Course Syllabus

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*HONORING NATIVE LANDS (Links to an external site.)*

Long before the University of Oklahoma was established, the land on which the University now resides was the traditional home of the “Hasinais” Caddo Nation and Wichita & Affiliated Tribes.

We acknowledge this territory once also served as a hunting ground, trade exchange point, and migration route for the Apache, Comanche, Kiowa, and Osage nations. 

Today, 39 tribal nations dwell in the state of Oklahoma as a result of settler and colonial policies that were designed to assimilate Native people.

The University of Oklahoma recognizes the historical connection our university has with its indigenous community and it is an institutional responsibility to recognize and acknowledge the people, culture, and history that make up our entire OU Community.  As a teacher and scholar, I honor this important legacy by learning and sharing knowledge about our shared history in classes and research.

Contact Information

Instructor Name: Dr. Meta G. Carstarphen, APR

Official Title: Professor & Gaylord Professor

Department: Public Relations

Office Hours: Immediately before and after class; other times by appointment via ZOOM [see below]

Phone: 405-325-5227

Email: mcarstarphen@ou.edu

Office Hours: By Appointment Via Zoom

Zoom link: https://oklahoma.zoom.us/j/2266938504?pwd=UjUxdFozblRlVDdPVU9peDRSemFNZz09

Meeting ID: 226 693 8504

Password: 347857

Course Details

Course Description

JMC 5073 is an introduction to scholarship and graduate-level study in journalism and mass communication. These are represented by which are represented by the undergraduate majors in Gaylord College (Advertising, Creative Media Production, Journalism, Professional Writing, and Public Relations). The primary objective of this course is to provide incoming Gaylord College graduate students with a broad conceptual, ethical, and practical overview of communication research1 as a domain of scholarly inquiry and discipline of professional practice. Another objective of the course is to prepare students to complete the University’s and College’s requirements for their degrees.

For a list of course activities, scroll to the bottom of this page.

Course Prerequisites 

 Graduate standing

Course Materials

Becoming a Critic: An Introduction to Analyzing Media Content.  By Rebecca Curnalia, Cary Wecht, and Amber Ferris.  For additional information see the RESOURCES: Course Materials page.

Grades

Breakdown:

Course activities and grades listed for each activity
Activity Description Points
Weekly CANVAS Discussions (15) Written Discussion Questions on CANVAS-"Word of the Week" & reflection (10 POINTS EACH) 150
Visualize This--Research Poster Working with a partner, you will select an article about a shared subject of interest and develop a visual poster presentation of the main ideas. 100
Research Paper Proposal: Methods of Design Working with a partner, you will develop a research proposal for your final paper & abstract for this class 50
Quizzes (Textbook) 10 questions each chapter; 10 Chapters; timed on CANVAS 200
Research Paper for Conference [2 AEJMC REGIONAL conferences] Choosing  1 of 2 regional conferences in AEJMC, your team will prepare a research paper draft 200
Research Paper EXTENDED ABSTRACT for Conference Based on your research paper, your team will prepare an extended abstract suitable for submission 100
Peer Review Analysis-Research Paper Following a guide I will provide, each student will critique a paper/draft by a fellow student and offer helpful input. 100
Team-led Oral Research Presentations [FINAL] Our finale in this class!  Each team will give a 15-minute presentation (with slides) about their research project and answer questions. 100
Total  1000

Scale

Individual Assignments Grading Scale

The grading scale for all of the individual assignments is equivalent to a 100-point scale as follows.  [NOTE: Points will be weighted according to the overall points in the specific assignment]:

A = 100 to 90 points – Excellent; Great writing, strong critical thinking, and carefully documented analyses

B = 89 to 80 points – Very Good; some missing elements and/or minor errors in writing, logic, and presentation

C = 79 to 70 points – Shows Basic understanding, but with an uneven presentation; some weaknesses in preparation and delivery

D = 69 to 60 points – Below standards; Poorly done

F = 59 points and lower – Failing effort or Missing work

Group Project Grading Scale [NOTE: ALL MEMBERS OF THE TEAM SHARE THE SAME GRADE, REGARDLESS OF EFFORT, SO MAKE SURE EVERYONE CONTRIBUTES EVENLY]

