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MSCR 1300: Television: Text and Context (Spring 2013, CRN: 35701)

Class: WF 11:45am-1:25pm, 268 Ryder Hall Instructor: Email: Phone: Website: Dr. Drew Ayers d.ayers@neu.edu (617) 373-6178 www.drewayers.com Office: 124A Holmes Office Hours: T 11:30am-1:30pm W 1:30pm-3:30pm By Appointment

N.B. 1) Blackboard will reflect updates to the course, changes in the syllabus, assignments, etc. Be sure to check it regularly. The course syllabus provides a general plan for the course; deviations may be necessary. 2) Your constructive assessment of this course plays an indispensable role in shaping education at Northeastern University. Upon completing the course, please take the time to fill out the TRACE evaluation. Course Description This course introduces students to critical television studies, and it explores television from six critical perspectives: as a commercial industry, as a democratic institution, as a textual form, as a site of cultural representation, as a part of everyday life, and as a technological medium. The course incorporates a variety of screenings and readings in order to address the multiplicity of contemporary and historical television programming and criticism. Special attention is paid to critical writing about television, and this course develops the critical thinking and writing skills needed for academic television criticism, including the specialized concepts and vocabulary required for scholarly writing about television. Course Objectives By the end of the course, students will be able to: Define terms/concepts fundamental to television studies Employ these terms/concepts in academic writing, class discussion, and class presentations Write analytical/critical essays that show understanding of, engagement with, and thoughtful use of television studies vocabulary and concepts Conduct research specific to television studies The critical, argumentative, and written skills gained in this course are those required for upperlevel courses as well as for other critical engagements with the world. Required Texts 1) Jason Mittell, Television and American Culture (New York: Oxford University Press, 2010). 2) Readings on Blackboard 3) Course screenings Screenings Screenings will be held during class time as indicated in the daily schedule. Students are expected to attend all screenings, and absences from screenings will count against the

2 attendance/participation grade. If a student cannot attend a screening, s/he must conduct the screening on his/her own time. Some materials are available through the library, and most materials are available through online rental and streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon, and iTunes. Attendance and Participation Attendance for this course is mandatory. My approach to this class will integrate lectures, class discussions, student presentations, and various exercises and activities in order to explore the principles discussed in the readings and lecturesyou cant participate if youre not there. Attendance will be taken during the first fifteen minutes of each class by using a sign-in sheet. If a student arrives to class after the first fifteen minutes, s/he will be counted as tardy. Each tardy counts as one-half of an absence. Each student will have three personal days during the semester to cover absences from class. These days may be used for any reason you choose and should include time out for illness, emergencies, religious holidays, travel, and family obligations. For each absence after the initial three, the overall attendance grade will be lowered by a full letter grade. If a student has an ongoing situation that requires special consideration, please discuss this with me at the beginning of the semester. Group discussion of course material will comprise a large portion of our in-class activity. It is essential that students have carefully read the assigned material prior to class in order to fulfill their responsibilities as a member of our learning community. Further, students are expected to participate actively in class discussion. Attendance/Participation comprises 10% of the final grade, and the participation grade will be based on both the frequency and quality of a students participation. The default participation grade for the class is a D, so even if you have perfect attendance, if you rarely contribute to class discussions, your grade will be negatively affected. Everyone is expected to participate in class discussions. A Note About Laptops and Technology As a media scholar, I acknowledge the ubiquity and utility of (new) media technologies. Laptops and other communication technologies can serve as useful educational and professional tools, provided they are used effectively and responsibly. However, it is often the case that technologies become distractions rather than learning aids. I leave it to you to decide how best to utilize your technology, but I have consistently found that students who are distracted during class tend to earn lower grades than those who engage with the lectures and discussions. Also keep in mind that if youre emailing friends and chatting on Facebook, youre not participating, and your participation grade will suffer. Think of your time in the classroom as an opportunity to unplug and devote complete focus to a subject. If youre going to email and Tweet the entire class, consider staying home. I also expect laptops to be closed during class screenings. If you want to take notes, please do so in an analog fashion, with paper and pencil.

