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WRITING IN THE DISCIPLINE PROPOSALDEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION

FEBRUARY 10, 2014

Prepared byEd Tywoniak, Chair

PROPOSAL OVERVIEWThe department of Communication has designated COMM-100: Communication Theory as the proposed Writing in the Discipline (WID) course. This course is structured to have written assignments that:

1. integrate and develop writing skills begun in English 52. reinforce concepts and skills through scaffolded integration3. emphasis the relationship between writing and critical inquiry4. develop writing skills and techniques requisite for scholarly writing within the

communication discipline.

This communication-specific framework is built upon the more foundational structure of the Habits of Mind learning outcomes for written communication that require students to:

1. recognize and compose readable prose, as characterized by clear and careful organization, coherent paragraphs and well-constructed sentences that employ the conventions of Standard Written English and appropriate diction

2. recognize and formulate effective written and oral communication, giving appropriate consideration to audience, context and format

3. analyze arguments so as to construct ones that are well supported, are well reasoned, and are controlled by a thesis or exploratory question

4. use the process of writing to enhance intellectual discovery and unravel complexities of thought.

Formal and informal writing exercises are scheduled throughout the course. The informal exercises are frequent in number and conform to thematic course content. The formal exercises include

1. critiques of writing samples2. submittal of iterative drafts of assignments with instructor comments3. peer review of drafts4. an emphasis on citational conventions and formatting styles specific to the

communication discipline

5. an emphasis on developing an objective writing style that models the standards and practices of the National Communication Association and their suite of scholarly journals

6. discussion of the distinctions and integration strategies among the types of writing styles within the field of communication including writing for electronic media, journalistic writing, rhetorical discourses of persuasion, and writing for social science research.

The syllabus schedule for COMM-100 is structured to be purposeful in the integration of writing activities throughout the semester including days specifically reserved for instruction, discussion and analysis of best principles and practices of scholarly writing. The framework for these writing activities were developed for this course during the fall 2013 and spring 2014 semesters before the formal pilot project was taught in the fall 2014 term. The WID framework was designed from the beginning by department faculty to have horizontal integration throughout the entire department curriculum beginning with the lower division introductory courses (COMM-002: COMMUNICATION & SOCIAL UNDERSTANDING and COMM-003: COMMUNICATION INQUIRY) and extending beyond COMM-100 to upper division core research courses (COMM 110: QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS, COMM-111 QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS and COMM-196: CAPSTONE).

Students are also supplied a variety of supplemental resources to aid in their writing assignments and discussions about writing including:

1. SMC Composition Program Grading Standards assessment rubric2. the use of Hubbach’s Writing Research Papers Across the Curriculum as one of

the course’s required textbooks3. web resources such as the APA style-format website and the Purdue Online

Writing Lab compartive citational style chart (links provided in Moodle)4. general student writing samples of excellence (Spectrum and The Undergraduate)5. communication-specific student writing samples (archived on Moodle)6. professional writing samples from communication scholarly journals7. handouts culled from resources such as Lunsford’s From Theory to Practice: A

Selection of Essays (2009), Trimble’s Writing with Style: Conversations on the Art of Writing (2011), and the SMC Library’s APA Format summary sheet.

The WID component for COMM-100 is designed to have a variety of pedagogical activities including:

1. peer review2. in-class assessment tools3. individual conferences4. instructor’s comments on drafts5. the use of rubrics for grading final papers6. continued reinforcment of how these activities support their growth as scholars7. ongoing discussions of how these acquired skills are used within the specific Saint

Mary’s communication curriculum as well as throughout the larger community of communication scholarship.

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Beyond these curricular and pedagogical activities, two entire class days are devoted to writing in the discipline and two more days devoted to library research [these dates are are clearly noted in the Course Schedule portion of the syllabus]. Students are also regularly encouraged to utilize the services provided by the Center for Writing Across the Curriculum.

