Online Course Syllabus

COMM 5304
ETHICAL ISSUES IN STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION
Course Description
This course explores the ethical considerations in strategic communication. It focuses in part on
complex diverse approaches to ethical decision-making and applies them to diverse aspects of
strategic communication in professional settings. Students will then be able to apply learned
ethical approaches and moral decision-making process to explore contemporary topics in
strategic communication ethics, such as political communication, public relations, advertising,
digital media, marketing and health communication.
3 credit hours.

Required Text(s) and Resources

Johnson, Craig E. (2018). Organizational Ethics: A Practical Approach. (4th Edition). Sage
Publications, Inc. Thousand Oaks, CA
ISBN-13: 978-1506361758
ISBN-10: 1506361757

Other Resources:
Students must have a microphone and webcam and access to a computer with an Internet
connection and audio speakers.
Access to a word processing program that can save information as a Word.doc or a rich-text
format is required.

Student Expectations:
Late work will be accepted; however, a penalty of one letter grade per week late will be assessed.

For discussion posts, students are required to create an initial post that cites at least one or more
peer-reviewed sources. In order to be eligible to receive maximum discussion points, a student
must have at least one other substantive post in addition to the initial post to his/her peers.

Professor Information
Name: Dr. Angela Anima-Korang
Email: aanimakorang@etbu.edu
Telephone: 903-923-2290 || 314-359-8808
Office Hours: via email.
TERM: Summer Flex Term II
LAST DAY TO WITHDRAW: Tuesday, August 3
___________________________________________________________

Program Student Learning Outcomes (if applicable)

NA
*Program Outcomes addressed in this course are marked with an asterisk.

Student Learning Outcomes (SLO’s) in this Course:

At the conclusion of this course, students will be able to:
1) Demonstrate individual and organizational ethics principles and decision-making
(Assessment: Personal Ethics Paper; exam).
2) Apply ethical communication practices (Assessment: Professional Ethics Paper; Ethics
Debate; exam).
3) Explain U.S. law impacting organizational communication (Assessment: Professional
Ethics Paper; Ethics Debate; exam).
4) Examine ethical and legal issues in organizational communication (Assessment:
Professional Ethics Paper; Ethics Debate; exam).

Curriculum Map
UNIT DATES COURSE ACTIVITIES ASSESSMENTS
SLOs
1 Ethical Perspectives
Introductions and Coffee Shop
Unit 1 Devotional
1 Review class expectations Unit 1 Interactive Assessment:
and syllabus. Introductions. Confucianism
Read: Chapter 1- Unit 1 Case Analysis
Introduction Unit 1 Self-Assessment Log

2 Individual Ethics Unit 2 Devotional

Unit 2 Interactive Assessment:
Moral Reasoning and
Personal Ethical Development
1,2 Behavior
Unit 2 Personal Ethics Paper
Read Chapters 2,3 Unit 2 Case Analysis
Unit 2 Self Assessment Log
3 Ethical Interpersonal
2,4 Communication Skills Unit 3 Devotional
 Power and Influence Unit 3 Interactive Assessment:
Tactics Ethical Interpersonal
Communication - Compassion
Read Chapter 4,5 Unit 3 Case Analysis
Unit 3 Ethics Debate
Group Assignment:
Assigning Group
Members and Tasks
4 Ethical Negotiation
Unit 4 Devotional
Leadership and Unit 4 Interactive Assessment:
Followership Ethics Leadership and Followership
Ethics - Callous Leader/Rigid
5
Leader
Unit 4 Exam Short Essays
Unit 4 Case Analysis
Read Chapter 6,7 Unit 4 Self-Assessment Log

5 Unit 5 Devotional
Workgroup Ethics Unit 5 Interactive Assessment:
Building an Ethical
Ethical Organizational Organization - Social Loafing
3,5 Culture Unit 5 Ethics Debate : Group
Presentation
Unit 5 Case Analysis
Read Chapter 8,9 Unit 5 Self-Assessment Log