A = 100 to 90 points – Excellent; Great writing, strong critical thinking, and carefully documented analyses

B = 89 to 80 points – Very Good; some missing elements and/or minor errors in writing, logic, and presentation

C = 79 to 70 points – Shows Basic understanding, but with an uneven presentation; some weaknesses in preparation and delivery

D = 69 to 60 points – Below standards; Poorly done

F = 59 points and lower – Failing effort or Missing work 

Overall Course Grades/Points

A = 1000 to 900 points [100 to 90]

B = 899 to 800 points  [89 to 80]

C = 799 to 700 points   [79 to 70]

D = 699 to 600 points   [69 to 60]

F = 599 and below      [59 and below]

  • My grading system is point-based, and the points I assign correlate to letter grades.
  • I don’t add curves or make-up assignments to substitute for assigned work. I will calculate your mid-term and final grades by simply adding up the points and seeing where they fall on the overall scale.
    • NOTE: CANVAS will automatically report your grade at two periods during the semester—at mid-term and at the end of the course. I will not have the ability to “round up” your grades (without a great deal of hassle). My advice: do your best work all the time and take advantage of extra-credit quizzes and discussions.

Course Components

  •  Weekly Discussions--Written Discussion Questions on CANVAS-"Word of the Week" & reflection.  Following a similar format, each discussion topic will include a focus on a word or term relevant to our studies, and ask you to define the term and relate it to our studies.  These regular writing assignments allow you to build a research routine and build up your writing fluency.
  • Visualize This! Research Poster--Working in a small team, you will select and analyze a research article of mutual interest and prepare your analysis as a poster to be presented in class.  This project gives you practice in extracting key ideas from published research articles, and in distilling the important concepts for yourself and for an audience.
  • Quizzes (Textbook)--each of the 10 chapters in your assigned textbook readings will have a 10-question objective quiz review of major terms and concepts.
  • Research Paper Proposal--Prior to developing your research paper and abstract, you and your team will prepare a proposal for your research that will ask you to highlight the rationale, justification, and purpose for your research.  Included will be each team member's IRB training completion certificate and registration for an ORCID number.  These practices will help prepare you with the essential tools needed to begin any research project successfully.
  • Research Paper for Conference--I will give you a choice of 2 regional conferences affiliated with our national research organization, AEJMC, for which you will prepare a media/communication-related paper to submit.  You will work with a partner on a mutually agreed upon topic. The value of this assignment is that it will prepare you to develop professional-level research and scholarship, using protocols and procedures that will help you work through your degree completion research more confidently.
  • Research Paper EXTENDED ABSTRACT--This assignment is a succinct summary of your research that highlights its significance without revealing details of your discovery.  A research abstract is a standard tool for applying to conferences and/or submitting research papers.  This assignment allows you to understand the rhetorical and strategic use of a written abstract that differs from the finished paper.
  • Peer Review Analyses-Research Paper--Each student will review and critique two other students' work and will receive 2 critiques of their work, following a format I will provide. This assignment prepares students for the process of receiving and offering constructive criticism of ideas, which is a foundation of intellectual work.
  • FINALE: Team presentation of Research Paper--Each team will present their research together, including slides, for the class as their final exam.  Students will be assessed not only on content but on preparedness, poise, and the ability to answer unscripted questions following their short talk.  This assignment prepares students for the conventions of academic conference presentations.

 Exams 

     While there will not be a written mid-term or final exam for this course, I will evaluate students on their knowledge of core concepts and ideas through regular quizzes and discussions as described above.

Course Policies

Communication

Grievances and Contesting a Grade

I am always willing to discuss a grade with a student. We will schedule an appointment to meet and discuss, but I ask for at least a 48-hour “cooling off” period after you’ve received a grade before we do so.  If you believe I’ve made a mistake, please send me a written explanation [via REMIND text OR OU Email directly to mcarstarphen@ou.edu] of what you think is an error, why you think something is incorrect, and how you believe the error can be corrected. 

 

Late Policy

      Major assignments—both individual and group—will have firm deadlines.  Through gradebook settings on CANVAS, you might automatically get 10 percent of the total possible points deducted for late assignments up through a four-day window.  After 4 days late, you will automatically receive a “zero.”

