COMM 2500: Interpersonal Communication
COMM 1210
PERSPECTIVES ON HUMAN COMMUNICATION
Instructor: Nicholas Burk, MA, GPTI
Office Location: Hellems 14
Office Hours: M-Th, 10 – 10:50AM, or by appointment.
Email:
Website: We will be using D2L (learn.colorado.edu) extensively.
COURSE OVERVIEW
“Talking social relations into being”
This course provides an introduction to communication as a way of thinking about and living in the world. It also introduces communication as a discipline and interlocking fields of study. We will read contemporary writings to make sense of communication as a form of social action, utilized by humans for the purpose of creating, regulating, and transforming social worlds. In the process of learning key concepts and theories, emphasis is placed on developing reflective self‐awareness about the communication that we participate in and wider‐ranging curiosity and care for the communicative lives of others. In the process, we will consider a range of embodied and technologically mediated forms of communication cutting across interpersonal, organizational, and public settings and relationships.
We will devote the first half of the semester to examining and comparing some basic perspective and assumptions about communication. During the second half of the semester we will discuss what the communication discipline and the Department of Communication at CU-Boulder can offer to students interested in the study of communication.
You will see that there are many perspectives on communication you can adopt and cultivate. Perspectives on communication vary according to on what forms (“What is communication here?”) and functions (“What is communication doing here?) of communication they focus. We will discuss the following pairs or groups of related perspectives in this course:
· Perspectives 1: Communication as a skill of message transmission vs. communication as social action (“talking social relations into being”)
· Perspectives 2: Areas of communication scholarship in the Department of Communication at CU‐Boulder
· Perspectives 3: Cultural vs. rhetorical perspectives on communication as social action
· Perspectives 4: Big‐D Discourses vs. little‐d discourses as elements of communication as social action
Goals for Students:
· to learn about some dominant perspectives on communication
· to learn how to think “communicationally” about the world
· to begin questioning tacit functions and processes of communication
· to find out about resources for the study of communication at CU and beyond
General policies
1. All class members are expected to constructively engage in class discussions and to display respect for one another.
2. Please turn OFF and put away your cell phone, I-pod, etc.
3. Come prepared (read before coming to class) and be ON TIME.
4. Given that this is a summer session course, your daily attendance is essential for the class to be a success. Missing even a day or two means losing participation points and falling behind. If you cannot commit to being in class every day, then I recommend that you drop the class.
5. It is important to check your CU email and the D2L website on a regular basis. If you choose not to use your CU email address, I am not responsible for whether you receive class emails, announcements and assignments.
6. Email and visiting office hours are the best way to reach me.
Required Text & Readings
Text
· Wood, J. T. (2013). Communication mosaics: An introduction to the field of communication (7th ed.). Boston, MA: Wadsworth.
Articles
The readings listed below are available online (D2L). You can read and print them from campus or your home computer (they are .pdf files).
· Ashcraft, K. L., & Flores, L. A. (2003). “Slaves with white collars”: Persistent performances of masculinity in crisis. Text & Performance Quarterly, 23(1), 1‐29.
· Engstrom, C.L. (2012). “Yes…, but I was drunk”: Alcohol references and the (re)production of masculinity on a college campus. Communication Quarterly, 60(3), 403‐423.
· Pathways to communication careers in the 21st century (2011). Washington, D.C.: National Communication Association.
· Simonson, P. (2010). The streets of Laredo: Mercurian rhetoric and the Obama campaign. Western Journal of Communication, 74(1), 94‐126.
· Tracy, K. (2002). Everyday talk: Building and reflecting identities. New York: Guilford Press. (selected chapter).
· Yep, G. (1998). My three cultures: Navigating the multicultural identity landscape. In J. Martin, & T. Nakayama (Eds.), Readings in cultural contexts (pp. 79‐85). Mountain View, CA: Mayfield.
