Mass Media Industries, COMM 4000Professor Tom GrantOffice: 3rd Floor, Branch Student CenterOffice Hours: MWF 9-10:50 a.m. Th-Th 9-10:50 a.m.

Other hours by appointmentContacting Instructor     E-mail: tgrant@abac.edu     Phone: 229-391-4957

Class Meeting Times: MWF 11 a.m. - noonClassroom: King 04

Important dates: Aug. 16 – Last day to drop class without a “W”Oct. 3 – Mid-term gradesOct. 4 – Last day to drop class with a “W”Dec. 11 – Final paper due at 10:15 a.m.

Course description and rationale:

This class is a historical and social overview of the mass media and their relationship to the mass communication process in a modern society. The course was created because students in the Rural Studies Program need to explore both historical and contemporary media industries to enable them to better participate in those industries as producers and consumers of mass communication.

Course Outcomes:

Obtain an understanding of the history and the current state of the various print and electronic media industries;

Identify how industries (e.g., advertising, public relations) support and are supported by the media industries;

Gain perspective on how media industries and content are regulated by government and studied by academics; and

Further develop critical-thinking and media-literacy skills to be a more informed consumer and student of media.

Grading: Quizzes -- 30 percentAttendance and participation – 10 percentEssays – 60 percent

Every day will begin with a quiz. The quiz will be based on class reading, discussions, presentations and current events. Students are expected to keep up with current events in the media and be prepared to discuss them in class. Students should read the discussion on Desire to Learn (D2L) before each class. Quizzes will generally be posted there.

Classes will be conducted in SBH Maieutic Method and led by the instructor. Maieutic method is a teaching philosophy dating back to Plato. It refers to the birthing of knowledge. In

this class, we will work together to read materials, discuss them, and develop new understanding of the material. Both you and I are responsible for developing a greater understanding of the material. We probably know a lot more as a group than any of us do individually, and this class will try to tap the group’s greater knowledge.

You will also be graded on attendance and participation. Attendance is required. If you miss a class, you will lose points for attendance and for the quiz. You cannot pass the class if you do not attend the class. If you are unable to attend class because of other school activities, you must bring a note from the coach or advisor who requires that you miss the class. If you are sick, you must bring a note from a doctor. If you must attend the funeral of a relative, you must bring the obituary of the relative who died. In those cases, you may get an excused absence, in which case you will be allowed to write a one-page essay to make up the points you lost on the quiz.

Students are expected to notify the instructor in advance of planned absences. It is the responsibility of students who have missed a class to acquaint themselves with the material covered and to make arrangements with the instructor to makeup assignments.

Materials are due at the beginning of class on the date assigned, regardless of absences. Students will be penalized 10 percent for late papers.

Course Policies: Academic integrity is expected of all students.  Two areas of concern are:

Cheating, including copying another student’s answers or allowing another student to copy your answers.

Plagiarism, which is the copying of someone else’s words or ideas without giving properacknowledgment. Students are expected to work independently on all assignments and tocite their sources whenever necessary or appropriate. The penalty for academicdishonesty in this class is zero points on the assignment or exam on which the violation isdiscovered.  Students also may be subject to college discipline.

Online materials: All students are required to check D2L regularly. Reminders of assignments, changes in the schedule and links to related Web sites will be distributed through D2L.

Class Etiquette: Students must turn off all cell phones, pagers, beepers and other devices during class. Distracting side conversations will be discouraged. Students found napping will be asked to leave. Everyone in class and classroom guests, in particular, must be treated with attentive respect.

Exams: There will be no exams.  Papers: Essays will be due each week. The assignments for those essays are detailed on another list.

Current events: To understand media, particularly the news media, you need to be exposed to it. Students in this course will be expected to read a daily newspaper, watch TV news and access news online.

Extra credit: You may have extra credit opportunities, possibly including the opportunity to attend an out-of-class speaker, panel or program and write a one-page paper summarizing the speaker’s main points, usually due the next class session after the talk. Exact deadlines will be announced in class.

Course Resources:

“Introduction to Mass Communication: Media Literacy and Culture” [Paperback] Stanley Baran, 512 pages, Published by McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages; 7th edition (January 12, 2011). ISBN-10: 0073526150, ISBN-13: 978-0073526157

Essay/story Format:

All essays must be produced on a word processor. All papers are expected to follow APA format. APA format requires typed, double-spaced papers with one-inch margins, and 12 pt. font. I expect the font to be Times New Roman, which is the font used in the syllabus. Assignment not submitted in accordance with proper APA format will receive deductions in the grade on the assignment. No title page is required. In the upper left margin of the first page arrange identifying information in this fashion:

Your nameGrantCOMM 4000Date

Identify each additional page by placing your last name and the page number in the upper right margin. Ex: your name 2 (Smith 2)Do not fold; staple all pages together before you come to class. Do not include a cover sheet.

Help with study skills: To earn a good grade in the course, students should attend class every day and keep up with the reading.  If you have problems understanding the course content, please visit me during my office hours. The Academic Assistance Center is staffed by faculty as well as student consultants. You can go to the Academic Assistance Center for additional assistance with every phase of the writing process. I strongly encourage you to do so. However, the Academic Assistance Center is not a proofreading service, and tutors will not “fix” problems for students. It is free for all ABAC students.

Special Needs: Students requiring classroom accommodations or modifications because of a documented disability should discuss this need with the instructor at the beginning of the semester. Students not registered with Student Support Services should contact the Student Support Services office in Conger Hall.

*** The instructor reserves the right to alter the syllabus if circumstances warrant.