COM 100: Intro to Human Communication (Class# 78640)

Fall 2021 – Tuesday/Thursday 12:00-1:15 p.m.

Discovery Hall, Room 250

Professor: Dr. Jess K. Alberts Teaching Associate: Chandler Marr

Email: janet.alberts@asu.edu
Office: Stauffer Hall, Room 474
Office Hours: Tuesdays 1:30pm–3:00pm
or by appointment
(via Zoom or office)
Email: chandler.marr@asu.edu
Office: Stauffer Hall, Room 316
Office Hours: Tuesdays 10:00am–11:30am
Wednesdays 11:00am–1:00pm
or by appointement

Course Web Page: http://my.asu.edu Department: http://humancommunication.asu.edu

COURSE OVERVIEW

Course Description and Objectives

Communication 100 is designed to introduce the basic concepts of human communication and
interaction behavior. Through lectures, online discussions, and reading materials, this course
surveys communication topics related to culture, gender, identity, organizations and
relationships. In doing so, COM 100 provides an overview of the five specialty areas of the Hugh
Downs School of Human Communication: intercultural, interpersonal, organizational,
performance studies, and rhetoric. The course is designed to:
1. Define and describe the complex nature of communication
2. Identify and describe the various contexts of communication study
3. Explain the various features of communication common to all contexts
4. Connect theoretical concepts of communication to real-life experience
5. Define key terms used by communication researchers and practitioners
6. Introduce students to the language of the communication discipline

Required Course Materials

Textbook:
Alberts, J. K., Nakayama, T. K., & Martin, J. N. (2019). Human communication in society 6th
edition. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall. You will need access to the REVEL version of the
text to complete course assignments. You access your textbook by selecting the Pearson Access
menu item located within the Canvas course menu.

Pearson REVEL:
This course uses a Pearson digital program (REVEL) that contains the textbook, important
assignments and resources used throughout the semester. You can register directly from the
Pearson link on Canvas. Instructions for accessing your textbook are available at the end of this
document. It may also be wise to bookmark https://console.pearson.com to easily access your
materials. Lastly, Pearson recommends using the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, or Safari
with this product.

Computer or cellphone with iClicker app installed:

We will be using the iClicker app as a learning tool this semester to conduct polls, quizzes, and
track engagement in class. This will help us gauge student comprehension and understanding of
particular topics throughout this course. 
You can use the iClicker Student app through a smartphone, tablet or laptop, and the particular
question asking you will be stored on your device (along with the answer). This is great for exam
reviews, etc. 

You are required to bring your smartphone, laptop, or tablet to participate in my iClicker
sessions during class. It is also your responsibility to properly set up your iClicker account in a
timely fashion and to regularly check your iClicker grades for any discrepancies and bring them
to Mr. Marr’s attention quickly.

Regardless of which device you use in class (smartphone, tablet or laptop), you must create an
iClicker account – or use your existing iClicker account if you already have one. You can do this
by downloading the iClicker Student app via the App Store or Google Play, or by visiting
iclicker.com. You do not need to purchase an iClicker subscription.

Then, you must connect your iClicker account within our Canvas course. To do this, you must
navigate to the iClicker Sync registration link in Canvas, click the link, then sign into your
iClicker account from the window that opens. You can find the registration link for iClicker on
the course menu. This will automatically add our class to your iClicker account. It is also
required that you enter your ASURITE accurately in the Student ID field of your iClicker profile.

Do not enter your student number as the system will not recognize this. The iClicker module
contains a quick start guide with step-by-step instructions for setting up your iClicker
account. It is your responsibility to make sure your account is in working order and to regularly
check your grades for any discrepancies and bring them to my attention immediately. If you
already have a iClicker account, simply add this course to it.

ASU ID:
Students must have an official ASU ID for exams, identity verification, & accessing grades. We
will use the first 9-digit ID number printed on the ASU ID.