3 Late Assignment Policy If an assignment is turned in late, one full letter grade will be deducted for each day the assignment is late. If a student is unable to submit the assignment on the day it is due, s/he must contact me prior to the class and make alternative arrangements. Assignments must be uploaded to Blackboard by class time on the day they are due (11:45am). Assignments uploaded after 11:45am will automatically be marked as late. When assignments are due, expect the unexpected. Assume that one (or perhaps all) of the following will happen on exam dates and assignment due dates: Your internet connection suddenly stops working Blackboard crashes or experiences some other kind of technical difficulty Your computer crashes and all your data is lost Your car will not run, your T line is undergoing maintenance, busses will skip your stop, and all of your friends will be out of town Please take whatever steps are necessary to prevent these events from affecting the timely submission of assignments and exams. Additional Sources of Academic Support The University offers a range of support services for students. Among the resources available are: The Writing Center (http://www.northeastern.edu/english/writing-center/)Provides advice and tutoring in composition Office of Academic & Student Support Services (http://www.cps.neu.edu/studentresources/oasss.php)Offers a variety of services, including tutoring, career counseling, and support groups MyNEU Academic Guide (http://www.advising.neu.edu/) Policy for Make-Up Exams Unless we have discussed rescheduling an exam before the exam date, exams may only be madeup in instances of extreme hardship. I will require documentation verifying the hardship, and the option to complete a make-up exam is at my discretion. Special Accommodations Students who wish to request accommodation for a disability may do so by registering with the Disability Resource Center (http://www.northeastern.edu/drc/). Students may only be accommodated upon issuance by the DRC of a signed accommodation plan and are responsible for providing a copy of that plan to instructors of all classes in which accommodations are sought. Assignments There are five primary assignments for the semester. We will talk about each in more detail as the due dates approach. 1) Weekly Blog Posts: By the midnight before each Friday class, students will post questions and responses to the weeks reading and screening to the class blog on Blackboard. The questions/responses should be posted as comments to the weeks blog entry. Each post should be a paragraph or two in length, and it may include questions

4 about the weeks reading, commentary/thoughts about the weeks reading, and/or a response to the connections between the reading and the screening(s). On-Going Group Project: During the first two weeks of class, students will break into groups of 2-3 students. Each group will choose one network or channel to analyze throughout the semester. Using the blog feature of Blackboard, students will post analyses of the channel/networks programming, marketing, aesthetic, and online strategies. Students will also present their findings to the class in 10-15-minute presentations. See page 10 of this syllabus for more details. Mid-Term Exam: Students will complete a take-home midterm exam, consisting of short answer and essay questions. The exam is due on March 20, and students will have one week in which to complete the exam. This exam is meant to assess your understanding and synthesis of the course material, and students who keep up with the readings and attend and participate in class discussions and screenings should perform well. Final Paper Proposal: Each student must submit a short proposal for his/her final paper, which is due on April 3. See page 11 of this syllabus for a template of the proposal. Class Presentation: Each will present his/her final paper project to the class in a 5 to 7minute speech. These presentations will take place on April 12 and 17. Final Paper: Students will write a 2000-2500 word critical analysis of a media object(s) of their choosing. The final paper is due on April 21 at 5:00pm. See page 12 of this syllabus for more details.

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All materials must be submitted to Blackboard by the beginning of the class for which they are due (11:45am), and papers should be typed in 12-point Times New Roman, 1-inch margins on all sides, and double-spaced. Each page should also include your last name and the page number in the upper right-hand corner. The upper left-hand corner of the first page should include your name, my name, the course name, and the date of submission. Use Chicago or MLA format for your citations and works cited page. Grading Weekly Blog Posts: On-Going Group Project (4x5% Blog Posts): Midterm Exam: Final Paper Proposal: Class Presentation: Final Paper: Attendance/Participation: Grading Breakdown B+ A 94-100% B A90-93% B87-89% 84-86% 80-83% C+ C C10% 20% 20% 10% 5% 25% 10% 77-79% 74-76% 70-73% D+ D D67-69% 64-66% 60-63%

Below 60%

Grading Criteria A indicates truly outstanding work that shows a command of concepts and theories, presenting them in a well-argued and logically structured manner. The work doesnt merely address the questions through a repetition of course material and lectures. It

5 provides fresh, creative, and original perspectives with a unique voice, offering connections between the topic and broader issues and contexts. Superior research skills are demonstrated with relevant citations and quotations advancing the argument. The work is error-free in spelling and grammatical errors. A work significantly surpasses the expectations of the assignment. B indicates above-average work that clearly achieves the goals of the assignment. The work provides smart and solid analyses that I would expect any diligent student to be able to produce. These assignments take on the questions directly, citing specific materials from the texts and lectures to illustrate the points being made. These assignments often offer previously discussed examples illustrating points covered in class. There are usually few typos or spelling errors (if any), sentences are relatively clear, and thoughts are organized into a concise argument. C indicates satisfactorily meeting the course requirements in an adequate fashion. The work addresses the questions but doesnt explicitly cite specific texts and discussion. This work tends to recycle examples from discussion without discussing how they fit with the analysis and repeats information given in class. There are usually typos, spelling errors, and poorly structured sentences that make the argument vague or awkward. D indicates work that is off-topic, poorly written, disorganized, and instead of the course materials, relies on personal experience alone or materials from other classes. In other words, the assignment shows no evidence that the student was paying attention in class and does not incorporate materials used in the readings or in class discussion. Often these assignments seem more like summaries or reviews rather than analyses. These assignments may also fall short or far exceed the page limits or time constraints for the assignment. They do not use appropriate grammar and often are not proofread. F indicates work that dramatically fails to meet course goals and course expectations. It is incoherent, plagiarized, and/or never turned in.

