Communication 3210, Spring 1999 (3 s.h.)
University of Colorado at Boulder
"There is nothing so practical as a good theory." --Kurt Lewin
"Of all things communication is the most wonderful." --John Dewey
Index to Online Syllabus (last updated: December 30, 1998):
Links:
 | Comm 3210: Human Communication Theory (public website for course materials) |
| WebCT (secure course website for checking your grade, online discussions, etc.) |
| Communication Theory Resources (internet resources for communication theory students) |
| Application Papers (application papers on various theories, written by previous Comm 3210 students) |
| Bob Craig's Home Page |
| Communication Department Home Page |
Lecture: (010) 9:00pm-9:50pm MW, Duane G125
Recitations:
Course Professor - Lecture Instructor: Robert Craig
Teaching Assistant - Recitation Instructor: Elenie Opffer
Overview & Objectives: "There is nothing so practical as a good theory," wrote Kurt Lewin, one of the founders of modern communication studies. In this course we take a close, critical look at some of the most important contemporary theories of human communication, emphasizing their practical implications for society and our everyday lives. The course begins with general issues concerning the nature of theory and communication, the relation between theory and practice, and the influence of gender. These general themes will help us to take a critical perspective on the theories we study throughout the course. The remainder of the course takes up a series of theories through which we explore how the communication process produces information and meaning, selfhood, interpersonal relationships, social influence, and culture. Recitation activities focus on review, further exploration, and practical application of theories presented in lecture. Graded assignments include exams (three hourly tests and a final), an application paper, several short written assignments, and "pop" quizzes.
Because the Communication Department believes that any person claiming to be educated in communication should have some knowledge of the theoretical foundations of the field, communication majors are required to take either Communication 3210: Human Communication Theory, which emphasizes the social scientific tradition of communication theory, or Communication 3300: Rhetorical Foundations of Communication, which emphasizes the humanistic tradition of the field.
Specific objectives of Communication 3210 include:
(1) To become better informed about current theories of human communication. By the end of the course you should be able to identify, explain, and illustrate key concepts and principles of theories covered in the course.
(2) To increase your ability to make use of theories in reflecting on practical problems and situations. By the end of the course you should be able to analyze practical communication problems and situations, making appropriate use of theories covered in the course.
(3) To become a more discerning critic of communication theories - maybe even a creative theorist. By the end of the course you should be able to explain and illustrate standards for evaluating theory and apply those criteria to defend your critical judgments about theories covered in the course. To some extent, you should also be able to compare and contrast different theories. At best, you might be able to formulate and argue for your own perspective on communication theories, experience profound insights, or develop new theoretical ideas. Such creative theorizing is not actually required in order to pass the course, but we try not to discourage it!!
Required texts: The following books are required and should be available at the UMC and Colorado bookstores:
| A First Look At Communication Theory (Third Edition) by Em Griffin (McGraw-Hill, 1997). |
| Communication and Community: Implications of Martin Buber's Dialogue by Ronald C. Arnett (Southern Illinois University Press, 1986). |
| Communication as Culture: Essays on Media and Society by James W. Carey (Unwin Hyman, 1989). |
Study Questions: Study questions will be provided for each unit. These questions are designed to assist you in preparing for lectures, recitations, assignments, and exams. Essay questions on exams will be taken directly from the study questions.
Internet Materials: Course materials including syllabus, study questions, assignments, announcements, notes, and supplementary resources, will be posted on our course home page on the World Wide Web, located at http://spot.colorado.edu/~craigr/Comm3210.html.
To check your grades or participate in online discussions, go to our WebCT website. Only registered students can access this secure website. If you are registered for this course you will automatically be registered to log on with your user name and password. You can log on at any time to check your current grades or participate in discussions on our course bulletin board.
You can access our WebCT site from hot links either here or on our course home page. You can also get there from the main WebCT home page at http://mordred.colorado.edu:8900.
Your user name for logging on to WebCT will be the same one you use to access your CU email account. Your initial WebCT password will be your social security number, but you can change your password at any time after logging on. If you experience any problems logging on or using WebCT, please contact one of the instructors. We will be glad to help.
Grading Policy: Grading will be on a point system. Graded assignments are worth a total of 350 points. Cut-off points for final letter grades are: 325(93%)=A, 315(90%)=A-, 305(87%)=B+, 290(83%)=B, 280(80%)=B-, 270(77%)=C+, 255(73%)=C, 245(70%)=C-, 235(67%)=D+, 220(63%)=D, 210(60%)=D-, less than 210=F.
Grading "Rules & Regs": A missed assignment will receive 0 points. A failed assignment (except for short papers, quizzes, and extra credit projects) will receive no less than 40% of the maximum points for the assignment. All out-of-class writing assignments must be typed, double-spaced. Style and mechanics of writing will affect the grade. Late assignments may be accepted at the discretion of the instructors but will be penalized. Students are required to keep backup hard copies of all papers (in case of disk crashes, lost papers, etc.). Optional assignments can be done for a maximum of 25 extra credit points (see below).