Canvas/myASU Website/ASU Email:

A required part of this course is accessing announcements, updates and grades through Canvas at
http://myasucourses.asu.edu. The Canvas website provides vital announcements, a discussion
board, and course calendar – information that may not be discussed in lecture. Because it is more
up-to-date, website information supersedes lecture information, so check it before each class.
Students should access the COM 100 website within the first week of class.

In order to get key course announcements, you MUST sign up for and regularly access your ASU-
sponsored email address. If you want to use an alternate email, you must redirect your ASU email
address (see directions on attached Canvas tips sheet). Furthermore, students must regularly clean
out their email accounts so that they are able to receive course announcements.

You are required to have a secure connection to the internet so that you can complete the
REVEL assignments. If you are having difficulty accessing REVEL, please check your browser
first. REVEL does not work effectively with the Outlook browser.

Concerned about your Wi-Fi connection? Do you need a better computer in order to succeed?
You could borrow one from the University Technology Office or UTO. They will check these

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out to you and even ship them to you. Follow this link for more information:
https://uto.asu.edu/experiencecenter.

Grade Breakdown
Five hundred (500) points total are available in this class. Please see details on the point
distribution below. So that there are no surprises at the end of the semester, I encourage you to
keep track of your points. The due dates for these course requirements are listed on the
CANVAS site.

3 Exams (274 points): There will 137 questions across all three exams. Exam One will be
composed of 45 question;, Exams Two and Three will be composed of 46 questions. Exams
cover material from readings, lectures, class discussions and class activities. Each exam consists
of multiple-choice, true-false, short answer and/or matching items worth 2 points each, for a
total of 274 points. Exam 1 is scheduled for September 23rd; Exam 2 will be given October
28th, and the Final exam will be on December 7th, each in our regular classroom. Make a
note of these dates as they are not flexible (so please plan accordingly). Please note that the
final exam begins at 12:10 p.m. on December 10th.

Note: If you arrive after the first person has completed/left an exam, you will not be allowed to
take the exam and will receive a zero for a grade on the exam (No exceptions). And, it has been my
experience that many people finish the exam much quicker than you might imagine.

REVEL Module Quizzes & Chapter Quizzes (100 points): Each chapter in the REVEL
version of your textbook contains brief quizzes (2 to 5 questions) on each module as well as a
Chapter Quiz of 15 questions. You are required to take each of these quizzes. Your combined
score across the 12 chapters covered will be used to create your REVEL score. Your score is
based on the percentage of points you earn. For example, if the total points available across all
quizzes is 1,085 and you earn 890 points, your percentage score will be 82 (890/1085), and your
record grade will be B-. YOU DO NOT NEED TO COMPLETE THE WRITING
ASSIGNMENTS PROVIDED IN THE TEXTBOOK.

In-Class Engagement (126 points): Participation in your classes during the college years is
vital. Simply reading course material is not sufficient. Much of what you learn and understand
comes from interacting with your classmates and the instructors as well as your own internal
dialogue as you engage in these discussions. Therefore, we have assigned course credit to your
participation in class activities and discussion. Your participation score is based on your
engagement as demonstrated by completing in-class assignments, answering the clicker
questions provided in class, and posing a question, offering a response to a question, taking a
position and defending it, and making connections among the concepts and theories discussed in
the course, among other activities. Activities that will reduce you engagement score include
talking to others while the instructors are talking, using your phone for activities other than
iClicker questions, and being disruptive in class. Please note that if you disrupt the class or do
not “share the floor” with your classmates, you will receive 0 points for that class period.

Note: There are 25 class days, not counting holidays, the first day of class or exams days. Six
engagement points will be available per class meeting. I will drop your scores for your four
lowest scoring class engagement days. Therefore, the total possible points for class engagement
is 126.