**IMPORTANT: Finally, do not send assignments to me via email or as an attachment to a text message unless I specifically request you to do so.  I will not be able to grade anything outside of the Canvas environment.

University Academic Policies and Student Support

Course Catalog 

Search the OU Course Catalogue.

Student Handbook

Please familiarize yourself with the OU Student Handbook.

Online Library

Access digital materials and other resources at OU Libraries.

Academic Misconduct

In addition to the course conduct policies outlined by your professor in the Course Syllabus in the online classroom, please review the Student Handbook. 

It is the responsibility of each student to be familiar with the definitions, policies, and procedures concerning academic misconduct. The Student Code is available from the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, and is contained in the Student's Guide to Academic Integrity.

This site also defines misconduct, provides examples of prohibited conduct, and explains the sanctions available for those found guilty of misconduct.

Plagiarism 

Plagiarism is the most common form of academic misconduct at OU. There is basically no college-level assignment that can be satisfactorily completed by copying. OU's basic assumption about writing is that all written assignments show the student's own understanding in the student's own words. That means all writing assignments, in class or out, are assumed to be composed entirely of words generated (not simply found) by the student, except where words written by someone else are specifically marked as such with proper citation. Including other people's words in your paper is helpful when you do it honestly and correctly. When you don't, it's plagiarism. 

For more information about plagiarism, watch this video and then take this short course offered by University Libraries.

Reasonable Accommodation for Disabilities

The University of Oklahoma is committed to providing reasonable accommodation for all students with disabilities. Students with disabilities who require accommodations in this course should contact their professor as early in the semester as possible.

Students with disabilities must be registered with the Disability Resource Center prior to receiving accommodations in this course.

If you have a disability and you would like to make a request for reasonable accommodation, please see the Student Handbook or get in touch with the Accessibility and Disability Resource Center.

Adjustments for Pregnancy/Childbirth Related Issues

Should you need modifications or adjustments to your course requirements because of documented pregnancy-related or childbirth-related issues, please contact me as soon as possible to discuss your options. Generally, modifications will be made where medically necessary and similar in scope to accommodations based on temporary disability.  Learn more about the rights of pregnant and parenting students by consulting the FAQ sheets provided by the Institutional Equity Office.

Title IX Resources  

For any concerns regarding gender-based discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, stalking, or intimate partner violence, the University offers a variety of resources, including advocates on-call 24/7, counseling services, mutual no contact orders, scheduling adjustments, and disciplinary sanctions against the perpetrator. Please contact the Sexual Misconduct Office at 405-325-2215 (8-5, M-F) or OU Advocates at 405-615-0013 (24/7) to learn more or to report an incident. 

Religious Holidays

It is the policy of the University to excuse absences of students that result from religious observances and to provide for the rescheduling of examinations and additional required classwork that may fall on religious holidays without penalty. It is the responsibility of the student to make alternate arrangements with the instructor at least one week prior to the actual date of the religious holiday.

Copyright Policy

It is illegal to download, upload, reproduce, or distribute any copyrighted material, in any form and in any fashion, without permission from the copyright holder or his/her authorized agent. The University of Oklahoma expects all members of its community to comply fully with federal copyright laws. If such laws appear to have been violated by any user, the university reserves the right (1) to terminate that user’s access to some or all of the university’s computer systems and information resources and (2) to take additional disciplinary actions as deemed necessary or appropriate. Repeat offenders will be sanctioned and their privileges terminated.

Registration and Withdrawal

If you choose to withdraw from this course, you must complete the appropriate University form and turn the form in before the deadline. If you stop attending the course and doing the coursework without doing the required paperwork, your grade will be calculated with missed homework and examination grades entered as zero. This could result in receiving a grade of F in the course. Deadlines are shown in the Academic Calendar, which is available from the Office of the Registrar.

Student Grievances

In addition to the policy I outlined related to submitting an informal or formal grievance to me in the Course Syllabus above, please review the Student Handbook for more information about the process of submitting a formal grievance.

 

Course Summary:

Course Summary
Date Details Due