SP511: Introduction to Graduate Studies
Dr. David Ritchie
Mondays at 5:00, NH491
Office Hours: Monday before class, Tuesday & Thursday, 11-12; sign-up outside my office door. I usually check my e-mail at least twice daily ().
Web Page:
Assigned Reading:
Journal of Communication, 54(4). Special issue on the state of the art in communication theory and research, part 1. The relevant articles will be on e-reserve.
Journal of Communication, 55(3). Special issue on the state of the art in communication theory and research, part 2. The relevant articles will be on e-reserve.
The Style Manual of the American Psychological Association.
Babbie, Earl, The Practice of Social Research. (References are to the 10th Edition, but most editions cover the same material.) Wadsworth.
Other assigned readings will be available via electronic reserve from the library.
Objectives:
- Understand the current structure of the Communication discipline.
- Understand the procedures and requirements for the Master’s degree in Communication.
- Improve ability to write a literature review.
Format.
The class will operate primarily as a discussion seminar. Most class sessions will have two parts, each devoted to a separate topic. During the first class meeting students, working in teams, will select topics for more intensive study. The team assigned to each topic will present additional resources, identify crucial questions, and lead the discussion on the topic.
1. Each week, students will post discussion notes on the assigned readings on WebCT by Sunday evening. These may include applications to your own research interests, or connections to other readings and materials from other coursework; all postings are expected to culminate in questions and issues for discussion. (Total of 10% of your grade.)
2. Each student will take responsibility for one or two class meetings, as a member of a team. You will prepare by reading background materials needed to gain a full understanding of the week’s topic (in addition to the assignment), collect questions from the WebCT postings, lead the discussion. (10% of your grade.)
Attendance: Regular attendance and full participation in every class meeting is essential both to the individual student and to the class. Unexcused absences, repeated late arrivals, or failure to keep up with assigned readings may result in a failing grade.
A seminar format also assumes complete co-presence, and the absence of distractions such as side-bar conversations, cell-phones or other communication devices, or attention to other materials not related to the class.
Assignments: Written assignments will be graded for style and presentation as well as content. Clear, literate (and grammatical) writing is an assumption in this program: You will not receive a passing grade for work that does not meet professional standards of writing. Review the APA style manual and use them on every assignment. If you have had problems in the past with sentence structure and/or spelling, be sure to use a good general style manual as well as a dictionary (and you may want to secure the services of a good copy editor). All work is to be double spaced, in 12 point type with one inch margins.
Every paper must include a complete list of references in APA format.
1. Research interests, theories, and concepts. Due Oct. 10. (10%)
Write a 3-5 page summary of your research interests, including a discussion of how they relate to the scholarly interests of at least one member of the graduate faculty. You should cite at least three articles from recent (3-5 years) research literature (refereed journals, chapters in scholarly books, scholarly monographs).
2. How topics fit within the discipline. Due Nov. 14. (10%)
Take one of the topics we are discussing (it may but need not be a topic on which you are a presenter); select at least two research articles on that topic and analyze their perspective in terms of Craig’s ideas about how the discipline is organized. (5-7 pages)
3. Literature review. Due Nov. 28. (30%)
Identify a specific research question that lies within one of the topics we are studying (it may but need not be a topic on which you are a presenter). Write a 15-20 page literature review essay in which you summarize the “State of the Art” with respect to your research question. Your literature review may lead to hypotheses or in a more carefully designed research question. In any event, include a summary of a research design that you might use to test your hypotheses or answer your research question, along with an evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of
4. Poster session. Dec. 5. (10%)
During finals week you will present your Literature review at a poster session. You will prepare a poster, readable from at least 4 feet distance, dimensions no greater than 4’ high by 5’ wide, in which you summarize the key points in your essay.
5. There will also be two mid-term exams. (10% each)
Meetings and Assignments
Sept. 26. Introduction; organization; expectations.