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 Outstanding; Good; Satisfactory; Unsatisfactory; Failing; does not
goes beyond above average meets does not meet meet requirements
expectations requirements many or engaged in
requirements academic
dishonesty
A+ = 490-500 B+ = 440 -449 pts C+ = 389-399
pts pts
A = 470-489 pts B = 420-439 pts C = 350-388 D = 300-349 pts E = 299 pts &
pts below
A- = 450-469 B- = 400-419 pts
pts

Grades will be available several times throughout the semester. Please notify me if you do NOT
want your grades posted electronically. PLEASE NOTE THAT WE STRICTLY FOLLOW THE
POINT BREAKDOWNS LISTED ABOVE. NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE MADE.

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

COVID-19
The health and well-being of ASU’s students, staff, and faculty are our top priority. Effective
August 11, 2021, ASU requires that all faculty, staff, and students wear a mask inside all
classrooms, labs, or other environments where social distancing is not possible. Neither Mr. Marr
nor I established this policy, nor can we excuse you from it. We are required, however, to ensure
that everyone is wearing a mask in the classroom. Thus, anyone who is not masked will be asked
to leave the class and will not receive their class engagement points on that day. Just as you are
expected to abide by the University’s policy of not smoking in the classroom, so too should you
abide by its policy of wearing a mask.

Students who exhibit any potential COVID-19 symptoms (those that cannot be attributed to
some other medical condition the students are known to have, such as allergies, asthma, etc.)
should absent themselves from any in-person participation until they have been evaluated by a
qualified medical official and tested negative for COVID-19. Additionally, students who test
positive for COVID-19 are highly encouraged to report their results the University.

Students are encouraged to utilize resources related to COVID-19:

 Library Guide to COVID-19: https://libguides.asu.edu/COVID-19/resources

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  COVID-19 Resources for ASU Students:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1H84KYAsVeqmRTa_7DtHdaNSS2VLxdVVcRC8
jCT900U/edit
 On-Campus Vaccination:
https://eoss.asu.edu/health/announcements/coronavirus/vaccine-faqs
 Arizona COVID-19 Information Hotline: 1-844-542-8201
 No Appointment Devil’s Drop-Off COVID-19 Saliva Test: https://devilsdropoff.asu.edu/
 COVID-19 Saliva Testing: https://biodesign.asu.edu/research/clinical-testing/testing

Accessibility/Office Hours
We aim to be easily accessible to students whether that is face-to-face, over the phone or via
email (which is the best way to contact us). At the same time, we also ask that you make use of
the teaching materials available at your fingertips. The syllabus, the REVEL calendar, and the
MyASU website answer many questions, so please check these before approaching us.
Furthermore, while we often can respond to emails quite quickly, realize that because we have
academic responsibilities outside of this course, it may take up to three business days to read and
respond to emails posted outside of office hours.

Please check your syllabus & REVEL calendar before emailing us regarding course assignments
and policies. If you have questions about your class engagement points, please email Mr. Marr.
If you have other questions about course content once you have checked the syllabus and
REVEL Calendar, email both of us. Please also email us to schedule an appointment – even
during office hours. Other students may already have scheduled appointments with us during
office hours. Also, Dr. Alberts often is available during hours other than office hours; emailing
her will allow the two of you to find a time when you both can meet.
NOTE: Messaging us through Canvas will receive a slower response than correspondence by email.

Attendance
Given the growing concern of COVID-19, and to encourage students to stay home if they are sick,
we will not be formally taking attendance in this class (note that you must still earn engagement
points, and we drop the lowest 4 grades). However, if you do miss class, you are responsible for any
class material discussed in lectures, as well as the readings. Further, students who regularly
attend class generally perform better than students who do not come to class. Class time will be
used primarily to explicate and illustrate the text material along with the presentation of material
NOT covered in your book. It is your responsibility to acquire missed material from classmates
(i.e., the instructor will not supply you with notes if you are absent).
NOTE: You are expected to attend class and, importantly, to be on time and to stay for the entire
class. If you cannot arrive to class within 10 minutes of the class start time, please do not
attend. Having numerous students arrive late significantly disrupts the class. If you cannot stay
for the entire class, again I request that you do not attend since leaving class disrupts the
learning experience for other students as well.