6 Ethical Marketing,
Corporate Citizenship Unit 6 Devotional
Unit 6 Interactive Assessment:
2,3 Read Chapter 10,11 Ethical Marketing
Unit 6 Case Analysis
Unit 6 Preparation for
Unit 6 Self-Assessment Log
Unit 7 Professional Ethics
Paper and Presentation
7 Unit 7 Devotional
Unit 7 Case Analysis
Ethics in a Global Society Unit 7 Self-Assessment Log
4 Unit 7 Professional Ethics
Read Chapter 12 Paper
Unit 7 Professional Ethics
Presentation
 Determining the Final Grade
Exam 15% This is one exam.
Ethics Debate on a contemporary issue (Group Assignment): 15%
Personal Ethics Statement: 15%
Professional Ethics Analysis Paper: 15%
Professional Ethics Analysis Oral Presentation: 10%
Case Analyses: 10%
Self-assessment Logs: 10%
Devotionals: 5%
Discussions + Participation: 5%

Total: 100%

Grading Scale

A 90-100%
B 80-89%
C 70-79%
D 60-60%
F <60%

Instructor-Specific Expectations

Rubrics

Interactive Assessment Grading Rubric

Criteria Unacceptable Acceptable Good Excellent Score

D-F Level C Level B Level A Level

Frequency Does not Participates 1-2 times Participates several Participates frequently
5% participate on the same day. times but postings not throughout the unit
distributed over time

Initial Post Not completed Posts adequate Posts well developed Posts well developed
25% assignment with assignment that assignment that fully
superficial thought and addresses all aspects addresses and develops
preparation; doesn’t of the task; lacks full all aspects of the task.
address all aspects of development of
the task. concepts.

Follow-up Not completed Posts shallow Elaborates on an Demonstrates analysis of

Postings contribution to existing posting with others’ posts; extends
20% discussion (e.g., agrees further comment or meaningful discussion by
or disagrees); does not observation. building on previous
enrich discussion. posts.

Content Information is Repeats but does not Posts information that Posts factually correct,
Contribution incorrect, add substantive is factually correct; reflective and substantive
30% irrelevant or off information to the lacks full development contribution; advances
topic discussion. of concept or thought. discussion.

References No references or Uses personal Incorporates some Uses references to

and Support supporting experience, but no references from literature, readings, or
15% evidence references to readings literature and personal personal experience to
or research. experience. support comments. Uses
References are from professional and peer-
layperson sources reviewed sources.

Clarity, Posts long, Communicates in Contributes valuable Contributes to discussion

Mechanics unorganized friendly, courteous and information to with clear, concise
and Style content that may helpful manner with discussion with minor comments formatted
5% contain multiple some errors in clarity clarity or mechanics in an easy to read style
errors or may be or mechanics. errors that is free of grammatical
inappropriate. or spelling errors.

Total Score

Written Paper/Essay Rubric/Portfolio Rubric

Needs Score
Improvement Acceptable Good Excellent
Category D-F Level C Level B Level A Level
Quality of Information has little Information clearly Information clearly Information clearly
Information or nothing to do with relates to the main relates to the main relates to the main
50% the main topic. topic. Insufficient topic. It provides 1- topic. It includes
details and/or 2 supporting details several supporting
examples are given. and/or examples. details and/or
examples.
Organization The information is Organization of Information is Information is very
10% disorganized. information and organized with well- organized with well-
construction of constructed constructed
paragraphs need paragraphs. paragraphs and
improving. subheadings.
Amount of One or more All subtopics are All subtopics are All subtopics are
Information subtopics were not addressed, and addressed and addressed and all
15% addressed. most questions most questions questions answered
answered with answered with with strong
minimal elaboration. adequate elaboration.
elaboration.
Sources Some sources are All sources All sources All sources
10% not accurately (information and (information and (information and
documented; format graphics) are graphics) are graphics) are
is incorrect. accurately accurately accurately
documented, but documented, but a documented in the
many are not in the few are not in the desired format.
desired format. desired format.
Mechanics Many grammatical, A few grammatical, Almost no No grammatical,
15% spelling, or spelling, or grammatical, spelling or
punctuation errors. punctuation errors. spelling or punctuation errors.
punctuation errors
Total Score

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