Finally, it should be noted that the framework for integrating the WID component into COMM-100 is designed to be modular so that writing concepts and activities can be integrated into the scope and sequence of the course even when changes occur with course content or course instructor.

SYLLABUS SPECIFICSEvidence for the disciplinary writing outcomes stated above are found in the COMM-100 course syllabus (Appendix A). Following is a discussion of the specific major portions of the syllabus that address the WID component: syllabus.

The second page of the syllabus [page seven of this document] provides a table with specific course activities and associated allocation of assessment points:

Module Exams [6@25 points each] 150Final Exam 50Library Research Paper #1: Annotated Bibliography (Due 10/14) 50Library Research Paper #2: Literature Review (Due 11/25) 50Group Presentations [x2@25 points each] 50Homework: Moodle Discussion Board [30@5 points each] 150

TOTAL POINTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 500

Of the total corpus of 500 assessment points for the course:1. 100 points (20%) are allocated for in-class writing assignments (found within the

six examinations including the final exam) 2. 150 points (30%) are allocated for informal writing assignments (found within the

Moodle discussion assignments [APPENDIX B]3. 100 points (20%) are allocated for formal writing assignments (found within the

two research papers – the annotated bibliography and the literature review).

This represents a total of 70% of the overall grading framework devoted to writing activities.

As noted above, each of the six examinations has an in-class essay component requiring the utilization of analysis and synthesis of core concepts along with the ability to communicate these ideas through writing. The same SMC Composition Program Grading Rubric is used the grading of these in-class writing assignments. Following are samples of these types of in-class essay writing assignments:

EXAM #1 SHORT ESSAY #1 (worth 5 points)

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Describe the Liberal Arts and their relationship to our exploration and understanding of the theoretical concepts in this course?

EXAM #3 SHORT ESSAY #1 (worth 5 points)Compare and contrast the importance of General Systems Theory and Darwin’s theory of Sociocultural Evolution as described in Organizational Information Theory found in chapter 17.

EXAM #5 SHORT ESSAY #1 (worth 5 points)Describe and explain how the philosophies of Karl Marx and later Antonio Gramsci, along with the theorists of the Frankfurt School, became the conceptual underpinnings for our understanding of the hegemonic powers of the mass media and the idea of “decoding” as outlined in the chapter on cultural studies.

EXAM #5 SHORT ESSAY #2 (worth 5 points)Based upon the concepts and terms found in George Gerbner’s theory of Cultivation Analysis, deconstruct the opening narrative about Joyce Jensen found in the beginning of chapter 22. EXAM #5 SHORT ESSAY #3 (worth 5 points)Describe and explain the origins of the concept of “mass society” as found in Uses and Gratification Theory and explain how Maslow’s “hierarchy of needs” influences ideas such as “personal relationships” and “personal identity” within a mass media framework.

EXAM #5 SHORT ESSAY #4 (worth 5 points)Describe and explain in detail how the assumptions that lie at the heart of the Spiral of Silence Theory lead to “pluralistic ignorance” and the resultant problems that arise from the “court of public opinion” on the individual voices of people within a society.

EXAM #5 SHORT ESSAY #5 (worth 5 points)Beginning with Marshall McLuhan’s idea that the “medium is the message,” describe and explain in detail how the assumptions of Media Ecology Theory lead to our understanding of the effects of media technology on the shaping of culture. Be sure to use McLuhan’s outline of the historical epochs of media development as backdrop and provide an example of how his “laws of media” tetrad is used to analyze contemporary media effects in the modern age.

FINAL EXAM ESSAY QUESTION #1 (worth 25 points)Begin this essay be recounting in detail Walter Fisher’s brief history of the paradigms that have guided Western thinking, paying special attention to Aristotle’s concept of rhetoric as superior to mythos, and how this led to the struggle between the humanities and what Fisher calls the rational world paradigm. Then compare and contrast this perspective to that of Marshall McLuhan’s history of media epochs and it’s historical overview of the media paradigms that have shaped our understanding of reality since earliest human times.