Missed or Late Work

By definition, late exams and quizzes are below average and are unfair to those who are prepared.
As a general rule, if you do not take an exam or in-class assignment on the scheduled day and time
or using the specified materials, you will receive a zero for a grade on that assignment.
(Exceptions, of course, are made for excused absences as discussed below.)

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Any student with a university-excused absence for ANY of the three exams (such as ASU athletic
events or religious holidays) must provide documentation to me by the end of the second week of
class—otherwise you will be expected to take the exam during the regularly scheduled exam
period. You may receive an excused absence if you are hospitalized or severely ill (or contagious)
on the day of the exam. You will need to provide documentation before the due date whenever
possible (or within two business days after the due date when advance notification is not possible).
Please note that you absolutely will not be allowed to complete a late exam or assignment without
full and official documentation.

A few additional/important things to note regarding late exams and assignments:

 Make-up exams may contain different questions and/or be in a different format than the
original exam or quiz. For example, though regular exams will not contain essay
questions, late exams may include one or more in-depth essay questions.
 Time is of the essence when late exams or assignments are approved. Therefore, all
late exams and assignments must be completed within one week after the original due
date or you will receive a zero for a grade on that exam or assignment.

Appealing a Grade
If you have any questions about your grade for a particular exam, quiz, or extra credit, you must
submit them to Dr. Alberts in writing within one week (seven days) after it is originally
returned/posted. In some instances (for reasons beyond my/your control), it may take more than a
week to resolve an issue, but that will not be a problem as long as you originally raise the issue
within one week. You are always welcome to go over questions after this deadline, but grades
will not be adjusted after one week.

Readings and Participation

All readings should be done prior to the assigned class period. Students are expected to
participate fully and constructively in class discussions and activities. Please recognize that
“constructively” participating in class includes making relevant, civil comments.

Student Conduct (Communicate RESPECT)

Two ways you can communicate respect: when we engage in an activity, participate. When
others are speaking, listen.

We want to build a classroom climate that is comfortable for all. In a communication class, it is
especially important that we (1) display respect for all members of the classroom – including the
instructor and students, (2) pay attention to and participate in all class sessions and activities; (3)
avoid unnecessary disruption during class time (e.g., having private conversations, reading the
newspaper, surfing the internet, doing work for other classes, making/receiving cell phone calls,
text messaging, etc.); and (4) avoid racist, sexist, homophobic or other negative language that
may unnecessarily exclude members of our campus and classroom. This is not an exhaustive list
of behaviors; rather, it represents examples of the types of things that can have a dramatic impact
on the class environment. Your final grade may be reduced by 1% each time you engage in these
sorts of behaviors.

Students are required to adhere to the behavior standards listed in the Arizona Board of Regents
Policy Manual Chapter V – Campus and Student Affairs: Code of Conduct

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(http://www.abor.asu.edu/1_the_Regents/policymanual/chap5/index.html), and the ACD 125:
Computer, Internet, and Electronics Communications
(http://asu.edu/aad/manuals/acd/acd125.html).

Students are entitled to receive instruction free from interference by other members of the class.
If a student is disruptive, an instructor may ask the student to stop the disruptive behavior and
warn the student that such disruptive behavior can result in withdrawal from the course. An
instructor may withdraw a student from a course when the student’s behavior disrupts the
educational process under USI 201-10 (http://www.asu.edu/aad/manuals/usi/usi201-10.html).

Photos, Videos or Audio Recordings

Photos, video and audio recordings (i.e., of any course materials, other students, the instructor or
associate instructor) may not be taken in this class without explicit written permission of the
instructor. Students who violate this rule the first time will be required to destroy all
photos/video/audio (students who fail to do this to the instructor’s satisfaction will have their
grade lowered 25%). Students who engage in such behaviors on multiple (i.e., two or more)
occasions may be withdrawn from the course.

