COMM 422:
PROSEMINAR IN COMMUNICATION THEORY AND PHILOSOPHY
Fall 2017 (Section 02)
M 6:30-9:20 Fell 116
Instructor: Phil Chidester Office: Fell 465
Office Hours: MWF 10-11 a.m.; MW 5:30-6:30 p.m. Phone: 438-7746 (office)
And by appointment Email:
COURSE TEXTS:
This semester in Proseminar, we’re going to try something a little different; we’re going to trade breadth for depth. In other words, instead of using a single textbook that covers literally hundreds of communication theories in a brief summary kind of way, we’re going to read and discuss a much smaller number of primary articles that explore a smaller handful of key communication theories in much greater detail. The source citations and, in some cases, hotlinks for the articles we will be discussing each week are included in the calendar section of the syllabus below. If you’d prefer to purchase hard copies of the articles, please let me know, and we can arrange that service for the students in the course who are interested.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Proseminar in Communication is an introduction to the philosophy of human inquiry and to the formulation and application of theory in the discipline of communication and related social sciences. The course is designed to provide students with diverse and in-depth knowledge about the process of communication and the nature of formally studying that process from the various perspectives that compose and characterize the communication discipline today. Topics include: the philosophy of human interaction in general and of the social sciences in particular; metatheoretical perspectives; the process of theory building and evaluation; basic and applied research; disputes and debates within the field; and an overview of content areas representative of the communication discipline.
We assume that students bring with them into the course fundamental knowledge about communication concepts and methods. By the end of the course, we expect students to be thoroughly familiar with the course content, as well as to begin to develop a deeper and more effectively applicable knowledge and understanding of one or more content areas within the discipline.
OBJECTIVES:
By the end of the course, you will be able to:
1. Describe the historical development of communication as a discipline;
2. Define communication;
3. Explain the nature and functions of theory and research;
4. Identify and evaluate prevalent theories within the discipline;
5. Recognize key theorists and researchers in major areas of the discipline;
6. Critically analyze lines of research and key issues in the discipline;
7. Describe diverse metatheoretical perspectives;
8. Suggest future directions for theory and research within the discipline;
9. Articulate a perspective for your own study of communication;
10. Demonstrate depth and applicability in one or more content areas.
EVALUATION:
The course has three general components upon which your final grade will be based: papers, exams, and class participation.
Papers
You will be expected to complete five papers through the semester: three short position papers, a fourth paper that will summarize a published work dealing with one of the concepts or theories we have discussed in class, and a final, longer paper incorporating what you have learned in the course throughout the semester. Information on when each of these assignments is due throughout the semester is included on the calendar page of the syllabus.
Position Papers: These are short (3-4 pages) works that require you to argue a position based on the readings for a particular class meeting, or to indicate your understanding of a theory or perspective by applying it to a novel context. The purpose of these papers is to help you structure your reading and to clarify your thinking. Specific requirements and expectations for these assignments are included later in the syllabus. Each of these papers is worth 25 points.
Paper #4: This assignment is different from the position papers in that it is an abstract (summary) of a research article or book chapter relevant to one of the concepts or theories covered in the last several weeks of the course. Specific requirements and expectations for this assignment are included later in the syllabus. This paper is worth 25 points.
Final Paper: This is a longer (15-20 pages) and more in-depth evaluation and analysis of one of the theories we have discussed in class during the course of the semester. In addition to submitting a formal paper, you will also present your findings to the class during the final exam period. Specific requirements and expectations for this assignment are included later in the syllabus. This paper is worth 100 points.
Exams
You will be given two essay exams over the course of the semester; the first will be administered in class, and the second will be a take-home exam. In recent years students have enjoyed having the option of using their laptop computers or going to the computer labs to type their exams. This practice is open to you this semester if you would like to type the in-class exam. A study guide will be provided for the first exam and parameters for answer length and approach will be provided for the second. Each exam is worth 100 points.
Class Participation
Active participation is absolutely essential to the success of this course. As a seminar, the course is driven by student discussion; therefore, you are expected to come to class having carefully and thoughtfully completed the assigned readings for that day’s discussion and prepared to contribute to the classroom dialogue on the day’s subject. Your participation will be evaluated in two ways: through your contributions to class discussions, and through your scores on several in-class quizzes.