FINAL EXAM ESSAY QUESTION #2 (worth 25 points)Using key concepts from two or more theories covered in the course as well as contemporary examples from music, video, film, video gaming, online culture or social media, describe the idea of language as symbolic abstraction, the arbitrary nature of symbolic environments, and the effects of the extensional devices of mediation (including language) on the construction of “reality.”

The fifth page of the syllabus [page 10 of this document] contains a large section devoted to writing in the discipline. Following is the text from the syllabus:

WRITING IN THE DISCIPLINE: LIBRARY RESEARCH PAPERThere are two important writing assignments for this course – both based on library research. The first is an Annotated Bibliography and the second a Literature Review. Both assignments are interrelated conceptually and thematically and, when combined together, are critical to an understanding of how to write within the field of communication. The assignments are also a necessary preparation towards your senior capstone course.

Each paper begins with your choosing a theory from our textbook that you did not do a classroom presentation for. You will then expand on your understanding of the theory by researching other literature pertinent to the topic. The length of both the annotated bibliography and the literature review will be

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approximately five to six pages excluding the mandatory Cover Page and a Works Cited section, and must include a minimum of ten scholarly sources. All sources may be accessed through online academic search engines or library holdings catalogues, but no general consumer websites (e.g. Wikipedia) may be used as citational sources. However, consumer websites are oftentimes good as starting points for your own conceptual understanding of the depth and breadth of a topic before you explore more accepted scholarly sources.

The papers must be typed, double-spaced, conform to APA (American Psychological Association) or MLA (Modern Languages Association) formatting standards, and include a cover page. Note that correct spelling and grammar, as well as proper sentence structure and page layout, is assumed for all papers. Points will be deducted if these elements are not adhered to.

CWAC: CENTER FOR WRITING ACROSS THE CURRICULUMYou are highly encouraged to utilize the resources of the Center for Writing Across the Curriculum (CWAC). You may drop in or make appointments for one-on-one sessions with Writing Advisers – in Dante 202 or via Skype screen-sharing. You should bring your assignments, texts, and notes.

Through collaborative discussion, Advisers guide their peers toward expressing ideas clearly and revising their own papers, always weighing audience and purpose. Writers visit CWAC to brainstorm ideas, revise drafts, or work on specific aspects of writing, such as grammar, citation, thesis development, organization, critical reading, or research methods. Writers may discuss any genre, including annotated bibliographies, literature reviews, poetry, science lab reports, argument-driven research, or scholarship application letters.

CWAC HOURS OF OPERATIONSUNDAY 5-8PMMONDAY 12-7PMTU-TH 12-8PM

PHONE: 925-631-4684WEBSITE: www.stmarys-ca.edu/center-for-writing-across-the-curriculum

LIBRARY RESEARCH ASSISTANCEReference/Information assistance is available at the Library Reference Desk, by phone (925) 631-4624, text message at (925) 235-4762 or Chat (IM). Check the Library’s “Ask Us” link for details: http://www.stmarys-ca.edu/library/ask-us. Extended assistance by appointment is also available with your librarian subject specialist (Mr. Martin Cohen).

CONCLUSIONThe department of Communication is aware of the importance of the WID component within our overall curriculum and has been working for several years on the scaffolding of these best principles and practices into our core courses. The current campus-wide WID initiative furthers this work and provides the framework for student development beginning with ENG-005 and continuing on through the final senior capstone project within the Communication major. As such, the department feels confident in our approach towards student development of writing skills within our curriculum, and is also committed to ongoing assessment and adaptation of WID activities in the semesters ahead.