Classroom Information Delivery

We will use email and the system (my.asu.edu or myasucourses.asu.edu) for class updates. All
announcements will be administered via this system, and most class handouts will be posted or
emailed to you a day or two before we will be using them in class. Please check your e-mail and
Canvas accounts regularly so you can keep up to date. Please note that if you want to use an
alternate email, you must redirect your ASU email address. Also, you must regularly clean out
your account so that you are able to receive course announcements.

ASU Identification Number

Students must have an official ASU ID number for exams, identity verification, response pad
access, and accessing grades. We will use the first 9-digit ID number printed on the ASU ID.

Academic Dishonesty
In the Student Academic Integrity Policy, ASU defines plagiarism as “using another’s words,
ideas, materials or work without properly acknowledging and documenting the source. Students
are responsible for knowing the rules governing the use of another’s work or materials and for
acknowledging and documenting the source appropriately.”  You can find this definition, along
with other important information and University policies regarding academic integrity, at:
http://provost.asu.edu/academicintegrity/policy

Accommodation for Disabilities

Students with disabilities that have been certified by the ASU Disability Resource Center will be
appropriately accommodated, and should inform the instructor as soon as possible of their needs
(and provide documentation no later than the second week of class). The Disability Resource
Center is located at: Matthews Center, P.O. Box 873202, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
85287. Phone (480) 965-1234, TDD (480) 965-9000, Web Page
http://www.asu.edu/studentaffairs/ed/drc/.

Title IX Compliance

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Title IX is a federal law that provides that no person be excluded on the basis of sex from
participation in, be denied benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education
program or activity.  Both Title IX and university policy make clear that sexual violence and
harassment based on sex is prohibited.  An individual who believes they have been subjected to
sexual violence or harassed on the basis of sex can seek support, including counseling and
academic support, from the university.  If you or someone you know has been harassed on the
basis of sex or sexually assaulted, you can find information and resources at
https://sexualviolenceprevention.asu.edu/faqs.

Technology in the Classroom

While class is in session, students MAY NOT use laptops or telephones unless specifically
approved by the instructor (e.g., using iClicker). I have instituted this policy for a number of
reasons that are substantiated by instructional research. First, texting, emailing, game playing,
and web surfing frequently distract students who use laptops and cell phones in the classroom.
As a result, users provide less eye contact and participate less in class discussion. Second,
technology use distracts other students in the class. Communication and technology experts
Kinzer and Lohnes find that students are distracted by the sound of typing and the sight of screen
glow. Finally, the use of this technology by students inhibits feelings of community in a
classroom, because users are dually and only partially committed to two simultaneous contexts:
the world of the classroom and online space. Laptops may ONLY be used when explicitly
approved by the instructor.

Did you know that taking notes by hand leads to better information
retention? Psychologists at UCLA recently discovered that taking
notes on laptops hinders academic performance. According to their
study, students taking notes in longhand perform significantly better on
exams than those who use laptops. Their findings were featured in the
Journal of Psychological Sciences.

Campus Resources Available to Students

We recognize that life at college can get very complicated. Students sometimes feel
overwhelmed, lost, experience anxiety or depression, struggle with relationship difficulties, or
diminished self-esteem. ASU offers a variety of services and resources that may be able to offer
some assistance or guidance during difficult times. Below is a list of the services and
departments available to support you:
 ASU Counseling Services - https://eoss.asu.edu/counseling
 ASU Health Services - https://eoss.asu.edu/health
 ASU Wellness – Healthy lifestyle, alcohol and drug programs, involvement and
resources https://eoss.asu.edu/wellness
 Career Center - https://eoss.asu.edu/cs
 EMPACT: ASU’s 24-hour dedicated crisis hotline – 480-921-1006
 International Student Office - https://students.asu.edu/international
 OUT@ASU – LGBTQ support https://eoss.asu.edu/out
 Pat Tillman Veterans Center - https://veterans.asu.edu/
 Student Advocacy – Death in the family, illness, accident, sexual assault, and other
emergency support https://eoss.asu.edu/dos/srr/StudentAdvocacyandAssistance
 Student Success – Tutoring and Supplemental Instruction https://tutoring.asu.edu/

