Studies in Small Group Communication:
SP 510-001 Course Syllabus/Fall 2005
CRN 13378 (updated 09/28/05)


"The field of group communication has never been healthier: There is a developed body of knowledge about group communication theories, methods, and practices that reflects the maturity of the field . . . The maturity of the field is, thus, accompanied by a vitality that is producing a wealth of new and diverse views of group communication. " (Frey, 2002)

INSTRUCTOR CONTACT INFORMATION

Dr. Charlotte Schell (Char) Email: cword@pdx.edu
Office Hours: Tuesday and Thursday (3:00 - 4:00)
Office: Room 32 NH; (503) 725 8378
And by appointment.

Communication Department Office: Room 23 Neuburger Hall (NH); (503) 725 5384
COM 581 Class Meets: Tues/Thurs 4:00 to 5:50 in Room 224 Broadway Housing Bldg REQUIRED COURSE TEXT

Poole, M.S., & Hollingshead, A.B. (2005). Theories of small groups: Interdisciplinary perspectives. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Readings from this text will be completed in the first 5 weeks to provide a theoretical foundation for the remainder of the course. The second half of the course will be devoted to applied communication and communication practices. A supplemental reading list will be developed collaboratively integrating professor expertise and student interests.

S. Wheelan (Ed.) (2005). The handbook of group research and practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

REQUIRED SUPPLEMENTAL COURSE MATERIALS

Supplemental readings and handouts will be available on WebCT, placed on reserve in the library and/or copied and distributed by fellow classmates.

Your course is broken into weekly segments. In the early part of each week I post "updates" through WebCT. We will also maintain contact, exchange resources, elaborate on particular assignments, and respond to comments and questions. I encourage you to keep pace with happenings in the course, and to engage in exchange of relevant information.

SUPPLEMENTAL COURSE MATERIALS (Not Required)

Pavitt, C. , & Curtis, E. (2001). Small group discussion: A theoretical approach (3rd ed.). (Online: http://www.uky.edu/~drlane/teams/pavitt).

This book covers topics typical in the study of small group communication and is available as a free on-line resource. It is provided as a resource for those who have not taken a basic small group communication course. Originally published as a print book in two editions, in 1990 and 1994, the current edition was published in 1998 and updated in 2001. The copyright is now in the possession of the author, who has chosen to place the book in the public domain. The electronic copy has been made available by Professor Charles Pavitt of the University of Delaware.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Groups have been a focus of study across the social and behavioral sciences. Although study has been actively pursued within individual disciplines and sub-disciplines, group research as a whole remains fragmented and discipline-bounded. The recent surge in group communication research provides a useful focus for developing enriched understandings of the behavior of groups while focusing on the contributions of genuinely interdisciplinary scholarship. Drawing on the efforts of numerous scholars with backgrounds in biological and social sciences as well as communication scholars, students in this class will assess, synthesize, integrate, and evaluate the body of theory and research on small group communication.

Whether your days after PSU take you into consultancy, management, research, education or elsewhere you will encounter groups everywhere. Indeed many of us will conduct meetings or facilitate groups as a regular part of our work. For these reasons, I believe you will find this class useful, no matter what your specific interest area might be. The class consists of students with a wide variety of backgrounds. I hope we can make use of this rich resource as we develop a collaborative learning environment. Together we will cover group communication, past, present and beyond.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

The primary course objectives* of this course are to:
  1. Master the concepts, variables, and technical vocabulary of group communication research, and be able to use that language appropriately
  2. Recognize and develop a more complex understanding of the theories and principles of group communication that are the basis for a variety of group situations and contexts
  3. Plan, design, execute, interpret, and/or critically evaluate the conclusions of an original group communication research project
  4. Communicate and interpret the findings of original communication research to a lay audience
  5. Become an intelligent consumer of research-able to read, understand, explain and critically evaluate communication and other empirical/behavioral/scientific research reported in scholarly journals as well as in the trade/popular press.
  6. Adopt and articulate a clearly developed communication perspective toward group research.
  7. Examine the current level of collaboration between practitioners and researchers.
  8. Integrate these general objectives (1-7) into term-long projects with specific learning objectives customized to student interests.

*Objectives will be assessed using written assignments (research article critique, book report/critique, and term research project, midterm exam), and oral presentations (book report, class discussion leader, and the oral presentation of your term project).

COURSE FORMAT

This is a graduate level course; thus, I expect you will have read all the readings before class, will be prepared to engage in class discussion, will not miss class, will complete all assignments on time, and will put your best effort into all work. I will treat this course as a seminar in which we spend much of our time discussing the readings; thus, I need your involvement to make that happen. I look forward to interacting with you collectively and individually on a regular basis, but view my role primarily as one of facilitator, encouraging you to think, question, apply and integrate the course material, rather than merely disseminating knowledge for your consumption. Students will take turns facilitating the weekly class discussions.

ASSIGNMENTS

Facilitate class discussion  
(including a one page discussion guide) 15%
5 BRIEF Research Article Critiques
(include articles in term project)		 10%
Book Report/Critique 20%
Midterm Exam 15%
Written Term Project 25%
Term Project Oral Presentation 5 %
Participation
(includes attendance, preparation for discussion
collegiality and collaborative effort) 		10%


Attendance Policy: Given the seminar format, regular attendance and full participation in every class meeting is essential. Unexcused absences, repeated late arrivals, or failure to keep up with assigned readings may result in a failing grade. Please be present and ready to start on time.

Grammar/Style Guide to Help You Write Better

Style for Research Citations in Critiques, Book Report and Final Paper:
Since I am requiring you to include references from academic literature your papers, I thought I would provide you with four APA format examples of the most commonly cited works. Papers should use 1.5 or double line spacing.

Book

Keppel, G. (1991). Design and analysis: A researcher's handbook (3rd ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Journal Article

Huber, G. P. (1984). Issues in the design of group decision support systems. MIS Quarterly, 8, 195-204.

Chapter in Book

Hurwitz, J. I., Zander, A. F., & Hymovitch, B. (1968). Some effects of power on the relations among group members. In D. Cartwright & A. Zander (Eds.), Group dynamics: Research and theory (pp. 291-297). New York: Harper & Row.

In Text of Paper (examples)

Normal: (Keppel, 1991).
With A Quotation: (Huber, 1984, p. 195).
First Time w/ 3 or more Authors: (Hurwitz, Zander, & Hymovitch, 1968).
Subsequent Times With 3 or more Authors: (Hurwitz et al., 1968).