Regarding Scholastic Dishonesty: I take this matter very seriously and will report any suspected cases of academic dishonesty to the Office of Student Conduct & Conflict Resolution. For details on the Universitys policy on Academic Integrity, please consult the Offices website at http://www.northeastern.edu/osccr/academicintegrity/index.html. The policy prohibits cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, unauthorized collaboration, participation in academically dishonest activities, and facilitating academic dishonesty. The process by which the university handles academic misconduct cases is also very specifically spelled out in the policy. Violation of the policy may result in failing the class as well as disciplinary sanctions. The internet makes it easy to plagiarize, but also easy to track down plagiarismIf you can google it, I can google it. Bottom line: Dont plagiarizeits not worth it. Cite all your sources, put all direct quotations in quotation marks, and clearly note when you are paraphrasing other authors work.

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Northeasterns Academic Integrity Policy http://www.northeastern.edu/osccr/academicintegrity/index.html A commitment to the principles of academic integrity is essential to the mission of Northeatern University. The promotion of independent and original scholarship ensures that students derive the most from their educational experience and their pursuit of knowledge. Academic dishonesty violates the most fundamental values of an intellectual community and undermines the achievements of the entire University. The following is a broad overview, but not an all-encompassing definition, of what constitutes a violation of academic integrity. Cheating: The University defines cheating as intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in any academic exercise. When completing any academic assignment, a student shall rely on his or her own mastery of the subject. Examples: Unauthorized use of notes, text, the Internet, or other aids during an examination. Copying from another students academic work. Unauthorized communication during an examination. Handing in the same paper for more than one course without the explicit permission of the instructor(s). Intentionally viewing a test before it is administered. Storing notes in a portable electronic device for use during an examination.

Fabrication: The University defines fabrication as intentional and unauthorized falsification, misrepresentation, or invention of any information, data, or citation in an academic exercise. Examples: Inventing data or facts for an academic assignment. Altering the results of a lab experiment or survey. Citing a source in a bibliography that was not used. Stating an opinion as a scientifically proven fact.

Plagiarism: The University defines plagiarism as intentionally representing the words, ideas, or data of another as ones own in any academic exercise without providing proper citation. The following sources require citation: Word-for-word quotation from a source, including another students work. Paraphrasing (using the ideas of others in your own words). Unusual or controversial facts not widely recognized. Audio, video, digital, or live exchanges of ideas, dialogue, or information. Students unclear as to whether or not a source requires citation should speak with their professor or consult the Writing Center in 412 Holmes Hall. Unauthorized Collaboration: The University defines unauthorized collaboration as instances when students submit individual academic works that are substantially similar to one another. While several students may have the same source material, the analysis, interpretation, and reporting of the data must be each individual's independent work. Examples: Sharing a take-home examination, case write-up, lab report, or any other assignment with a peer without express permission from the instructor. Completing an academic exercise with the aid of a peer, but unfairly crediting all work to oneself.

Participation in Academically Dishonest Activities: The University defines participation in academically dishonest activities as any action taken by a student with the intent of gaining an unfair advantage. Examples: Misrepresenting oneself or one's circumstances to an instructor. Stealing an examination. Purchasing a pre-written paper. Selling, loaning, or otherwise distributing materials for the purpose of cheating, plagiarism, or other academically dishonest acts. Destroying, altering, stealing, or forging another student's work, library materials, laboratory materials, academic records, course syllabi, or examination/course grades. Intentionally missing an examination or assignment deadline to gain an unfair advantage. Forging information or signatures on official University documents.

Facilitating Academic Dishonesty: The University defines facilitating academic dishonesty as intentionally or knowingly helping or attempting to violate any provision of this policy. Examples: Doing academic work for another student. Making available previously used academic work for another individual with the intention of resubmitting the work for credit.

