

6

Mon

6

Interpersonal Communication and Selfhood

  

 

Wed

8
Cont.

 

Fri

10

Text Review

Chapter 8

7

Mon

13

 Self Esteem and Social Interaction

 

 

Wed

15

 Cont.

 

 

Fri

17

Concl

 

8

Mon

20

Communicating Human Darkness

 

 

Wed

22

Cont.

 

 

Fri

24

Concl

 

10

Mon

27

***FALL BREAK****

 

 

Wed

29

Conflict

 

 

Fri

31

Text Review

Chapter 9

11

Mon

NOV3

 

Communicating Power

 

 

Wed

5

Cont.

 

 

Fri

7

*** SECOND EXAM***

 

12

Mon

10

What Should Work Be ?

 

 

Wed

12

Cont.

 

 

Fri

14

Text Review

Chapter 10

13

Mon

17

Technology and The Word

 

 

Wed

19

 Cont.

 

 

Fri

21

 Concl.

 

14

Mon

24

Television Violence

 

 

Wed

26

 Racism and the Media

 

 

Fri

28

 Watching the News

 

15

Mon

DEC1

Consumer as Metaphor

 

 

Wed   

3

 Cont.

 

 

Fri

5

 Concl.

 

16

Mon

8

Merchants of Cool

 

 

Wed

10

Text Review

Chapter 11

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FINAL EXAM  - TIME AND LOCATION TBA