INSTRUCTOR: Richard E. Caplan Ph.D. 
OFFICE: Kolbe Hall 108C
OFFICE HOURS: TTh  8:30am - 10:30am 
PHONE: 972-7600 
TEXT: REQUIRED: Straubhaar & LaRose, Media Now: Understanding Media, Culture, and Technology,  7^th Edition, Wadsworth, 2012.

Take quizzes and exams on the date indicated at anytime from any location using your own computer. You only have one attempt on each quiz and exam.

This course is designed to acquaint you with the field of communications, both the mass media of newspapers, magazines, books, radio, television, films and cable, and interactive media of telephony, computer and information technology. We will introduce these as increasingly integrated and converging elements of an information society.

The course will help students to:

• learn about the concept of information society and its economic, political and social implications
• understand the essentials of mess media and information technologies and industries
• understand the process and effects of media industries and be a critical consumer of media

• understand and be critically aware of the effects of information technology

• anticipate how information and media technology will affect your career in media or in other fields

• learn about possible careers in communication

• Evaluation Criteria:  
  • First midterm exam 25%
  • Second midterm exam 25%
  • Third midterm exam 25%
  • Ten quizzes @ 2.5% each total of 25%
    
• Grading:
  • The course will be graded on a curve.  The exams and quizzes will be multiple choice. Exams will not be cumulative. The exams are 100 questions. Quizzes are 10 questions. The time limit for the exams is 75 minutes. The quizzes are 15 minutes. There is only one attempt for each exam and quiz. Makeups are given only for documented medical emergencies and only when the instructor is notified before the test. Failure of a student to take an exam or quiz will result in a 0 (zero). Failure to take an exam will most probably result in an "F" for the class. All exams and quizzes are on Springboard. The letter grade for the class will be based on the percewntage of correct answers on the exams ans quizes.
    
• CLASS ATTENDANCE:
  • A student is expected to attend all class meetings for which the student is registered. A student may be dropped from a course in the current term by the dean if absence is repeated and the instructor recommends this action; a student can gain re-admission only with permission of both the instructor and the dean. A student dropped from a course receives an “F” which counts as work attempted whenever grade- point ratio calculations are made.
    
• Publication:
  • Students are invited to submit work created in this class for nonexclusive use by the Student media organizations affiliated with the School of Communication (WZIP-FM, Z-TV, the Buchtelite).  Unless otherwise requested to the contrary in writing by the student, the instructor, in consultation with the student, may submit projects completed in this class for consideration as printed or broadcast content over WZIP-FM, Z-TV and in the Buchtelite.  Projects must meet the professional standards established by the student media organizations in order to be broadcast or printed.  Students understand and agree that by submitting a project for publication/broadcast by WZIP-FM, Z-TV or the Buchtelite that WZIP-FM, Z-TV and/or the Buchtelite have complete and final editorial control over the content and usage of the project by University of Akron Student Media Organizations.  Students will retain the copyright in their work.
    

• Academic Honesty:

  http://www.uakron.edu/academics_majors/undergraduate-bulletin/important-policies/grade-policies-and-credit.dot
  

• Professional Conduct:
  • Students are expected to treat the instructor and fellow students with respect at all times. You may not use cell phones in class for any reason (turn them off or put them on vibrate). You may use laptops and  tablets only to take notes.  You may not listen to music or radio while in class (take out the ear buds).  You may not read newspapers, books or notes for other classes while in this class. Check the following link for university policies on civility in the classroom.
  • http://www.uakron.edu/academics_majors/undergraduate-bulletin/important-policies/
    
•  Incompletes: Check the following link for university policies on incomplete grades. http://www.uakron.edu/academics_majors/undergraduate-bulletin/important-policies/grade-policies-and-credit.dot
  
• Withdrawals:  Check the following link for university policies on withdrawals. http://www.uakron.edu/ssc/withdrawal-policy.dot 
  
• Accessibility: Students with accessibility issues should contact the Office of Accessibility. Special accommodations can be made only for students whose accessibility issue has been certified by this office.  http://www.uakron.edu/access/students/

Dr. Caplan's webpage
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