Guidelines All members of the Northeastern University community share a role in upholding the Academic Integrity Policy. Any member of the community who witnesses a violation of this policy should report it to the appropriate faculty member or the Office of Student Conduct & Conflict Resolution. Cases referred to the Office of Student Conduct & Conflict Resolution will be investigated and, if sufficient evidence is presented, the case will be referred to the University's Student Conduct Board. If a student is found responsible for violating any of the preceding items, a minimum sanction of deferred suspension will follow. A second violation will meet with expulsion from the University. Students who violate Northeastern University's Academic Integrity Policy may also be subject to individual course penalties. This can result in, but is not restricted to, failing the course, in addition to any University penalty. All instructors must reference academic integrity in their syllabi. If a student feels that he or she has been wrongly accused of violating the Academic Integrity Policy, the student has the right to appeal the charge to the body that first issued the sanction.

7 Daily Schedule Why Study TV? 1/9 Reading: Screening: 1/11 Reading: Course Syllabus Community, Modern Warfare (2010) Mittell, Introduction: Why Television? Smith, Its Just a Movie du Gay, et al. Introduction, Doing Cultural Studies

The Business of Television 1/16 Topic: Programming Reading: Mittell, Chapter 1: Exchanging Programming Screening: The Making of South Park: 6 Days to Air (2011) 1/18 1/23 1/25 Topic: Reading: Conglomeration Anderson, Creating the 21st Century Television Network

Topic: Group Presentations Assignment: Group Blog #1: Programming Topic: Reading: Screening: Advertising and Audiences Mittell, Chapter 2: Exchanging Audiences Nussbaum, What Tina Fey Would Do for a SoyJoy (http://nym.ag/kSG2) 30 Rock, Jack-Tor (2006) Post-Network Advertising Jenkins, Buying into American Idol Steinberg, Why Mad Men Has So Little To Do With Advertising (http://bit.ly/O7230q) The Public Interest and Public TV Mittell, Chapter 3: Serving the Public Interest Ouellette, Reinventing PBS PBS Digital Studios Clips (http://bit.ly/N1CWId) 30 Rock, Lets Stay Together (2010)

1/30

Topic: Reading:

Media Regulation 2/1 Topic: Reading: Screening: 2/6 2/8

Topic: Group Presentations Assignment: Group Blog #2: Advertising, Marketing, and Target Audience Topic: Reading: Screening: TV and Democracy Mittell, Chapter 4: Televised Citizenship The Newsroom, We Just Decided To (2012)

8 2/13 Topic: Reading: Public and Private Spaces McCarthy, Shaping Public and Private Space with TV Screens TV Production and Style Mittell, Chapter 5: Making Meaning Scrubs, My Life in Four Cameras (2005) Breaking Bad, Pilot (2008) Televisuality Caldwell, Excessive Style TV Narrative and Genre Mittell, Chapter 6: Telling Television Stories Law and Order, Life Choice (1991) Community, Basic Lupine Urology (2012) Procedurals Nichols-Pethick, One Thing Leads to Another

Television Aesthetics 2/15 Topic: Reading: Screening: 2/20 2/22 Topic: Reading: Topic: Reading: Screening: Topic: Reading:

2/27 3/1 3/6 3/8

Topic: Group Presentations Assignment: Group Blog #3: Aesthetics NO CLASS NO CLASS

Television, Representation, and Identity 3/13 Topic: TV and Representation Reading: Mittell, Chapter 7: Screening America Screening: All in the Family, Lionels Engagement (1974) Roseanne, Aliens (1992) Louie, God (2010) Assignment: Distribute and Discuss Midterm Exam 3/15 3/20 Topic: Reading: Topic: Reading: Screening: TV and Social Issues Spigel, Womens Work

TV and Identity Mittell, Chapter 8: Representing Identity Maude, Maudes Dilemma: Part 1 and 2 (1972) Girls, Vagina Panic (2012) Assignment: Midterm Exam Due Topic: TV, Race, Gender, and Class

3/22

9 Reading: Warner, Why is it so hard to bring up race in places where it supposedly doesnt belong? TV, for example. (http://bit.ly/aJGy7F) Warner, A response to a response to a response. (http://bit.ly/OekPBF) Rastogi, Please Submit All Ethnicities (http://slate.me/OtsgXR) Stewart, Racist Hunger Games Fans Are Very Disappointed (http://bit.ly/GO1eUh) Viewing Practices Mittell, Chapter 9: Viewing Television Trekkies (1999) Children and Media Literacy Mittell, Chapter 10: Television for Children

Television Audiences 3/27 Topic: Reading: Screening: 3/29 Topic: Reading:

