COM 317.800

Public Relations Research Methods

Spring2008

Mon, Wed, & Fri:9:10 am ~ 10:05 am

Mahar 204

Instructor:Taejin Jung, Ph.D.

Office:7 Lanigan

Phone:315) 315-3527

Email:

Course Web Site:

Office Hours: Tue Thur: 2:05 pm ~ 4:45 pm

(By appointment or Before and after classes)

Course Description:

COM317.800is an introduction to research methods for public relations. Course objectives are: (1)to understand how research is practiced in public relations; (2) to ask appropriate research questions; (3) to practice research in an ethical manner; (4) to design research programs and employ appropriate research methods; (5) to critically appraise research results; and (6) to effectively communicate research results. Students must possess a basic understanding of techniques such as basic statistical methods of information analysis and be able to present results (or critique others’ presentations)inan informative and professional manner.

Required readings:

▪ Don W. Stacks (2002). Primer of Public Relations Research. New York: Guilford.

▪ Supplemental readings that I assign and/or distribute.

Miscellaneous handouts/readings will be posted ( throughout the semester, for which students will be responsible.

Assignments & Responsibilities:

The various projects’ weights in determining your final grade are as follows:

Project / Due date / Percentage of final grade
Participation& Peer assessment(Individual) / Ongoing / 20%
Three Exams (Individual) / 30%
Reading logs & Quizzes (individual) / 10%
Project proposal (Introduction) (Individual) / 10%
Literature review (Group) / 5%
Group survey questionnaire (Group) / 5%
Result & Discussion (Group) / 10%
Finalpaper & presentation of the research report (Group) / 10%

Course Policies:

Your Responsibilities:

  • Check the course website () in a regular manner and print out course materials for the class.
  • Reading Log & Quizzes: Read the assigned readings in a timely manner, keeping up with the course schedule – especially by reading given chapters and handouts before the class session where they will be the central focus of class discussion.
  • Bring to class the text and/or readings assigned for each given class because often we will refer to specific charts, graphs and sidebars as part of class discussion.
  • Attend classes and actively participate in discussions and workshops.

► If you do not participate more than 1/3 of class meetings, you will fail this course.

  • Ask questions.
  • Check your email regularly.
  • In submitting work, ensure that it is your original work done for this class this semester.
  • Proofread all work because grammar and punctuation (mechanics) count.
  • I don’t discuss your grades in class or via online. Make an office appointment to discuss questions regarding your grades.

My Responsibilities:

  • Hold regular office hours for the purpose of meeting students’ needs one on one.
  • Check email several times each day (including weekends) in order to respond to students’ needs as soon as possible.
  • Ensure students’ privacy by discussing grades only in my office – not via email, telephone, in the classroom, or in the hallway.
  • Explain and evaluate fairly students’ project.
  • Provide students with timely, honest feedback on their work.
  • Offer a variety of learning formats to keep class meetings informative and interesting – lecture, guest speakers, student presentations, PowerPoint, team lab projects, and workshops.
  • Whet students’ appetite for a career in public relations.

Exams/Quizzes/Project:

-There will be three examinations during the semester. Dates are on the course calendar.

-Examination questions will involve book chapters, PowerPoint materials, handouts, and lectures etc. covered since the last exam. Material scheduled for discussion on exam day will not appear on that day’s exam. No exam will be cumulative.

-Each exam will be composed of 20 multiple choice questions (4X20=80) and 2 open ended questions (2X10=20).

-Review session will be given for each exam.

-Quizzes will be given when we enter new chapters.

-Quizzes will be composed of 5 plain questions essential to the chapter.

-There will be one team project (see the Final Project Guideline).

Make-up Opportunities

-There is no make-up opportunity for the exams and final project.

-When you make up missing quizzes/reading logs/assignments, I will take 50% of credit for the make-up assignments.

Grade Scale:

A 93-100 | A- 90-92 | B+ 87-89 | B 83-86 | B- 80-82 | C+ 77-79 | C 73-76 |

C- 70-72 | D+ 67-69 | D @ 63-66 | D- 60-62

Definition of Grades:

These grades reflect thequality and quantity of work submitted throughout the term according to the instructor’s grading standards.

A and A- grades represent work whose superior quality indicates a full mastery of the subject. An

A represents work of extraordinary distinction.

B+, B, and B- grades represent work of good to very good quality but that does not merit special

distinction.

C+, C, and C- grades designate an adequate command of the course material. These grades are

satisfactory for undergraduate students, but unsatisfactory for graduate students.

D+, D, and D- grades indicate work that shows a deficiency in knowledge of the material. They

are unsatisfactory for undergraduate and graduate students.

E is a failing grade representing work that deserves no credit.

Syllabus Change Policy: This syllabus is a guide for the course and is subject to change with advance notice.

Professionalism

- Maintain impeccable ethics. Honesty and professional ethics are vital to your success. Please refer to the University’s policy on academic honesty at “Plagiarism is the unacknowledged use of another person's labor, another person's ideas, another person's words, another person's assistance. Normally, all work done for courses—papers, examinations, homework exercises, laboratory reports, oral presentations—is expected to be the individual effort of the student presenting the work. Any assistance must be reported to the instructor. If the work has entailed consulting other resources—such as journals, books, or other media—these resources must be cited in a manner appropriate to the course. Everything used from other sources—including suggestions for organization of ideas, ideas themselves, or actual language—must be cited. Failure to cite borrowed material constitutes plagiarism. Undocumented use of materials from the World Wide Web is plagiarism.

- “Academic cheating is, generally, the thwarting or breaking of the general rules of academic work or the specific rules of the individual courses. It includes falsifying data; submitting, without the instructor's approval, work in one course which was done for another; helping others to plagiarize or cheat from one's own or another's work; or actually doing the work of another person.”

- In short, you are expected to correctly cite all resources used (other than your own thoughts) when completing assignments. You are not to confer with individuals in the other group(s) when completing your group assignments. Individual assignments are to be completed on your own, without any help from anyone in the class. You are also expected to abide by copyright laws.

- Plagiarism or academic cheating of any sort is unacceptable and subject to severe disciplinary action. If your assignment constitutes plagiarism, you will get zero grade for the submission. If your assignments are under the category of plagiarism twice, you will fail this course.If you are unsure as to whether something that you will submit as your work might constitute plagiarism or cheating, be sure to consult me before you submit your work (afterwards, it is too late). An act of plagiarism is grounds for immediate failure in the course. The University Disciplinary Committee to which all plagiarism charges will be forwarded may assess additional penalties.

- Students with disabilities. It is SUNY Oswego’s s policy to provide reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities under the American Disabilities Act (ADA). At the beginning of each semester, any student with a disability should inform me, in private, if instructional accommodations or academic adjustments will be needed. For more information about the ADA and academic accommodations or adjustments, contact the Office of Disability Resources and Services ( Phone: (315) 312-3358, Email: ).

Please feel free to ask questions or consult with me throughout the semester on any class-related matter.