Communication Writing & Design COMM 2320 SYLLABUS (Subject to revision)

SYLLABUS - Fall 2012 T/Th 10:00am 11:50am Rm: MI 1106 & L 1092 Instructor: Kevin Pina Email: kevin.pina@csueastbay.edu Phone: (510) 885-4671 Office Hours (LI 1092A): M/W: 10:30am- 12:00pm, T/Th: 10am-12pm or by appointment Course Description: Students research and practice the essential form and function of written documents such as biographies, academic essays, press releases, video/radio scripts, and formal business/personal correspondence. Our goal is to understand the role these documents play in various professional contexts while mastering their content and formatting. Emphasis is placed on research and structure of academic essays focusing on analyses and critiques of public relations and advertising. Students are introduced to the issues and concepts of visual semiotics, cultural research and demographics as they apply to the fields of public relations and advertising. Students use these concepts to develop a compelling message for delivery across the mediums of print, video, photography, and audio. Students then identify distribution venues, based upon their research, to distribute their message with an emphasis on the Internet and social media networks (including PDA-casting (personal digital assistants such as the iPhone, iPod, and iPad). Students are expected to spend 80 hrs on readings and writing assignments in addition to the regular class time of 40 hrs during the quarter. Texts and Materials: Frascara, J. (2004). Communication Design: Principles, Methods, and Practice. New York:Allworth Press. Levinson, J.C. (1994). Guerrilla advertising: cost-effective techniques for small-business success. Guerrilla Marketing Series. Massachusetts:Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. You will need a dedicated flash drive for your projects (your expense). BLACKBOARD: In addition to textbooks and articles, you are responsible for reading and discussing the Course Materials section and other online resources made available on BB. All quizzes, tests, grades and instructors notes for this class are also found on BB.

Class Assignments and Exams: 1. Whats new and whats hot in the world of advertising and public relations? At the beginning of each lecture well survey whats new and whats hot in our search for contemporary examples of communication utilizing print, video, photography, and audio on the Internet. Students are expected to participate by researching and providing examples at the beginning of each class. 2. Four short essays containing critiques, analysis and research based on content of readings, lectures and video screenings. Students will write four 500-800 word short essays (see Blackboard Course Materials) synthesizing their understanding of concepts and examples presented and discussed in class the previous week. At least three (3) separate sources must be cited and/or quoted in APA style within the body of the essay. APA citations should be listed as references at the end. Essays are due at the beginning of class every Monday unless otherwise noted in the calendar. EXTRA CREDIT at my discretion: After you receive your essays back, you may go to SCAA for evaluation, reedit them and resubmit. a. Grading criteria for all written essay assignments: 25% Proofreading and revision: Sentence and paragraph structure, paragraph transitions, spelling, grammar and syntax. Correct formatting of cover page, in-text citations, block paragraphs, paraphrasing and especially references in APA style formatting of the essay. After the first three errors in this area the essay automatically drops by %25. 25% Style: Provide the basics of a clear and well-written thesis that is referred to recursively in each subsequent paragraph within the body of the essay. Summarization of essay theme with restatement of thesis in the conclusion of the essay is essential. The readability of the whole of the essay, with emphasis on clarity and comprehension, is also essential. More than three errors in this area or a marked inability to sustain a comprehensive theme throughout the essay results in an automatic drop of 25%. 25% Research Providing original academic research related to assigned topics by citing peer-reviewed articles in professional journals or books written by scholars related to the topic. Not providing the required citations and references for a particular essay assignment results in an automatic 25% drop in points. 25% Analysis: Inclusion of concepts from class lectures and materials without making personal references in the first person within the essay or direct reference to lectures from the class. Write about the concepts and ideas only. No concepts or declarative statements made about any subject without providing definitions with scholastic evidence and citations from research provided as evidence. After the first three errors in this area the essay automatically drops by %25.