COURSE ASSIGNMENTS & GRADING
Final Exam 25% 100 pts
Midterm Exam 25% 100 pts
Reading Response Essays 20% 80 pts
Activities/Assignments 15% 60 pts
Class Participation 15% 60 pts
TOTAL 100% 400 pts
Midterm Exam (100 pts)
The midterm exam will cover the reading and activities from the first half of the semester. The format of the exam will be explained in class and typically includes multiple choice and short answer/essay questions.
Final Exam (100 pts)
The final exam will cover the reading and activities from the second half of the semester. The format of the exam will be explained in class and can include multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, short answer, essay questions, etc.
Reading Response Essays (2 @ 40 pts each)
In the second half of the class, we will depart from reading only the textbook and more towards reading scholarly articles. These types of articles tend to be more dense and require a more careful and critical reading. Critical reading well is a skill that will serve you well throughout your undergraduate studies and beyond. For the articles you read in this class, you will be asked to write two response essays, each 2-3 pages in length. In a reading response, you typically will engage in a dialogue with the author(s) of the articles and take a stance, which you defend in your essay. To direct you toward key ideas in the readings and maximize opportunities for you to learn, think about, and apply material in the class, I will provide you with reading guides.
· Unless otherwise noted, all readings are available through D2L (http://learn.colorado.edu)
· Print out a hard copy of all readings and/or your reading notes and bring them to class with you on the days they will be discussed.
· Unless otherwise noted, hard copies of hardcopies of your Reading Responses will be due in class.
· Reading Responses need to be completed by each student working as an individual. You may speak with a classmate to clarify the reading material, but the answer and words need to be your own.
· Please type in complete sentences, not bullet points or sentence fragments. Fragments are difficult to read and to assess whether or not you understand the material. Writing in complete sentences will also help you to prepare for the final exam.
· I will evaluate Reading Responses by using the following rubric:
o “Excellent!” (37-40 points) = student’s argument is exceptionally clear, nicely written, well-supported and makes relevant and insightful comparisons to authors and ideas from class discussion or materials.
o “Good!” (33-36 points) = student’s argument is thorough, well-reasoned, and solidly supported.
o “Solid” (29-32 points) = student’s argument is fairly clear, some support is offered, and writing quality is fair.
o “Okay” (25-28 points) = student’s argument is minimally established, may be vague, or problematically supported.
o “Minimal Effort” (21-24 points) = student’s response is not adequately clear or explained, and insufficiently supported.
o “Not Even Close” (<20 points) = student failed to complete the assignment adequately.
o No Response (0 points) = student did not hand in the hard copy.
Activities/Assignments (60 pts total)
At times I will assign short (& less intense) assignments in conjunction with the topics we discuss. Such assignments will range from group activities during class, to writing responses or reflections about lecture, or homework assignments such as watching a TV show and writing a short response about it. These assignments are usually worth 10 pts each. They are often spontaneous and thus you need to be in class to get the assignment and earn the points.
Participation (30 pts total)
This class offers you an opportunity to learn about communication principles through a variety of activities and assignments. Although theories will be described in your textbook, active participation in this course is the best way to build your skills and master the material, but you cannot participate if you do not attend. While I recognize that not everyone is comfortable speaking up in class, aim to be involved in class discussions. This can include answering questions, offering comments, providing examples to support the topic we are discussing, responding to other students, etc. Each member of this class brings a unique perspective to the topic, and the class will benefit from your genuine involvement. At the end of the semester, I will make an overall assessment of your class participation.
Course Grades
All work is graded using a point system. It is advisable to track your own grade progress throughout the semester. Each assignment has its own grading criteria, so review the evaluation sheets before you begin your preparation.
Here’s the grading philosophy I will follow in this course:
“A” is an extremely good grade. It means you have demonstrated excellent mastery of the material; your work and performance were consistently better than nearly everyone else in the class.
“B” is a very good grade. It means you did all of the required work and performed in class at a level that is noticeably and demonstrably superior to many of your classmates.