What is communication? How can we study it? How is the discipline organized? What makes for an interesting research topic?
Assignment: Babbie, Ch. 1-3 (background for much of the course).
Oct. 3. 1. The organization of the discipline. 2. Research design and concept explication.
Assignment:
Babbie, Ch. 4 & 5 (Research Design; Conceptualization).
Craig, R. T. (1999). Communication theory as a field. Communication Theory, 9(2): 119-161.
James A. Anderson and Geoffrey Baym (2004). Philosophies and philosophic issues in communication, 1995–2004. J Communication, 54: 589-615
Oct. 10. 1. Mass Communication. 2. Political Communication
Assignment:
Jennings Bryant and Dorina Miron (2004) Theory and Research in Mass Communication. J Communication, 54: 662-704.
Doris A. Graber with the assistance of James M. Smith (2005). Political Communication Faces the 21st Century. J Communication, 55: 479-507
Oct. 17. 1. Interpersonal Communication. 2. Language & Social Interaction
Assignment:
Charles R. Berger (2005). Interpersonal Communication: Theoretical Perspectives, Future Prospects. J Communication, 55: 415-447
Karen Tracy and Kathleen Haspel (2004). Language and Social Interaction: Its Institutional Identity, Intellectual Landscape, and Discipline-Shifting Agenda. J Communication, 54: 788-816.
Oct. 24. 1. Information Systems. 2. Communication and Technology
Assignment:
Mark A. Hamilton and Kristine L. Nowak (2005). Information Systems Concepts Across Two Decades: An Empirical Analysis of Trends in Theory, Methods, Process, and Research Domains.J Communication, 55: 529-553
Joseph B. Walther, Geri Gay, and Jeffrey T. Hancock (2005). How Do Communication and Technology Researchers Study the Internet?J Communication, 55: 632-657
Oct. 31. 1. Organizational Communication. 2. First Mid-term
Assignment:
Elizabeth Jones, Bernadette Watson, John Gardner, and Cindy Gallois (2004). Organizational Communication: Challenges for the New Century. J Communication, 54: 722-750
Nov. 7. 1. Health Communication. 2. Instructional / Developmental Communication
Assignment:
Roxanne Parrott (2004). Emphasizing "Communication" in Health Communication. J Communication, 54: 751-787.
Jon F. Nussbaum and Gustav Friedrich (2005). Instructional/Developmental Communication: Current Theory, Research, and Future Trends. J Communication, 55: 578-593.
Nov. 14. 1. Feminist Scholarship; 2. Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies
Assignment:
Bonnie J. Dow and Celeste M. Condit (2005). The State of the Art in Feminist Scholarship in Communication. J Communication, 55: 448-478
Larry Gross (2005). The Past and the Future of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies. J Communication, 55: 508-528
Nov. 21. 1. Intercultural and Development Communication. 2. Popular Communication.
Assignment:
Young Yun Kim (2005). Inquiry in Intercultural and Development Communication. J Communication, 55: 554-577
Joshua Gunn and Barry Brummett (2004). Popular Communication After GlobalizationJ Communication, 54: 705-721.
Nov. 28. 1. The graduate program (Dr. Kapoor). 2. Second Mid-term
Assignment: Review the information in your Graduate Student Handbook & be prepared with your questions for Dr. Kapoor.
Dec. 5. Final meeting – Poster Session
Teams
Oct. 10. Mass Communication.
______
Oct. 10. Political Communication
______
Oct. 17. Interpersonal Communication.
______
Oct. 17. Language & Social Interaction
______
Oct. 24. Information Systems.
______
Oct. 24. Communication and Technology
______
Oct. 31. OrganizationalCommunication.
______
Nov. 7. Health Communication.
______
Nov. 7. Instructional / Developmental Communication
______
Nov. 14. Feminist Scholarship
______
Nov. 14. Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies
______
Nov. 21. Intercultural and DevelopmentCommunication.
______
Nov. 21. Popular Communication.
______