APPENDIX A: SYLLABUS SAMPLE

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SAINT MARY’S COLLEGE OF CALIFORNIACOMMUNICATION 100

THEORY

FALL 2013 SYLLABUSSECTION 01M-W-F9:15 – 10:20amSichel Hall #101

SECTION 02M-W-F10:30 – 11:35amSichel Hall #101

Dr. Edward E. TywoniakAssociate Professor, CommunicationOffice Location: Sichel Hall 105DOffice Telephone: x4718Email: [email protected]: 925-878-9510Administrative Assistant: Libby Bernard (x4048)

OFFICE HOURSMONDAY (3–4pm) & FRIDAY (12–1pm)(OR BY APPOINTMENT)

COURSE OBJECTIVESThis course is designed to achieve the following objectives:

Familiarize students with the central principles within the seminal paradigms and theories they are likely to encounter in the field of communication

Provide students with a conceptual and historical overview of the field of communication as it relates to our understanding of how we construct meaning through symbol exchange

Introduce students to the research process, writing within the discipline, and the place of theory within these processes

Demystify the concept of theory and help students see the application of theory in their everyday activities

Help students become more systematic and thoughtful critical thinkersPRIMARY ASSESMENTThere are 500 possible points. All assignments and exams must be completed and turned in to pass this course. No late work will be accepted for submittal unless PRIOR approval from instructor is granted.

Module Exams [6@25 points each] 150

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Final Exam 50Library Research Paper #1: Annotated Bibliography (Due 10/14) 50Library Research Paper #2: Literature Review (Due 11/25) 50Group Presentations [x2@25 points each] 50Homework: Moodle Discussion Board [30@5 points each] 150

TOTAL POINTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 500

GRADING SCALE

GRADE % of POINTS POINT TOTAL

A 93 –100 % 465 – 500

A- 90 – 92 % 450 – 464

B+ 87 – 89 % 435 – 449

B 83 – 86 % 415 – 434

B- 80 – 82 % 400 – 414

C+ 77 – 79 % 385 – 399

C 73 – 76 % 365 – 384

C- 70 – 72 % 350 – 364

D+ 67 – 69 % 335 – 349

D 63 – 66 % 315 – 334

D- 60 – 62 % 300 – 314

F 59 % and below 299 and below

Be aware that education is a dynamic process that transcends formula.Every attempt will be made to objectify the grading process.

However, the instructor reserves the right toadjust a grade up or down based upon

warranted subjective reasons.

GENERAL DEPARTMENTAL GRADING GUIDELINESExcerpted from the 2001-2002 Communication Department Handbook

The major in communication requires substantial commitment. Therefore, working hard in your communication classes must be a standard practice. Although the workload for some courses is heavier than others, you are expected to do significant out-of-class preparation for each meeting of every course. You are expected to budget your time so that you can adequately prepare for each class. When you have an assignment such as a paper or exam that requires a heavier than

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usual time commitment, you should plan ahead so that this does not adversely impact your performance in other classes.Our intent in the grading process is to provide students with a fair evaluation of their academic progress. We understand the dangers of inflated grades – grades that are poor measures of academic accomplishment.

The final outcome of your effort in each class is a letter grade indicating mastery of material. Precise criteria for achievement are designated by each instructor and can be found in each course syllabus. In addition, the department has general guidelines listed below to assist you in understanding what is required to obtain specific letter grades.

Before describing the guidelines for specific letter grades, let us consider minimum requirements for your work in any communication class. To achieve C or better in any course, students must fulfill the following criteria, and maintain a balance in all of these areas rather than excellence in one or two:

1. Students must have a command of substantive material.

2. Students must have the ability to diagnose strengths and weaknesses in written and oral communication.

3. Students must creatively engage in an exploration of relevant ideas and concepts.

4. Students must actively participate to enrich the classroom experience.

Course letter grades are as follows:

“C” is an average grade indicating that you have an adequate command of the substantive material of the course and that you have engaged in the exploration of the ideas and concepts. This is generally demonstrated through class participation and through satisfactory completion of class assignments and examinations.

“B” is a good grade, indicating your involvement with the course and its material has been more than just adequate. “B” work is very good – significantly above average.

