Minorities, Gender, & Media

Diversity & Mass Media
COMM 3357 On-Line
Fall 2004

Professor: Dr. Camilla Gant

Office:  Humanities 142

Phone: 770.836.4568

Office Hours: Mondays 10:30am - Noon
                     Tuesdays/Thursdays 1:00 - 3:00pm
                      Daily Virtual Hours (see WebCT Private Mail)

Overview

Diversity and Media is a survey of research concerned with the relationship between mass media and selected populace(s) that have been given peripheral attention in mass media scholarship, e.g., minorities, women, and those who have disabilities.  It is hoped that dialogue and critical thinking will heighten your understanding of the status, importance, and implications of diverse news coverage and entertainment programming; and as media professionals, you will in turn make an informed decision to be more responsible and responsive to the multicultural, consumer market you will interact with and serve in the 21st century.  Minorities, Gender and TV News and Entertainment is the focus for fall 2004.  However, the focus may vary each semester.  Minorities are defined as African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, and Native Americans.

Learning Objectives

To demonstrate an understanding of the presentation of minorities and women in TV news and entertainment

To demonstrate an understanding of the demographic makeup of TV news and entertainment staffs

To demonstrate an understanding of the importance and implications of diverse news coverage and entertainment programming

To demonstrate ability to research, analyze, and reach considered judgments on opposing viewpoints concerning minorities, gender and TV news and entertainment

Assigned Readings

Selected articles to be retrieved via GALILEO (see GALILEO course handout)

Additional assigned readings that will be provided.
 

Course Requirements

We will primarily use WebCT Discussion Board (DBoard) and Private Mail.  For WebCT assistance, including one-on-one orientations and troubleshooting, phone the Distance Learning Help Line at 770.838.3018, or e-mail (distance@westga.edu) or visit the Distance Learning staff (Honors House).  You are also encouraged to reference the Distance Student Guide,  WebCT Orientation Center, and Distance Learning Library Services for online assistance.

WebCT Discussion Board

WebCT DBoard will serve as our virtual classroom for discussions and updates/announcements.  You are expected to participate in weekly discussions by posting one analytic AND at least one response message by deadline to the DBoard Current Discussion forum.  Discussion guidelines, including definitions, deadlines, and grading criteria for analytic and response messages are defined in the DBoard Guidelines course handout.

Each time you log-in, it is important that you check the Updates/Announcements forum.  I will post important updates in this forum.  Also, you may post general messages not related to the readings in this forum.

WebCT Private Mail

WebCT Private Mail (e-mail) allows you to interact personally with me and your colleagues.  It is important that you check your Private Mail each time you log-in, particularly for messages from me.  I will process e-mail regularly on weekdays and occasionally on weekends.  However, at minimum, I will process e-mail by 2:00pm each weekday.  If you send me e-mail after 2:00pm on Fridays, I will respond by 2:00pm the following Monday.  Please do not send e-mail related to this course to my UWG e-mail address.

Midterm/Final Essays

You will be expected to research and write a comprehensive midterm and final essay based on the assigned readings and independent research.  Essay guidelines, including deadlines and grading criteria will be defined in the Essay course handout.
 

Evaluation

Analytic messages, response messages, and essays will be weighted as listed below, and you may use WebCT My Grades to track your performance.

DBoard Analytic Postings Average     35%
DBoard Response Postings Average  15%
Midterm Essay                                   25%
Final Essay                                         25%

Assignment and final grades will be based on the following scale.

A     90 – higher
B     80 – 89
C     70 – 79
D     60 – 69
F     59 – lower
 

Academic Dishonesty

Academic dishonesty will not tolerated.  It will result in failure on assignment(s) as well as possible disciplinary sanction(s) as stipulated by university rules.  The State University of West Georgia Student Conduct Code defines academic dishonesty as cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, and facilitating or allowing academic dishonesty in any academic exercise.  The Code defines cheating as using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information or study aids; fabrication as falsification or unauthorized invention of any information or citation; and plagiarism as representing the words or ideas of another as one's own.  Direct quotations must be indicated and ideas of another must be appropriately acknowledged.

Weekly Schedule (see Weekly Schedule course handout)

The professor reserves the right to make modifications to this schedule.