Exams: Exams will include essay and short answer questions (please bring a blue book to each exam). Exams will cover lectures and assigned readings, and will be based on the study questions for each unit (see above). The final exam will be based on material after Test #3 plus a selective review of earlier material. Maximum points are:
| Test #1 (Feb 3): 50 points |
| Test #2 (Mar 1): 50 points |
| Test #3 (Mar 31): 50 points |
| Final Exam (May 10): 100 points |
Application Paper (Due: April 16, 50 points): The purpose of the application paper is to develop and demonstrate your ability to apply communication theories to practical problems. In no more than 10 typewritten pages (double-spaced), an application paper does three things: (1) In no more than 2 pages, explains one of the theories covered in this course, defining and illustrating the main points in your own words; (2) applies the theory to a real communication problem or situation, showing how the theory can be used to understand what's going on and/or decide what to do about it; and (3) evaluates the usefulness of the theory (optionally, this may include original suggestions for revising or enhancing the theory).
Although this is not primarily a library research paper, you should use at least one published source beyond the textbook to obtain additional information and a different perspective on your chosen theory. Additional readings are listed at the end of each textbook chapter and links to Internet resources are posted on the Communication Theory Resources web page. Materials consulted in writing the paper should be cited in the text and in a reference list in APA style. If this style is not familiar from previous courses, we can provide you with a handout explaining it. There are also several websites with basic information on APA style (browse from the Communication Theory Resources web page).
You are welcome, if you can and wish to do so, to submit your application paper (or other papers, including extra credit assignments) electronically as an HTML document. One advantage of doing this is that you can include "live" hyperlinks, graphics, or audio-visual materials right in the paper. If you want to do this, talk with us about how to format and submit the paper. Word processor files (Word or WordPerfect) may also be ok, but please check with us beforehand to make sure we have compatible systems and software.
Model application papers from previous semesters will be posted on the course website at http://spot.colorado.edu/~craigr/applications.html. The students who wrote these papers have kindly permitted us to publish them on our website. They are not "perfect" papers, but they are all good-to-excellent papers and illustrate different approaches to the assignment. In addition to using them as examples for this assignment, you can also use them as resources for understanding particular theories and practical applications. If you write a really good application paper this semester, especially if you write it on a theory for which we have no model papers, we will invite you to publish your paper on the website for use by future students. Fame (though not fortune) awaits you - just imagine!
Of course, it goes without saying that any paper you turn in must represent your own work. The model papers are just examples, not templates! Closely paraphrasing a model paper or a chapter from the textbook with a different example is not an acceptable way to do this paper! For your protection, we keep files of papers from past semesters and make every effort to detect instances of plagiarism. Evidence of plagiarism will result in a failing grade and may be reported to the Dean's office for disciplinary action.
Miscellaneous assignments, quizzes, and participation (50 points): Brief essays, quizzes, or oral presentations may be assigned for specific recitation meetings. "Pop" quizzes on the assigned reading will be given at the beginning of several lectures. Recitation attendance and class participation, including participation in lectures, recitations, and online discussions on our WebCT class bulletin board, will be assessed at the end of each unit.
You are not specifically required to participate in discussions on our class bulletin board on WebCT but are strongly encouraged to do so. Contributions to the bulletin board will be included along with other forms of participation (such as attendance and participation in recitations) in determining the participation component of your grade. You can contribute to the bulletin board by posting substantive, course related messages such as:
| Course-related questions |
| Answers to questions posted by the instructors or other students |
| Examples, applications, or criticisms of particular theories |
| Suggestions or comments on resources such as articles, books, websites, etc. |
If you have questions or need help using the bulletin board, please contact one of the instructors.
Optional extra credit projects: Extra credit projects must be clearly related to the course objectives, proposed by the student, and approved in advance by the instructors. Possible projects include, but are not limited to: an additional application paper, a library research paper (e.g. based on recommended readings at the end of a chapter in Griffin), a critical book review, preparing and teaching part of a class, creating materials for the course website, etc. The maximum points for a particular extra credit project must be negotiated in advance and will depend on the nature of the project (e.g. a ten page library research paper might earn up to 25 points; a five page application paper might earn up to 12 points). Projects involving oral presentations in class depend on the availability of class time and should be arranged as early as possible in the semester. A maximum total of 25 points extra credit may be earned in the course. Extra credit projects will not be accepted after the last day of classes.
Course Expectations - Preparation for Class:
| Before each lecture: Carefully read assigned chapter(s) and review the study questions. Be ready for a quiz on key terms. |
| Before each recitation: Review lecture notes and readings for that week and be ready to answer all study questions. Bring books and lecture notes to class. |
Students with Disabilities: We encourage students with documented disabilities, including invisible disabilities such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury and attention deficit/hyperactive disorder, to discuss with us, after class or during office hours, appropriate accommodations that might be helpful to them.
Schedule of Classes and Assignments:
- M Jan 11: Introduction & Overview.
- W Jan 13: Scientific & Humanistic Perspectives on Theory.
- M Feb 8: Information Theory (Shannon & Weaver).
- W Mar 3: Relational Development (Rogers, Altman & Taylor, Thibaut & Kelley).
Unit IV - Social Influence, Media, and Culture:
- M Apr 5: Cognitive Dissonance (Festinger).
Final Examination: Monday, May 10, 7:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
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