“C” is a good grade. It means that you met all of the expectations for students noted in the syllabus, and you did all of the required work at a level that was competent.
Anything below “C,” means you did not master the material adequately. A grade below C should prompt you to assess your study/classroom habits and visit office hours so you can diagnose what you need to do differently in your studying, assignment preparation, etc.
Keep in mind that for grades to be meaningful (to you, me, or anyone else) they have to reflect differences in mastery. If an “A” means that you merely did what you were asked to do, it is no different than a “C,” and it therefore means nothing at all. I cannot make grading changes simply to help students avoid academic consequences such as delayed graduation, academic probation, etc.
Final grade assignment will be determined as follows: 93% and above=A; 90%-92%=A-; 88-90%=B+; 82-88%=B; 80-82%=B- 78-80%=C+; 72-78%=C; 70-72%=C-; 68-70%=D+; 60-68%=D; 60% or below=F
GENERAL COURSE POLICIES
Respect
In my experience, the best classes are those where a supportive, respectful, safe environment is constructed in the classroom. When someone is speaking (including the instructor), he or she deserves your undivided attention. Cross-talking or disruptive nonverbal behavior (including reading non-related materials or text-messaging) is rude, and you will be asked to leave the classroom if your behavior becomes a distraction. Similarly, vulgar or hateful language in presentations or discussions will never be tolerated. When it is time for your input, be professional in your comments. Of course, turn off all electronic devices before entering the classroom.
Promptness & Absences
You are expected to be ready, in your seat, when class begins. If you must arrive late, please do so quietly. If you arrive late on a consistent basis, I will count your late arrivals as absences. If you need to leave class early for a specific reason, please let me know at the beginning of class and then sit by the door so you will be able to exit quietly. If you depart class early on a consistent basis, I will count your departures as absences. Missed classes and late arrivals will, of course, negatively impact your participation grade..
Turning In Assignments
Assignments are due at the start of class on the day specified on the course schedule, or as announced in class. Assignments must be printed in ‘hardcopy’ format, as I do not accept emailed assignments. Except in cases of true emergencies (such as documented hospitalization), late work will be subject to a penalty of 10% per day for each calendar day it is late, but will NOT be accepted more than 3 days late.
Missed Exams
If you miss an exam due to extenuating circumstances, you will be expected to complete a make-up exam (which will be different from the original exam) at a time determined by me. You will be expected to provide adequate documentation for your absence.
University Policies
Classroom Behavior Policy
Students and faculty each have responsibility for maintaining an appropriate learning environment. Students who fail to adhere to such behavioral standards may be subject to discipline. Faculty has the professional responsibility to treat all students with understanding, dignity and respect, to guide classroom discussion and to set reasonable limits on the manner in which they and their students express opinions.Professional courtesy and sensitivity are especially important with respect to individuals and topics dealing with differences of race, culture, religion, politics, sexual orientation, gender variance, and nationalities. See polices at http://www.colorado.edu/policies/classbehavior.htmland at http://www.colorado.edu/studentaffairs/judicialaffairs/code.html#student_code.
Disabilities
If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please submit to me a letter from Disability Services in a timely manner so that your needs may be addressed. Disability Services determines accommodations based on documented disabilities (303-492-8671, Willard 322, http://www.colorado.edu/disabilityservices). You must provide this letter NO LATER than the third day of class in Maymester.
Honor Code
All students of the University of Colorado at Boulder are responsible for knowing and adhering to the academic integrity policy of this institution. Violations of this policy may include: cheating, plagiarism, aid of academic dishonesty, fabrication, lying, bribery, and threatening behavior.All incidents of academic misconduct shall be reported to the Honor Code Council (; 303-725-2273). Students who are found to be in violation of the academic integrity policy will be subject to both academic sanctions from the faculty member and non-academic sanctions (including but not limited to university probation, suspension, or expulsion). Other information on the Honor Code can be found at http://www.colorado.edu/policies/honor.html and at http://www.colorado.edu/academics/honorcode/.