3. Writing and research exercises as listed in the class schedule. Students will research, write and format various documents including press releases, biographies, email, business and personal correspondences. b. Grading criteria for all other written assignments: Following the examples of structure and style provided for each of the non-essay writing assignments in the Course Materials section of Blackboard or covered in class lectures. c. The Mock WST will be evaluated according to criteria established by CSUEB and the Dept. of Communication. 4. Research and reading assignments as listed in the class schedule. You will also be assigned to a research/production team. Each team will be responsible for collaborating on developing a Communication Design Project. 5. Communication Design Project a) Students will be assigned the same topic by the instructor to develop into a Communication Design Project containing the following elements: 1. Project proposal including introduction (overview of subject), background (history of subject), research (where the information came from and why), and target audience/demographics (specifics of research related to subject) 2. Print ad 3. Video script for 30 second spot 4. Radio script for 30 second spot 5. Deployment strategy over the Internet including rationale behind venues based on target audience b) Develop your message in written and visual form. The most important focus of your projects will be narrative structure (researching and crafting your message), and a general understanding of the unique demands and challenges in each medium. Its important to remember this is not a graphics design class, a photography class, a video class or an audio production class. We can only cover some of the basics of production in each medium to enable you to start producing content for your projects. The overall goal is for students to gain a greater sense of the present context and tools of communication through art and technology while performing the role of guerilla marketers (Levinson, 1994). You will be responsible for designing visual elements and writing video and radio scripts representing your research and marketing approach. c) Research and identify potential channels of distribution for your message focusing on the Internet. This class does not address web design but instead utilizes existing and free sites to build a presence on the Internet for your message. What we are looking

for is no-cost marketing taking advantage of free social networking and professional services offered on the Internet such as PRLog-Free Press Release, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and several podcasting options. Students will use them to design a basic Internet marketing strategy. d) In addition to the individual COMM Design Project, students will divided into competing teams that will meet and incorporate the best ideas and concepts from the group into an oral presentation utilizing PowerPoint. Teams will make their presentations on finals day that will be peer and instructor evaluated with points awarded as follows: 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th etc. 10 pts. 8 6 4 2

6. Final Exam: A five (5) to eight (8) page essay assignment related to class topics from reading materials, videos and lectures. At least 7 (seven) separate sources should be cited and/or quoted in APA style within the body of the essay. APA citations should be listed as references at the end. COMM 3100 Class Schedule Wk 1a Course Calendar Thurs. September 27 Class Orientation RM. L-1092 Readings and Assignments Assignment: write a three paragraph short biography about yourself in the third person Assigned Reading: Frascara pg. 1 89 (Chapters 1-3) Social Media in plain English (video): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpIOClX1jPE Typography (video): http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1203729/typography/ Advertising Semiotics (video): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLaQJ_Kr0UM&feature=r elated Biography Due Essay Research: strategy & objectives, sources, tools, formatting references Online Content The History of Visual Communication:

1b

Tues. October 2 RM. MI-1106

2a

Thurs. October 4 RM. L-1092 Tues. October 9 RM. MI-1106 Thurs. October 11 RM. L-1092 Tues. October 16 RM. MI-1106 Thurs. October 18 RM. L-1092

2b

3a

3b

4a

4b

Tues. October 23 RM. L-1092 Thurs. October 25 RM. L-1092 Tues. October 30 RM. L-1092 Thurs. November 1 RM. L-1092 Tues. November 6 RM. L-1092 Thurs. November 8 RM. L-1092 Tues. November 13 RM. L-1092

5a

5b

6a 6b 7a

7b

http://www.citrinitas.com/history_of_viscom/rockandcaves.ht ml Discussion: Frascara pg. 1 89 Reading: Levinson pgs. 1 29 (chapters 1-3) Video: Sell & Spin: A history of advertising (1999) Discussion: Levinson pgs. 1 29 (chapters 1-3) Assigned Reading: Frascara pgs. 91 127 (Chapter 4) See BLACKBOARD Course Materials Researching your target audience and the role of demographics Discussion: Frascara pgs. 91 127 (Chapter 4) Assigned Reading: Frascara pgs. 129 168 (Chapter 5) Short essay #1 due Documentary screening: Helvetica - 80 minutes Discussion: Frascara pgs. 129 168 (Chapter 5) Reading: Levinson pgs. 30 67 (Chapters 4-10) Basic photoshop/digital manipulation of graphics and text for design projects. Discussion: Levinson pgs. 30 67 (Chapters 4-10) Assigned Reading: Levinson pgs. 191 215 (Chapters 30-33) Short essay #2 due Discussion: Levinson pgs. 191 215 (chapters 30-33) Short Lecture: The difference between advertising and public relations Screening: Why We Buy What We Buy & The PR Function Screening: The Joneses (2009) Reading: SCHWED, M. (1985). Psychographics: Madison avenue's newest wave. Houston Chronicle (Pre-1997 Fulltext), 18. Available through library database. Short essay #3 due see BLACKBOARD Course Materials Screening: The Century of Self - Documentary Excerpts Design Project Overview and Organization Client Orientation I Comm. Design project See BLACKBOARD Course Materials Short essay #4 due Screening: Art and Copy (2009) Scripting: Video & Audio for projects Media examples Assignment due: Individual COMM Design Project (10 pts) including Video and Radio Scripts (5 pts) 1st COMM Design Team meeting See BLACKBOARD Course Materials Writing memos and professional business letters: The language of business: formal writing styles and formats 5

