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SP09 COM 100 Syllabus
SP09 COM 100 Syllabus
Sections: 10030, 10031 (Online Course)
Yavapai College Spring 2009
Instructor: Stacey L. Hilton, M.S.
Email: stacey.hilton@yc.edu
Phone: (928) 7177775
Office Location: Bld. 3, Room 107E Prescott Campus
Office Hours: Hours will vary. Please stop by or call for appointment
Portal Login: http://my.yc.edu > Click Blackboard icon
Course Description
Credit Hours (3). Introduction to the essential elements of human communication and behavior, including
interpersonal, intercultural, organizational, and mass communication. Emphasis on oral communication
skills important to personal and professional settings. Basic computer skills in word processing; email
and use of the Internet.
Textbook and Supply Requirements
Required: Human Communication, Third Edition by Judy Pearson, Paul Nelson, Scott Titsworth, and
Lynn Harter. (ISBN # 0073385018). Published by McGrawHill. Copyright Year: 2008
Course Purpose
To enable students to understand the fundamentals of effective communication in the initiation,
maintenance, and evolution of personal and professional relationships. To provide students with a
framework for identifying and evaluating dysfunctional communication patterns, as well as identifying the
elements of communication competence at the interpersonal level. To give students a method and a
vocabulary for examining their own relationships and for identifying strategies to achieve more satisfying
relationships.
Course Content
1. Contemporary and historical theories of the dynamics and processes of human communication;
2. Perception of verbal and nonverbal messages;
3. Conflict management and negotiation;
4. Ethics in communication;
5. Interpersonal communication and relationship dynamics;
6. Intercultural communication theories;
7. Working in teams;
8. Organizational communication;
9. Interviewing;
10. Preparing and delivering presentations;
11. Conducting meetings;
12. Mass communication and new communication technologies.
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Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, the learner will be able to:
1. Identify the processes of human communication from both contemporary and historical
perspectives;
2. Evaluate the impact that perception of verbal and nonverbal messages have on the
communication process;
3. Differentiate between effective and ineffective listening;
4. Develop and model skills for negotiating and managing conflict;
5. Define appropriate communication styles for healthy relationships and propose strategies for
integrating them into personal and professional contexts;
6. Evaluate communication theories for a variety of cultural contexts;
7. Implement effective strategies for working in teams;
8. Discuss the impact of political structure and corporate culture on organizational communication;
9. Model, analyze, and revise skills for the job interview process;
10. Formulate and deliver effective oral presentations;
11. Construct appropriate strategies for conducting meetings;
12. Design simple, effective messages for a mass communication context (i.e., advertising and public
relations);
13. Analyze the impact of new communication technologies on human communication.
Assessment Measures
The following measures of assessment will be used throughout COM 100 this semester.
1. Online Discussions
2. SelfAssessment Critique
3. Small Group Activities
4. Weekly Assignments
5. Interview
6. WWW Topic Search
7. Portfolio
8. Oral Presentation
9. Research Paper
10. Quizzes
Grading Criteria
· Discussion Board (150 points)
Each week, students will be required to post a response to the weekly discussion question by Friday
evenings at 10:00 PM. In addition, students will also be required to respond to at least one classmate’s
posting by Sunday evenings at 10:00 PM. Students will be able to interact with one another through the
discussion forum. Each discussion will be worth 10 total points.
· Mass Communication Project (300 points)
You will need to research, outline and develop both a written paper and an oral presentation on a mass
communication topic. Below are the components of the Mass Communication Project:
A. Topic Selection (50 points)
Students will need to submit a one page summary on the topic of choice for an
informative/persuasive research paper/oral presentation. Your summary should include the
following:
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1) Topic (must be communication related); (5 points)
2) Personal response to why you chose your specified topic; (20 points)
3) List of at least 5 resources on which you will research your topic. Each resource should have a
23 sentence summary on the article. I would like 3 resources to be from the Library
Database. The other 2 may be web sites on your topic. (25 points)
Some suggested topics include:
· Concept or Theory: Present the relationship between a specific communication
concept or theory and its application to either a social or profesional communication
environment
· Historical: A look at a device or invention that impacted mass communication
· Cutting Edge Technology: A look at the newest communication technology that is
changing the face of mass communication
· Media in our Society: How media impacts a part of our society.
B. Speech Outline (50 points)
You should submit an outline that will be used in preparation for your informative/persuasive
speech. This outline should also help you fine tune your research paper. You should follow the
guidelines as discussed in the textbook. You will develop a complete sentence outline of your
speech/research project.
· Outline must follow criteria specified in textbook;.
· Outline must be on the same topic as oral presentation and research paper.
