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Grading Scale:
A = 94 - 100%; A- = 90 - 93%;
B+ = 87 - 89%; B = 84 - 86%; B- = 80 - 83%;
D+ = 67 - 69%; D = 64 - 66%; D- = 60 - 63%;
F = 59% and below.
Some (very strong) suggestions
- Attendance will be taken during every class period. I will excuse absences for illness, accident, emergency and other documented circumstances. Attendance formally counts 10% but, in reality, it counts much more in terms of learning and performance.
- Extensions on deadlines and makeup exams will be given only for documented illness, accident, emergency or other serious circumstance. Otherwise, you will be counted down a grade for each day the assignment is late.
- Remember that you must make a grade of at least a C (not C-) for this course to count towards your communications major or minor. Poor attendance or one late paper can easily drop you below this limit.
- A commitment to high ethical standards is expected. Cheating, plagiarism and other lapses of honesty and integrity will not be tolerated. Plagiarism is presenting someone else's work as your own without citation or attribution. Please see the Portland State University Student Conduct Code. Ethical violations will be pursued to the full extent allowed by that Code.
- I will do my best to keep you informed about course developments through announcements in class and on WebCT. If you miss class, come in late or leave early frequently, and don't check the WebCT site, then you may miss important information. This is entirely your responsibility.
- I also expect you to conduct yourself in a respectful and civil manner. This means that you respect your instructor, your fellow students and the learning process by avoiding disruptive behavior. This includes, but is not limited to, carrying on side conversations, giggling and passing notes, eating meals in class, leaving the room except during breaks, ringing cell phones, as well as rude, crass, unkind and disrespectful comments aimed at your colleagues or your instructor.
- Disabilities: Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 require PSU to provide academic adjustments or accommodations for students with documented disabilities. Please identify yourself to me within the first week of class, so I can arrange for special accommodations if necessary.
- Communication with your instructor - Please feel free to meet with me whenever you feel you have the need or to communicate with me in other ways. I am easily available during office hours and at other times by appointment. I check e-mail frequently and respond to it quickly. On e-mails, please identify yourself on the subject line as a student in this class. Otherwise, I may delete it unread. However, do not expect to submit assignments via e-mail.
- Communication Mentors - Experienced communication students are available to assist you in a number of ways through the Communication Mentors program. They can help you with research, writing and proofing papers (but YOU do the work), help you explore term paper topics and prepare for tests, and provide advice on your major and courses in a variety of ways. They are located in NH 56, and can be reached at comm.-mentors@lists.pdx.edu or 503-725-3538.
Essay Assignment
Your essay should be a 5-page, typed (double-spaced, 12-point type, 1 inch margins) discussion of one of the many examples of obstacles or impediments to communication that are discussed throughout your text and in the lectures. First, select an example of a miscommunication event, something that has occurred in your own life, in the life of friends or family, or something in the news that you perceive to illustrate miscommunication at some level. Your essay should take the following form:
1. A discussion of the relevant communication obstacle or impediment drawn from your text or the lectures.
2. A description of the event, with a discussion of why you feel its negative or ineffective outcome was the result of the communication problem discussed in #1.
3. A definition of what you consider to be a positive or effective result and why.
4. An application of relevant theories or concepts from your text or lectures
5. A consideration of how the interaction could have been changed to increase the chances of a positive or effective result.
Examples:
- Strongly held attitudes that prevent people from really hearing each other.
- A date that goes horribly wrong because of gender differences in communication styles.
- A groupthink example or process
- An interaction with someone of a different culture that doesn't go well.
The essay is due on Nov. 24 and is worth 20 percent of your grade. It will be graded based upon the degree to which you have included the points listed above, its organization, the relevance and appropriateness of the example you have chosen, the thoroughness and clarity of your arguments, and the quality of your writing. This is not a library research paper, so I don't expect a lengthy list of references and sources. If you do refer to books, articles, Websites or other sources, please reference them. Also refer to materials from the text or lecture simply by noting, for example: Trenholm, p. 98; or Kennamer lecture, Oct. 20. Any other sources you cite should use APA (American Psychological Association) style.
A word of warning: A paper littered with spelling and grammar errors CANNOT be an "A" paper. So, please proofread and check your spelling. If you receive a grade of B- or lower, you may rewrite for a new grade that is the average of the two efforts. This is due on the final exam date.
Semester schedule (All readings from Trenholm)
Sept. 27: Introduction, syllabus, opening remarks
Sept. 29: Chap. 1, The Communication Tradition
Oct. 1, 4: Chap. 2, Definitions, Models, and Perspectives
Oct. 6, 8: Chap. 3, Decoding Messages: Perception, Information Processing, and Listening
Oct. 11, 13: Chap. 4, Encoding Messages: Spoken Language
Quiz # 1, Oct. 11, Chaps. 1-3
Oct. 15: Chap. 5, Encoding Messages: Nonverbal Communication
Oct. 18, 20: Chap. 6, Interpersonal Communication
Oct. 22: Review for Exam
Oct. 25: Midterm Exam (Chaps. 1-6)
Oct. 27: Chap. 7, Group Communication
Oct. 29 Chap 8, Organizational Communication
Nov. 1-5 Chap. 9, Public Communication
Nov. 8-12: Chap. 10, Communication and the Mass Media
Quiz #2, Nov. 8, Chaps. 7-9
Nov. 15, 17: Chap. 11, Intercultural Communication
Nov. 19, 22, 24 Ethics of Communication, no additional reading
Essay Due, Nov. 24.
Nov. 26: Thanksgiving Holiday
Nov. 29, Dec. 1 Chap. 12, Methods of Discovery
Dec. 3: Summary; Review for exam
Thurs, Dec. 9, 12:30-2:20 Final Exam (Essay rewrites due)
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