Syllabus for JOUR101, Fall 2010 (04401)

Prof. Bob Stewart (stewartr@ohio.edu) and Peter Shaplen (peter@shaplen.com)
E.W. Scripps School of Journalism
Scripps Hall 105B

Course location: Scripps Hall 211

Learning goals: To gain a critical understanding of how journalism and media function as well as shape our lives.

Required Mass Communication: Folkerts, Lacy and Larabee. The Media in Your Life. 4th edition. Allyn & Bacon, May 11, 2007. [ISBN: 9780205523658].

Attendance: Required [final grade drops a half-letter for every two unexcused absences].

Academic dishonesty: “Academic integrity and honesty are basic values of Ohio University. Students are expected to follow standards of academic integrity and honesty. Academic misconduct is a violation of the Ohio University Student Code of Conduct subject to a maximum sanction of disciplinary suspension or expulsion as well as a grade penalty in the course. … A student or student organization found to have violated a Code A offense will be subject to the full range of sanctions (reprimand, disciplinary probation, suspension, or expulsion). Being under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol does not diminish or excuse a violation of the student code of conduct. … Dishonesty or deception in fulfilling academic requirements…includes, but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, un-permitted collaboration, forged attendance (when attendance is required), fabrication (e.g., use of invented information or falsification of research or other findings), using advantages not approved by the instructor (e.g., unauthorized review of a copy of an exam ahead of time), knowingly permitting another student to plagiarize or cheat from one's work, or submitting the same assignment in different courses without consent of the instructor. Note: An instructor may impose a grade penalty for academic misconduct and/or file a judicial referral.” [This statement is copied with permission from the Student Handbook. For more from the handbook see: ohio.edu/judiciaries]

Grades: Final grades are based on a combination of the exams (50%) and production exercises (50%) (see scale below).

95-100	90-94	87-89	84-86	80-83	77-79	74-76	70-73	67-69	64-66	60-63	0-59
A	A-	B+	B	B-	C+	C	C-	D+	D	D-	F

Weekly Reading/Assignment Schedule:
Week 1, 9/10	Media Processes & Functions	Chap. 1
Week 2, 9/17	Books/Newspapers/Magazines/Radio	Chaps. 2-4, 6
Week 3, 9/24	Television, Computers & Internet	Chaps. 7, 9; First Exam
Week 4, 10/1	Journalism: Information & Society, Public Relations	Chaps. 10-11
Week 5, 10/8	Advertising, Ethics/Regulation, Mass Communication Research	Chaps. 12-15; Second Exam
Week 6, 10/15		TBA
Week 7, 10/22		TBA
Week 8, 10/29		TBA
Week 9, 11/5		TBA
Week 10, 11/12		TBA
Final Exam Period: Tuesday, 11/16 (reading day) 8-10:00 a.m.