“A” work is more than simple mastery of course material. It represents a very active and sophisticated engagement with every aspect of the course, demonstrated through sophisticated analysis or creative treatment of the ideas and data covered in the course.

“D” work is less than adequate. For instance, a “D” may indicate that you failed in one or more areas of the course or that you have slipped below a satisfactory level of work in all areas.

“F” indicates a failure to meet the requirements described above.PRIMARY TEXTBOOKSWest R. and Turner, L. (2010). Introducing communication theory: Analysis and application (4th

Ed.). Boston: McGraw Hill.

Hubbuch, S. M., (2005). Writing research papers across the curriculum. Boston: Wadsworth.

REQUIRED SUPPLEMENTAL READINGSRequired supplemental readings will be supplied electronically through the course website (Moodle) during parts of the semester or handed out in class as a hardcopy.

ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION

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Each student is expected to attend all classes (two absences are allowed for the semester with certain exceptions made) as well as regularly participate in class discussions. This type of experiential learning through conversation is critically important to this discussion-based course.

STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDSStudents with any special learning needs should let the instructor know as soon as possible. The instructor is very sensitive to students with learning differences, so please make sure that any special circumstances are communicated early in the semester. Students with learning differences, or with test anxiety, should also contact Student Disability Services early in the semester for help.

Student Disability Services extends reasonable and appropriate accommodations that take into account the context of the course and its essential elements for individuals with qualifying disabilities. Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact the Student Disability Services Office at (925) 631-4358 or [email protected] to arrange a confidential appointment to discuss accommodation guidelines and available services. Additional information regarding the services available may be found at the following address on the Saint Mary’s website: http://www.stmarys-ca.edu/sds

ACADEMIC HONOR CODESaint Mary’s College expects every member of its community to abide by the Academic Honor Code. According to the Code, “Academic dishonesty is a serious violation of College policy because, among other things, it undermines the bonds of trust and honesty between members of the community.” Violations of the Code include but are not limited to acts plagiarism. For more information, please consult the Student Handbook at www.stmarys-ca.edu/your-safety-resources/student-handbook [for traditional undergraduate students].

ADDITIONAL ITEMS OF IMPORTANCE1. CIVITLITY: Civility is expected of every student in discussion. It is inevitable that discussions will at

times get animated and heated when “hot-button” topics are explored. During these moments, it is expected that comments will remain substantive and relevant to the topic and not devolve into personal or derogatory remarks.

2. ELECTRONIC DEVICES: All electronic devices must be used sparingly during class time and must be turned off during all examinations. Used of devices during exams will result in failing the course.

3. EXAMINATION PROTOCOLS: All electronic devices must be turned off and removed from sight during exams. Please note that during exams no one may leave the room for any reason including to go to the bathroom. Exams may be taken in advance, but may not be made up after the fact without expressed permission by the instructor in advance.

4. READINGS: Assigned readings must be brought to class every day. Regularly leaving the reading at home will be taken as a sign that you didn’t do the reading and your participation grade will be downgraded accordingly.

5. WORD PROCESSING OF ASSIGNMENTS: All submitted assignments must be word-processed. Hand written assignments will never be accepted and a zero will be given for the assignment.

6. LATE ASSIGNMENTS: The instructor is not obligated to accept late assignments or papers, and students must discuss turning in late work in advance with the professor.

WRITING IN THE DISCIPLINE: LIBRARY RESEARCH PAPERThere are two important writing assignments for this course – both based on library research. The first is an Annotated Bibliography and the second a Literature Review. Both assignments are interrelated conceptually and thematically and, when combined together, are critical to an understanding of how to write within the field of communication. The assignments are also a necessary preparation towards your senior capstone course.