In-Class Participation: Part of my overall assessment of your performance in this course will be an evaluation of your contributions to an environment of curiosity and learning in the classroom. I will do my best to foster such an environment, and I expect you to do the same. Being an active element of the course will require you to be prepared to engage in content-focused dialogue with the other students at each class meeting. You will likely find that the best way to prepare for such in-depth participation is to make a list of questions and observations as you read. One-sixth of your final grade, or 100 points, will come from classroom participation, including 10 points that will be awarded for an effective oral presentation of your final paper.
POINT TOTAL AND GRADE DISTRIBUTION:
Position Paper #1 ____/25 450-500 pts = A
Position Paper #2 ____/25 400-449 pts = B
Position Paper #3 ____/25 350-399 pts = C
Position Paper #4 ____/25 300-349 pts = D
Final Paper ____/100 <300 pts = F
Exam #1 ____/100
Exam #2 ____/100
Participation ____/100
TOTAL ____/500
ACCOMMODATIONS
Please note that any student needing to arrange a reasonable accommodation for a documented disability should contact Student Access and Accommodation Services at 350 Fell Hall, 438-5853 (voice, 4388620 (TDD)).
AN ACADEMIC CULTURE
A significant component of the experience that is Proseminar in Communication is the opportunity it provides us to introduce you as the graduate student to the norms and expectations that come along with post-undergraduate academic work. An important element of this culture is the classroom setting itself. While most undergraduate courses are designed to provide you with skills and information, graduate courses are intended to serve as catalysts to your own processes of investigation and inquiry. In other words, you are responsible yourself for much of what you will learn in a course like Proseminar. Thinking critically about your course readings is an important first step in this learning process; interacting with your fellow graduate students in the classroom is another. For all to benefit from the classroom experience to its fullest, it is vital that we work together to create and foster an environment in which ideas may be freely considered and discussed. While it is expected (and profoundly valuable to the learning experience) that we will disagree from time to time with others’ opinions and perspectives, it is never appropriate to intimidate or belittle others for their points of view. An important stage in your development as a communication scholar is learning how to argue without being contentious – and I will appreciate your efforts to maintain a classroom environment that is conducive to learning and open discussion.
A second expectation of academic scholars that you will learn in Proseminar is the importance of a professional attitude toward all your assignments and projects, no matter how small or seemingly trivial. Part of that professional attitude involves the way in which your work is submitted. All assignments are due at the beginning of class on the assigned day; late work will simply not be accepted under any circumstances. The due dates for all assignments are included in the syllabus calendar; I would suggest that you develop a habit of working on your assignments early whenever possible to avoid the kinds of last-minute “emergencies” that all too often seem to plague students in both the undergraduate and graduate settings. Even more important than taking a professional academic attitude toward deadlines is, of course, the quality of your work itself. All papers and assignments should conform in all respects to APA 6th edition; you may want to purchase an APA style manual for your library, but it is not required for the course. A few basics: papers should be double-spaced with one-inch margins (as my own proseminar professor, Dr. Jake Harwood, once noted, “Double space everything in your life”); page numbers should be in the upper right-hand corner of the page. Papers should also be free of grammar and style errors; misspelled words and poor grammar all but guarantee that the reader will pay little attention to the ideas that you are presenting. We will cover a number of common grammatical problems and APA style errors during our discussion of “Academic Writing” later in the semester – but if you have questions before that time, please do not hesitate to ask.
OFFICE HOURS
One resource that far too many students at both the undergraduate and the graduate levels fail to take advantage of is their own instructors. I am willing and anxious to talk with you about any aspect of the communication process in general or about any Proseminar assignment in particular. Please consult with me if you would like clarification on any of the theories we cover in class, about the topics you would like to examine in your papers, or about any other aspect of the course. No subject is off limits, so long as it deals with the study of communication or with the classroom experience. I also welcome any ideas you might have about better explaining specific theories or about enhancing the Proseminar experience. I have certainly enjoyed my own adventures in the study of communication so far, and I’m ready to do everything I can to start you off on your own adventures in the best possible way.
TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE
DATE TOPIC ASSIGNMENT
Aug. 21 “Take a picture, it’ll last longer!” Assign one-page
Course Introduction: “What is comm..?” paper
Paradigms, Perspectives, Processes,
Channels, Contexts & Contents
Aug. 28 “Who do you want to be today?” “What is communication”
Perspectives: What is communication? paper due
History, domains, fields, disciplines Assign Paper #1
“I think, therefore I am”
Paradigms:
Ontology, Epistemology, Axiology
Seeing the picture:
What is theory?
Explanation, prediction, control;
Variables, research questions,
hypotheses, null hypothesis
Taxonomies & models
Readings:
Watzlawick Beavin Jackson 1967 (5 axioms of com)
Motley 1990 (challenge to WBJ)
Andersen 1991 (reply to Motley)
Motley 1991 (rebuttal to Andersen)
Sept. 4 LABOR DAY – NO CLASS!
Sept. 11 “Contact lenses or frames?” Paper #1 Due
Philosophical perspectives on Assign Paper #2
the study of communication
Readings:
Littlejohn Foss Oetzel 2017 (criteria for good theory)
Miller 2005 (metatheory)
Kuhn 1970 (scientific revolutions)
Craig 1999 (7 traditions)
Potter 1996 (science v humanist)
Sept. 18 “Sticks and stones. . .”
Doing science/debating paradigms
Readings:
Fisher 1994 (WJC evidence debate)
Hawes 1994 (WJC evidence debate)
Berger 1994 (WJC evidence debate)
Carlson 1994 (WJC evidence debate)
Wilson 1994 (WJC evidence debate)
Fitch 1994 (WJC evidence debate)
Foss Foss 1994 (WJC evidence debate)
Tompkins 1994 (WJC evidence debate)
Beach 1994 (WJC evidence debate)
Liska Cronkhite 1994 (WJC evidence debate)
Sept. 20 PROSEMINAR FACULTY NIGHT: 6:30 p.m.
Sept. 25 “Subaltern subjectivities” Paper #2 Due
The language of academia
“A box of Krispy Kremes”
The literature review
Review for Exam #1
Readings:
Mead 1934 (symbolic interactionism)
Fiske 1990 (semiotics)
Fiske 2011 (ideology and meanings)
Saussure 1916 (signs)
Chidester Campbell Bell 2006 (postmodern racial identity)
Wood 2008 (critical feminist theories)
Foucault 1982 (subject and power)
Shome Hegde 2002 (postcolonial)
Oct. 2 Exam #1 (in class) Assign Paper #3
Processes: The Sender
Readings:
Baxter 1986 (rules theory)
Gasiorek Giles 2012 (com accommodation theory)
Manusov 1990 (attribution theory)
Sheppard Hardwick Warshaw 1988 (theory of reasoned action)
Gao Gudykunst 1990 (anxiety uncertainty management theory)
Oct. 9 “It’s the thought that counts”
Contents: The message
Readings:
Barthes 1977 (rhetoric of the image)
Burke 1963 64 (definition of man)
Fisher 1984 (narrative paradigm)
Keith Lundberg 2008 (rhetoric chapters 1 2 3)
Oct. 16 “And the crack was good”
Processes: The conversation
Readings:
Brehm 1966 (psychological reactance theory)
Witte Allen 2000 (fear appeals and EPPM)
Larson Thompkins 2005 (concertive control theory)
Black 2008 (dialogue theory)
Building theory
Oct. 23 “You complete me” Paper #3 Due
Contexts/Processes: The relationship
Readings:
Goffman 1959 (presentation of self)
Burgoon Hale 1988 (expectancy violation theory)
Baxter Montgomery 1996 (relational dialectics theory)
Koerner Fitzpatrick 2002 (family com theory)
Burgoon Buller 1994 (interpersonal deception theory)
Exam # 2 review Assign Exam #2
Assign Paper #3
Oct. 30 “Vote him off the island!” Exam #2 Due
Contexts: The group Paper #4(?)
“Wait and see who goes home first” Quiz 1