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  TRiO Student Support Services – Low-income, first-generation
students  https://eoss.asu.edu/trio

Course Schedule

Tuesday Thursday
8/19
Introduction to the course
(Logistics & keys for success)

8/24 8/26
Introduction to Communication Introduction to Communication
Reading: Chapter One Reading: Chapter One
Modules 1.1 and 1.2 Modules 1.3 and 1.4

Select Your Seat for the Semester

8/31 9/2
Introduction to Communication Communicating Identities
Reading: Chapter One Reading: Chapter Three
Module 1.5 Modules 2.1 through 2.3

9/7 9/9
Communicating Identities Communicating, Perceiving & Understanding
Reading: Chapter Two Reading: Chapter Three
Modules 2.4 through 2.6 Modules 3.1 through 3.3

9/14 9/16
Communicating, Perceiving & Communicating, Perceiving & Understanding
Understanding Reading: Chapter Three
Reading: Chapter Three Modules 3.4 through 3.6
Modules 3.4 through 3.6

9/21 9/23
Review of Chapters 1-3 EXAM ONE
Chapters 1, 2 & 3

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9/28 9/30
Verbal Elements of Communication Verbal Elements of Communication Cont.
Reading: Chapter Four Reading: Chapter Four
Modules 4.1 through 4.3 Modules 4.4 through 4.6

10/5 10/7
Nonverbal Elements of Communication Nonverbal Elements of Communication
Reading: Chapter Five Reading: Chapter Five
Modules 5.1 through 6.3 Modules 5.4 through 6.6

10/12 10/14
Conversational Interaction
NO CLASS – Fall Break Reading: Chapter 6
Modules 6.1 through 6.3

10/19 10/21
Conversational Interaction Conversational Interaction
Reading: Chapter 6 Reading: Chapter 6
Modules 6.3 and 6.4 Modules 6.4 through 6.6

10/26 10/28
Communication Across Cultures EXAM TWO
Reading: Chapter 8 Chapters 4, 5, 6, 8
Modules 8.1 through 8.6

11/2 (Election Day) 11/4

Initiating Romantic Relationships Communicating in Close Relationships
Reading Chapter Nine Reading: Chapter Nine
Modules 9.1 and 9.2 Modules 9.3 and 9.4

11/9 11/11
Communicating in Close Relationships
Reading: Chapter Nine NO CLASS – VETERAN’S DAY
Modules 9.5 and 9.6

11/16 11/18
Communicating in Organizations Communicating in Organizations
Reading: Chapter Eleven Reading: Chapter Eleven
Modules 11.1 through 11.3 Modules 11.4 through 11.6

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 11/23 11/25
Rhetoric
Reading: Chapter 12 NO CLASS – THANKSGIVING
Modules 12.1-12.6

11/29 12/2
Communication and New Technologies Communication and New Technologies
Reading: Chapter Fourteen Reading: Chapter Fourteen
Modules 14.1 through 14.3 Modules 14.4 through 14.7

12/7 (12:10 p.m. – 2:00. p.m.)

FINAL EXAM*
Chapters 9, 10, 12 & 14

*Note that the final exam is not scheduled during the regular class time; it is scheduled for
Tuesday, December 7th from 12:10 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., in our regular classroom.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

REVEL Course Registration

1. Select the Pearson Access menu item located within the Canvas course menu.

2. Select the Open Pearson button to begin course registration.

3. Select the title of the course to advance in the process.

4. You will be presented with an End User License Agreement. Contact Pearson Support if you
have questions. Otherwise, select Accept to continue.

5. You will be prompted to pair your Canvas and Pearson accounts by signing into Pearson.
When prompted, you may:
 Select Create to create a new account.

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  Sign in with your existing Pearson account. This may be an account previously used with
MyLab or Mastering.
 Retrieve a forgotten username or password.

6. Select Continue on the accounts linked confirmation page to continue.

7. Select the title of the course to launch into Revel.

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