Television, Technology, and Globalization 4/3 Topic: TVs Technological History Reading: Mittell, Chapter 11: Televisions Transforming Technologies Jenkins, Worship at the Altar of Convergence Screening: Dr. Horribles Sing-Along Blog (2008) Assignment: Final Paper Proposal Due 4/5 Topic: Reading: Global TV Mittell, Conclusion: American Television in a Global Context Iwabuchi, How Japanese is Pokmon? Collins, Danish Postmodern

4/10

Topic: Group Presentations Assignment: Group Blog #4: Online/Paratextual Strategies and Viewer Engagement In-Class Presentations of Final Papers In-Class Presentations of Final Papers Course Wrap-Up and Discussion Assignment: Final Paper Due

4/12 4/17 4/21

10 On-Going Group Project 1) Students will break into groups of 2-3 students and choose a television network or channel to analyze over the course of the semester. 2) Students will complete four online posts using the blog feature of Blackboard. Each post should be 350-400 words in length, and all members of the class are expected to read the posts of the other groups. Each blog post is worth 5% of the overall grade. 3) For each blog post, students should examine a particular feature of the network/channel they have chosen. Using contemporary journalistic resources such as Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Salon, The New York Times, etc., other online resources such as Twitter and blogs, and their own engagement with the network/channel, students will provide an analytic summary of how their network/channel operates. a. Post #1 addresses the programming strategies of the network/channel. Be sure to note things like the types of programs the network/channel airs, the strategies for programming line-ups, the days of the week particular programs air, and how the network/channel counter-programs against other networks/channels. b. Post #2 addresses the advertising and marketing strategies of the network/channel, as well as its perceived target audience. Be sure to note the target demographic of the network/channel and information about its ratings. c. Post #3 addresses the aesthetic and stylistic strategies of the network. Be sure to pay attention not only to the aesthetics of individual programs but also the interstitial material that helps brand the network/channel. d. Post #4 addresses the online/paratextual strategies of the network/channel, as well as the ways in which it attempts to engage viewers with new media. 4) Be sure to provide citations and/or hyperlinks to the sources from which you gather information. 5) On days for which the posts are due, groups will give a 10-15-minute presentation of their findings to the class. This should be a formal presentation during which each member of the group speaks, so groups should expect to rehearse and prepare their presentation before class. It would be helpful if groups included audio/visual material and/or clips in their presentations in order to illustrate main points. 6) Blog posts are due by 11:45am on the day for which they are due. a. Post #1 is due on January 23. b. Post #2 is due on February 6. c. Post #3 is due on March 1. d. Post #4 is due on April 10.

11 Final Paper Proposal Information and Template 1) Your final paper proposal should include the following information: a. The title of your final paper b. A thesis statement/research question and summary of your argument. Be specific here. Let me know exactly what argument youre going make, the main points of the argument, and how youre going to support the argument. c. An outline of your final paper 2) Remember, the more thorough and detailed you are, the better feedback I can provide. 3) This assignment must be uploaded to Blackboard by the beginning of class (11:45am) on April 3. 4) Here is a template for the proposal: a. Title of Final Paper b. Thesis and Summary of Main Argument c. Outline of the Complete Paper

12 Final Paper Assignment 1) For this paper, you will develop an argument that engages with a topic and television program(s) of your choosing. I will leave the exact topic up to you, but your paper should demonstrate a clear understanding of the concepts weve discussed in class. You are also required to use and engage with at least 2 of the class readings in your paper. 2) This paper should expand on the work you did in your proposal, and you should expect to do significant rethinking/revising of your initial argument, incorporating any suggestions your classmates and I may have provided you. Failure to take revision suggestions into account will negatively affect your grade on this paper. 3) Your paper must be 2000-2500 words in length, and you should include a title page and bibliography (if necessary). The title page should include your name, my name, the course name, the date of submission, and a title for your paper. 4) If you use information from any outside sources (including Wikipedia and the course texts), be sure to cite these using Chicago or MLA format. Remember, any time you use another authors work (either paraphrased or directly quoted), you must cite that author. Plagiarism will result in an automatic zero for the assignment and possible academic sanctions. See the librarys research page for more information: http://subjectguides.lib.neu.edu/content.php?pid=30708. 5) The essay should be typed in 12-point Times New Roman, 1-inch margins on all sides, and double-spaced. Each page should also include your last name and the page number in the upper right-hand corner. 6) The paper is due on April 21, and it must be uploaded to Blackboard by 5:00pm. Late papers will be deducted one letter grade for each day they are late.

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