COMM 614

Ethical Issues in Communication

Queens University of Charlotte Fall 2011 Thursdays 6:00-8:45

Course Schedule September 8 Introduction to ethics Reading: Preface Discuss possible research topics. Choose a day to lead the class. View: Les Miserables September 15 The necessity of communication ethics, defining communication ethics Reading: Ch. 1, 2 Due: Response and Reflection for Ch. 1 & 2 September 22 - Presentations The pragmatic good of theory Reading: Ch. 3, 4 Due: Response and Reflection for Ch. 3 & 4 Discuss research topics September 29 - Presentations Dialogic ethics Reading: Ch. 5 Due: Response and Reflection for Ch. 5 Due: Research topics October 6 - Presentations Public discourse ethics Reading: Ch. 6 Due: Response and Reflection for Ch. 6 October 13 NO CLASS Fall Break October 20 - Presentations Interpersonal communication ethics Reading: Ch. 7 Due: Response and Reflection for Ch. 7

Syllabus
professor: dr. bruce marcey email: marceyb@queens.edu office hours: by appointment Course Description: This course explores the application of ethics to a variety of divergent communication settings and concepts. While the text will serve as the framework for the course, you and your classmates will lead us in discussions that explore ethical issues in communication. Course Objectives: 1. To be able to identify, understand and discuss at least five ethical issues in communication in class discussions and reflection papers. 2. To be able to identify, understand and discuss at least five bases for ethical choices based on published theoretical and philosophical thought in reflection papers. 3. Discuss at least five ethical concepts in depth in reflection papers. 4. Discuss ethical concepts thoroughly as they apply to one communication issue in a 10- to 15-page paper.

October 27 - Presentations Organizational communication ethics Reading: Ch. 8 Due: Response and Reflection for Ch. 8 November 3 - Presentations Intercultural communication ethics Reading: Ch. 9 Due: Response and Reflection for Ch. 9 November 10 Presentations Professional communication ethics Reading: Ch. 10 & 11 Due: Response and Reflection for Ch. 10 & 11 November 17 Peer discussion of Research Drafts Due: 3-5 copies of your Research Paper Draft November 24 NO CLASS Thanksgiving Break December 1 - Presentations Communication ethics literacy and difference Reading: Ch. 12 Due: Response and Reflection for Ch. 12 December 15 Research Paper Presentations, discussion Due: Papers ***************************************** Human Participant Research All student-directed research that involves human participants must have a faculty sponsor. Additionally, all research that involves human participants must be reviewed and approved by the university institutional review board (IRB) PRIOR to the initiation of any research activities. IRB Information and approval forms are available on the myQueens portal (http://myqueens.queens.edu). First, sign into myQueens and then click the Shared Documents link on the left side of the screen. This will take you to the Institutional Review Board Documents folder.

5. Illustrate your understanding of ethical guidelines in professional or personal contexts by applying them to your own experience and observations in class discussions and reflection papers. 6. Demonstrate your ability to explore one ethics topic thoroughly in class presentation and research paper. 7. Demonstrate understanding of ethics terminology in class discussions and reflection papers. Course Responsibilities Reading: This course requires reading about 60-100 pages a week. Attendance: Please let me know by email if you know something will keep you out of class, and attach your reflection. You are responsible for the work you miss. Call classmates to review class activity. Students who miss more than three classes should meet with me to determine their likelihood of success. Professional Writing Standards: To meet my expectations for the style of your formal written work, please ensure you: 1. Review and follow the honor code. Cutting and pasting anything from the web without attribution is plagiarizing, even if you mix up the order of the words or change them to synonyms. (You can always go to the writing center in the basement of Sykes if you want to improve your prose.) 2. Submit all formal documents word-processed, double-spaced, in 11- or 12-point type. 3. Conform to a standard academic reference and citation style. 4. Attach a cover page that notes the title of your document, your name, course number, and email address.

Information on Course Assignments Information on all course assignments and their point allocations will be given on Moodle, as well as discussed in class. When in doubt, please check Moodle or email me. Please ask me if you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions for any of the assignments that we will complete. Course Assignments Reflections Demonstrate your engagement with the reading by submitting weekly reflections that discuss reading concepts according to your own experience or observations. You have ten (10) opportunities to write reflections. Please submit six (6). Due: Weekly Point Allocation: 60 points each Class Presentation Lead the class discussion on a concept or family of concepts from the assigned chapter. Illustrate the concept with a 15- to 30-second scene from a film. Lead a discussion of concepts from the text. Enhance the discussion with additional scholarly research you have found: summarize the additional readings and suggest others in an annotated Reading List. (Annotations supply a sentence or two identifying the conclusion or value that justifies including the work.) See schedule for topics. Two students will present in each class. Confer with each other to ensure you cover different topics/chapters. Point Allocation: 240 points Final Paper Discuss an ethical issue in communication. This paper is your exam. Bring it to the last class for discussion. Due: Dec. 8 or 15 Point Allocation: 400 Points

Grading Scale A Superior work. B Good work. Could improve one of these areas: ideas, argument or grammar. C Acceptable work. Needs to improve two of these areas: ideas, argument or grammar. F Unacceptable work. Reflects unacceptable level of commitment or skill. (No grad student should ever earn an F.) Points will be allocated as follows: Reflections Class Presentation Final Paper Attendance and Participation 360 Points 240 Points 300 Points 100 Points

Late/Missed Work Policy Arrangements for making up missed work must be made in advance. Assignments submitted late will be severely penalized by 10% of the original point allocation per calendar day late. Thus, assignments submitted after 10 days late will earn no points. All assignments are due by the beginning of class on the due date. Queens University of Charlotte Policies Disability Accommodations: If you are a student with a verified disability and you require accommodations, please provide me with the necessary memorandum that was given to you by Student Disability Services. Contact: The Coordinator of Disability Services: Sandy Rogelberg, 704-337-2508. Honor Code: The Honor Code, which permeates all phases of university life, is based on three fundamental principles. It assumes that Queens students: a) are truthful at all times, b) respect the property of others, and c) are honest in tests, examinations, term papers, and all other academic assignments. Please contact me if you believe a violation of the Honor Code has occurred. It is a violation of the Honor Code for a student to be untruthful concerning the reason for a class absence.