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Com 450: Senior Seminar -- Politics and Media |
Dr. Janet McMullen
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Syllabus |
Last Updated: 11/19/2002
TTH
9:30-10:45 Rm. CB116 3
credit hours Prerequisites:
None TEXTS:
Fallows, James. Breaking the News. Pantheon,
1996 ISBN: 0-679-44209-X REQUIRED
Goldberg, Leonard. Bias: A CBS Insider Exposes How the
media Distort the News. Regnery:
2002 ISBN: 89526-190-1 REQUIRED
Graber, Doris. Mass Media and American Politics. 6th
ed. CQ Press: 2001 ISBN 1-56802-635-8
Powell, Larry, Joseph Cowart. Political Campaign Communication: Inside and Out Allyn & Bacon, ISBN 020531846 Ist ed to be published 8/23/02
ADDITIONAL READING
A list of titles will be provided. Each student will be assigned a minimum of one and a maximum of two additional books to read for which the student will make an oral presentation when the subject matter of the books is presented in lecture and class discussion and present the instructor with a written review of the book.
INTERNET MONITORING
Each student will be assigned at least one internet site. The student will be responsible for monitoring the site on a near-daily basis and reporting on the contents in class discussions. Each student must have the appropriate clearances for use of the campus internet system or have access to the internet at home.
TELEVISION/MEDIA MONITORING
Each student will be expected to monitor broadcast and print media on a regular and sometimes assigned basis. Students must have access to television and VCR is preferred.
CLASSROOM OPERATION
Students will be expected to promptly attend ALL class meetings and contribute information and discussion. A minimum of two and a maximum of three exams will be given (including non-comprehensive final). All written work will by typed and structured properly, with appropriate documentation (APA preferred).
All work will be turned in on time or a full letter grade will be deducted for each day the work is late. Quizzes will be frequent and unannounced and may not be made up. Each student will write one term paper on an approved topic; 10 page minimum; topic and outline will have a separate due date and the paper will be due the last regular class meeting day.
EVALUATION:
Evaluation will be made on the clarity and thoroughness of thought as well as professional presentation in all oral and written work.
Plagiarism:
Because of recent concerns about plagiarism, the ready availability of material on the net, and occasional confusion about what constitutes plagiarism, all students will turn in all written work in hard copy and electronic format. Work should be saved in Microsoft Word, a text format (.txt) or Rich Text Format (.rtf). If or when the University subscribes to an online service to check for plagiarism, students will be required to upload their work to the service site by the appropriate due date in lieu of turning in a disc to Dr. Mc. ANY use of another person's ideas, work or words without their permission or credit given to them is plagiarism. If in doubt....DON'T. Any work which is plagiarized will automatically receive an "F." If the plagiarism is intentional or blatant, the student may receive an "F" for the course. Students should be aware of the university policy concerning this issue and the serious consequences which may result from engaging in plagiarism.COURSE LINKS:
Reading List: Suggested Titles for Book Reviews
Tentative topic list for the course.
Political Links to be monitored by students in the course. Check here for a list of links providing information about the 2002 elections in Alabama and on a national scale.
Discussion Questions: Bias by Bernard Goldberg
Lecture 1: The Press and Democracy
Lecture 2: Why We "Hate" the Media
Lecture 4: Campaign Strategy Part II
Lecture 5: Politics and Polling -- Covered for Final Exam
Lecture 6: Debates: What's the Point?
Lecture 7: Political Advertising
Lecture 8: Campaign Finances
Lecture 9: New Approaches
Lecture10: History of Political Coverage: Key Events
Additional Recommended Book Titles of Interest for Support of this Course
Johnson, Dennis. No
Place for Amateurs: How Political Consultants are Reshaping American
Democracy. Routledge.
ISBN 0415928362 Feb
2001
Carville, James and Paul Begala. Buck Up, Suck Up, and Come Back when you Foul Up.
Simon and Schuster; 2001 ISBN
0743224221
Greenfield, Jeff. Oh, Waiter! One Order of Crow!
Inside the Strangest Presidential Election Finish in American
History. Putnam Pub Group,
2001. ISBN: 0399147764
Flanigan , William and Nancy Zingale.
Political Behavior of the American Electorate CQ Press: 2002
1-56802
Abramson, Paul. R. Change
and Continuity in the 2000 Elections. CQ Press, 2002 ISBN: 1-56802-740-0 (adopted/recommended)
Kellern, Douglas. Grand Theft 2000: Media Spectacle
and A Stolen Election. Rowman and Littlefield. 2001.
(adopted/recommended)
Sabato, Larry. Peepshow:
Media and Politics in an Age of Scandal
Rowman and Littlefield, 2000
ISBN: 0-745-001-x
Liebovich, Louis. The
Press and the Modern Presidency: Myths and Mindsets from Kennedy to Election
2000, Revised 2nd ed. Greenwood: Praeger, 2001 0-275-9704-9 (paper)
Moffit, Mary. Campaign Strategies and Design: A
Practitioner’s Gide from Start to Finish. Praeger Pub. 1999 ISBN: 0-275-96470-1
Foerstel, Herbert. From Watergate to Monicagate. Greenwood
Press 2001. 0-313-31163-3
Political Staff of the Washington Post. Deadlock: The Inside Story of America’s Closest Election. Perseus, 2001. ISBN 1-58648-0804 $23.00
Copyright,
2002
Dr. Janet McMullen
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