C. Research Paper (100 points)
You will be required to submit a research paper meeting the following requirements:
· Paper must be 45 pages in length, in addition to a works cited page;;
· Paper must be doublespaced, Arial or Times New Roman, size 12;
· You must discuss same topic as outline and oral presentation;
· You must provide at least five cited sources (minimum of 3 Library Databases, 2 web
sites).
D. Oral Presentation (100 points)
You will be required to deliver an informative/persuasive speech based on your selected topic.
The topic must be the same as the topic used for the complete sentence outline and research
paper. Your presentation should include visuals, such as a PowerPoint presentation or samples
of work. Your oral presentation must be between 56 minutes in length. The following options
are available for your oral presentation:
· Times will be scheduled on both the Prescott and Verde campuses for inperson
interviews.
· Students also have the option to videotape themselves and upload it to YouTube for
evaluation.
· A Media Studio is available on both the Prescott and Verde campuses for recording your
presentation, if needed.
· Interview (50 points)
You will need to interview a person from any culture to discover more about their own cultural
background. Or, you will need to interview a professor or community professional in your area on the
path they went to reach that field. Please have 10 questions prepared for the interview. You should
submit a 12 page response on what you learned from your interview. As part of your response, I
would like you to state the 10 questions that you asked, and an overview of the responses given. I do
not need word for word of what was stated.
· Small Group Work (50 points)
A “Problem Solving Skills” exercise will be provided for this project. Students will work with their
assigned group to solve a problem that is addressed. Each group will have a different issue to solve.
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Each student will be required to submit a one page summary regarding the group work. Students
should compare each group and determine what group was most successful and analyze:
1) The communication network of the group;
2) The leadership functions;
3) The group’s cohesiveness;
4) Member’s satisfaction;
5) Methods of conflict resolution.
· Examinations (300 points)
There will be weekly quizzes based on the readings and “lectures” for each chapter. Each week will
be worth 20 points. If we are covering more than one chapter during the week, then each exam for
that week will be 10 points. It is highly recommended that you go through the SelfQuizzes located at
the end of each chapter. These are located at http://www.mhhe.com/pearson3. If you know the
answers to these questions, you should do well on your quizzes. Each quiz will consist of multiple
choice and true/false questions. There will be no essay questions on the quizzes.
· Weeks 115 (20 points each)
· Weekly Assignments (150 points)
Each week, you will have one assignment you must complete. You must type at least a onepage
paper for each assignment that will be submitted through Blackboard. Your assignments can be
doublespaced. Assignments will only be viewed by the instructor. Your assignments will not be
shared with other students. Your weekly assignments will be graded on your critical thinking skills
and ability to communicate your message effectively. I expect you to use spell check prior to
submitting your assignments. Each weekly assignment will be 10 points. The weekly assignments
will help you progress toward excelling at your mass communication project.
Grading Scale
9001000 points A
800899 points B
700799 points C
650699 points D
Below 649 points F
Note: For any research required for this course, please use the MLA format for citing your sources. An
excellent online guide for this format, offered by Purdue University, can be found at:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_mla.html
Instructor Procedures
I will do my best to respond to emails within 2448 hours. I will also do my best to correct and grade
assignments within 2472 hours after the scheduled due date. If you have questions regarding a
discussion or assignment, please contact me prior to the due date so your question is answered in a
timely manner.
Online Attendance
If you do not participate in two consecutive discussions and/or you do not respond to my personal emails,
I will assume you no longer desire to be a part of the class and you will be dropped. However, while the
instructor may or may not drop a student, it is ultimately your responsibility to drop the class. This is very
important in an online class when I don’t have the opportunities to evaluate your attendance like I would
in a facetoface class.
Late Work
Each weekly folder will open on Friday at noon prior to the start of the week. All readings, assignments
and discussions are due by 10:00 pm on Sunday evening of each week. This will give you almost 10
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days to complete the week’s assignments. You will need to submit your work prior to the due date. If I
receive your work after the scheduled due date, I will deduct points accordingly regarding the number of
points for each assignment. If unknown circumstances occur that will prevent you from submitting your
work by the due date, please call or email me immediately. It is recommended that you attempt to send
in assignments prior to the due dates in case any technical problems arise.
Netiquette
Some of the content you will be dealing with may be controversial or may require difference of opinion.
All students should respect other people’s opinions and think about the comments they respond to in the
discussion board. I will not tolerate any explicit comments regarding ethnicity, gender, sexual related
content or cuss words. Appropriate action will be taken if students violate other students’ rights.
Blackboard “How To’s”
How To Save Your Assignments in Rich Text Format (rtf)
I will be using Microsoft Word as my primary word processing program. If you do not have Microsoft
Word on your computer, you will need to save your files in Rich Text Format. This will allow me to open
your files regardless of the word processing program you will be using for this course. In order to save
your file in Rich Text Format, please follow these steps:
1. When you are finished typing or editing your document in WordPerfect, Works, etc., click on the
File menu and select the Save As option.