8a

Thurs. November 15 RM. L-1092 Tues. November 20 Rm. MI-1106 Thurs. November 22 THANKSGIVING DAY Tues. November 27 RM. L-1092 Thurs. November 29 RM. L-1092 Tues. December 4 RM. L-1092 Thurs. December 6 RM. L-1092 Thurs. December 13 RM. L-1092

8b

ASSIGNMENT to a COMM Design Team See BLACKBOARD Course Material Writing assignments due: 5a-Memo & 5b-Client Letter (5 pts.) Writing a Press Release Timed Writing Test strategies In-class mock WST (5 pts.) HOLIDAY

9a

9b

10a

10b

Writing assignment due: Press release (5 pts)\ Final Essay Assignment lecture: Review of Literature Team Production Time Final Essay Assignment lecture cont.: Critiques of Public Relations and Advertising Team Production Time Writing assignment due: 800-1000 Word Essay (10 pts.) Team Production Time See BLACKBOARD Course Materials Client Orientation II w/Q&A Team Production Time Writing assignment due: Final Essays Due (20 pts.) Team Presentations of COMM Design Projects 8:00 AM 9:50 AM

Grading: Weekly short essays Additional writing assignments: bio (5) Memo/business letter (5), Press Release (5), radio/tv scripts (5), Mock WST (5) 800-1000 Word Essay COMM Design Project TEAM COMM Design Presentation Final Essay TOTAL 20% 25%

15% 10% 10% 20% 100%

Scale: 95-100%=A+, 90-94=A, 85-89=A-, 80-84=B+, 75-79=B, 70-74=B-, 65-69%=C+, 60-64=C, 51-59%=D, 50% or less=F Failure to turn in your assignments on time in compliance with the due dates published in the syllabus will result in a 25% drop in your score for every day they are late. No score will be awarded for submissions more than three days late.

Attendance: A sign-up sheet will be provided at the beginning of every class during the quarter and IT IS YOUR REPONSIBILITY TO SIGN IN FOR EVERY CLASS. If you forget or fail to sign the class roster it counts as an unexcused absence. You are allowed one unexcused absence. Additional unexcused absences (subsequent failure to sign in or other absences without contacting instructor in advance, documentation with a doctors note, or evidence of a serious emergency) will lower your grade by one grade level per absence. Three or more late arrivals count as an absence (strictly enforced). Please do not come more than twenty-minutes late to class without prior notification and good cause or you will be asked to leave and it will count as an unexcused absence. If you are less than twenty-minutes late enter the class respectfully and please do not disrupt the class upon entering. Academic Integrity: By enrolling in this class the student agrees to uphold the standards of academic integrity described in the catalog at http://www.csueastbay.edu/ecat/current/i120grading.html#section12. Emergency information: Information on what to do in an emergency situation (earthquake, electrical outage, fire, extreme heat, severe storm, hazardous materials, terrorist attack) may be found at: http://www.aba.csueastbay.edu/EHS/emergency_mgnt.htm. Please be familiar with these procedures. Information on this page is updated as required. Please review the information on a regular basis. American Disabilities Act (ADA): If you have special needs as addressed by the ADA and need assistance, please notify me and the Student Disability Resource Center on campus at the beginning of the quarter. Reasonable efforts will be made to accommodate your special needs.