Exams
Exams (canvas calls them quizzes) will consist of multiple-choice and short answer questions taken from assigned readings in canvas and course slide decks. All quizzes will be taken via canvas and will be open note. You CANNOT take them with other students, nor can you use AI in any way to help you. They will be challenging and will require you to read the material thoroughly, take good notes and make connections between theory and application. Completing course readings will be critical here. With the exception of the final, quizzes will be open for 1 week after that instructional unit ends, so plan your time accordingly. There will be 6 Units of Instruction ending in a quiz for each one. They are as follows:
Unit #1: Day 1 Discussion; Understanding Communication Theories
Unit #2: Uncertainty Reduction; Social Penetration; Relational Dialectics
Unit #3: Elaboration Likelihood; Extended Parallel Process
Unit #4: Agenda Setting; Uses & Gratifications; Media Ecology
Unit #5: Aristotle; Constructivism
Unit #6: Kategoria; Image Repair (Apologia); Antapologia
Written Work
Assignments for this class should conform to APA 7th edition style (where appropriate). It is your responsibility to obtain the style guide and make sure you understand how to properly cite your sources in both the text and in the reference section. The specific requirements for each assignment are discussed later in the syllabus as well as in canvas, including a discussion of how the grade for each assignment will be weighted. Please read each of these documents carefully. If you are unsure about how to complete these assignments, please ask me because I want you to be successful in this course and it may be that we need to arrange a zoom or phone call. Additionally, if you have any concerns over a grade that you receive on an assignment or quiz, feel free to discuss it with me. I ask that you think carefully about your question, write down what you see as a discrepancy and then take care of it in 1 week. Issues not addressed during this time will stand as graded.
Grading Scale
A | 100-93% | B | 86-83% | C | 76-73% | D | 66-63%
A- | 92-90% | B- | 82-80% | C- | 72-70% | D- | 62-60%
B+ | 89-87% | C+ | 79-77% | D+ | 69-67% | F | 59-0%
Assignment Title | Points Possible
Topic Approval | 10 Points
Portfolio Format | 10 Points
Completed Portfolio | 10 Points
Theory Reflection | 10 Points
Original Article Explanation/Big 3 Functions | 25 Points
Key Terms | 25 Points
Infographic | 25 Points
Apps & Explanations | 20 Points
Annotated Bibliography | 15 Points
News & Social Media | 20 Points
Pop Culture | 20 Points
Unit #1 Exam | 20 Points
Unit #2 Exam | 30 Points
Unit #3 Exam | 20 Points
Unit #4 Exam | 30 Points
Unit #5 Exam | 20 Points
Unit #6 Exam | 20 Points
Total | 345 Points