2. Once the correct location has been chosen (Desktop, My Documents, etc.), select Rich Text
Format or rtf option under the Save File as Type menu. The location and name for this option
might be different on your particular machine and software.
3. Your document will be formatted in Rich Text Format with an .rtf file extension after the name.
If you are using a MAC, you must remember to type .rtf after the file name.
How To Submit Assignments
There will be due dates and directions posted for each assignment you will need to submit. In order to
submit an assignment, follow these instructions.
1. Click on the blue “View/Complete Assignment” link. These will be found in the Weekly
Assignment folders.
2. In the “Assignment Materials” area, add any “Comments” for the instructor.
3. To attach your file, click the “Browse” button and locate your saved assignment file. Your saved file
should be in Rich Text Format (rtf).
4. Click “Open” to attach.
5. If you want, you can “Add Another File” by clicking on the button.
6. Click “Submit” to send the assignment to your instructor.
How To Utilize the Discussion Boards
Discussion boards allow students to respond to questions posted by their instructors. It also allows
students to post comments for other students. To access the discussion board, click the “Discussion
Board” link on the left side navigation bar.
1. Click on the title of the discussion board (Ex. Week 1: Class Introductions)
2. Click the “Thread” button.
3. Enter a subject and your message. If you wish to attach a document to your message, click
the “Browse” button to search for it.
4. Click the “Submit” button.
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If you want to reply to another student’s comment, click on the subject of their message and then click the
“Reply” or “Quote” button. (Quote just means, “reply with history”) Please don’t click on the student’s
name as it will try to send them an email.
How To Check Your Grades
You can check your course grades by clicking on the “View Grades” link on the left side navigation bar
of your COM 100 course.
Institution Policies
Online students still need to adhere to the following institutional policies.
Attendance
Students are expected to attend and participate in all class meetings, laboratories, and field trips. A
student who expects to be absent due to another schoolsponsored activity or compelling personal
reason must make prior arrangements with the instructor. All course work must be made up as directed
by the instructor. A student who does not adhere to instructor and College attendance requirements may
be dropped from the course as defined in the Yavapai College General Catalog.
Course Withdrawal
To officially withdraw from a course, the student must complete a Yavapai College Change of Class
Enrollment Form and submit it to the Registration Office. Withdrawing from a course after the published
deadline for withdrawal requires instructor approval and signature. When a student withdraws from a
course, a “W” will appear on the student’s permanent college record. If a student does not follow official
procedures for withdrawing from a course, failing grades may be posted on the student’s permanent
record.
Course Mentoring
Contact the course instructor during office hours, through email or phone, or at the beginning/ending of a
class session to arrange for additional course assistance. Many student support services are also
available to assist students in successful course completion.
Academic Integrity
Honesty in academic work is a central element of the learning environment. The presentation of another
individual’s work as one’s own or the act of seeking unfair academic advantage through cheating,
plagiarism or other dishonest means are violations of the College’s “Student Code of Conduct.”
Definitions of plagiarism, cheating, and violation of copyright and penalties for violation are available in
the Yavapai College General Catalog.
Student Code of Conduct
Respect for the rights of others and for the College and its property are fundamental expectations for
every student. The “Student Code of Conduct” outlines behavioral expectations, and explains the
process for responding to allegations of student misconduct.
Disability Support Services
Yavapai College is committed to providing educational support services to students with documented
disabilities. If anyone in this class has a disability, including a learning disability, please contact Disability
Resources to discuss your disability with the coordinator. This will be so that you can arrange your
accommodations that you need for this class through the ADA Coordinator
Prescott Campus: (928) 7762079 or Verde Valley Campus: (928) 6346563.
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Cell Phone and Pager Policy
Yavapai College is committed to providing a quality learning environment. All cell phones and pagers
must be placed in a nonaudible mode while in classrooms, computer labs, the library, the learning
center, and testing areas. Cell phones and pagers must be used outside these facilities.
Student Support Services
Library Services
Library services are available at the Prescott Campus and the Verde Valley Campus libraries. Both
libraries are members of a countywide library network, which provides access to a widerange of
information and resources at libraries throughout Yavapai County. Possession of a College library card
entitles students to access materials housed at member libraries. Instructors may place required course
materials on reserve in the library or make assignments that require the use of library resources.
Learning Resource Center
A Learning Resource Center is available at the Prescott and Verde Valley Campuses. These centers
provide a variety of learning support for students including tutoring, adaptive computer and equipment for
students with disabilities, computerassisted instruction, adult basic education, and English as a Second
Language classes.
You can also check additional resources such as tutoring, registration, and financial aid by going to
Yavapai College’s website at http://www.yc.edu
Course Calendar
Please see additional handout for the course calendar.
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