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http://www.stmarys-ca.edu/your-safety-resources/student-handbook

http://www.stmarys-ca.edu/sds

http://www.stmarys-ca.edu/sds

mailto:[email protected]

tel:(925)%20631-4358

Each paper begins with your choosing a theory from our textbook that you did not do a classroom presentation for. You will then expand on your understanding of the theory by researching other literature pertinent to the topic. The length of both the annotated bibliography and the literature review will be approximately five to six pages excluding the mandatory Cover Page and a Works Cited section, and must include a minimum of ten scholarly sources. All sources may be accessed through online academic search engines or library holdings catalogues, but no general consumer websites (e.g. Wikipedia) may be used as citational sources. However, consumer websites are oftentimes good as starting points for your own conceptual understanding of the depth and breadth of a topic before you explore more accepted scholarly sources.

The papers must be typed, double-spaced, conform to APA (American Psychological Association) or MLA (Modern Languages Association) formatting standards, and include a cover page. Note that correct spelling and grammar, as well as proper sentence structure and page layout, is assumed for all papers. Points will be deducted if these elements are not adhered to.

CWAC: CENTER FOR WRITING ACROSS THE CURRICULUMYou are highly encouraged to utilize the resources of the Center for Writing Across the Curriculum (CWAC). You may drop in or make appointments for one-on-one sessions with Writing Advisers – in Dante 202 or via Skype screen-sharing. You should bring your assignments, texts, and notes.

Through collaborative discussion, Advisers guide their peers toward expressing ideas clearly and revising their own papers, always weighing audience and purpose. Writers visit CWAC to brainstorm ideas, revise drafts, or work on specific aspects of writing, such as grammar, citation, thesis development, organization, critical reading, or research methods. Writers may discuss any genre, including annotated bibliographies, literature reviews, poetry, science lab reports, argument-driven research, or scholarship application letters.

CWAC HOURS OF OPERATIONSUNDAY 5-8PMMONDAY 12-7PMTU-TH 12-8PM

PHONE: 925-631-4684WEBSITE: www.stmarys-ca.edu/center-for-writing-across-the-curriculum

LIBRARY RESEARCH ASSISTANCEReference/Information assistance is available at the Library Reference Desk, by phone (925) 631-4624, text message at (925) 235-4762 or Chat (IM). Check the Library’s “Ask Us” link for details: http://www.stmarys-ca.edu/library/ask-us. Extended assistance by appointment is also available with your librarian subject specialist (Mr. Martin Cohen).

COURSE SCHEDULE

DAY/DATE THEME / ACTIVITIES READING ASSIGNMENT

WEEK 1WED 09/04

FIRST DAY ACTIVITIES ~ Introductions ~ Review Syllabus ~ Moodle ~ Group Assignments

Course Syllabus

FRI 09/06 LECTURE PRESENTATION:Thinking about the field:

Textbook:Chapts. 1 & 2

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Definitions & Models (pp. 1-43)

WEEK 2MON 09/09

LECTURE PRESENTATION:Thinking about the field: Traditions and Contexts

Textbook:Chapts. 3 & 4(pp. 43-74)

WED 09/11 LECTURE PRESENTATION:Communication Research:Law versus TheoryAbstraction and Valuation

FRI 09/13 SEMINAR DISCUSSION #1 Anton: Sources of Significance (Handout) MOODLE DISS #1

WEEK 3MON 09/16

MODULE 1:THE SELF AND MESSAGES

GROUP PRESENTATIONSGRP 1 PRESENTATIONSymbolic Interaction Theory

GRP 2 PRESENTATIONCoordinated Management of Meaning

Textbook:Chapt. 5

Textbook:Chapt. 6

MOODLE DISS #2

MOODLE DISS #3

WED 09/18 GROUP PRESENTATIONSGRP 3 PRESENTATIONCognitive Dissonance Theory

GRP 4 PRESENTATIONExpectancy Violations Theory

Textbook:Chapt. 7

Textbook:Chapt. 8

ONLINE DISS #4

ONLINE DISS #5

FRI 09/20 REVIEW MODULE 1Summary and Synthesis

WEEK 4MON 09/23

EXAM #1: MODULE 1

WED 09/25 MODULE 2:RELATIONSHIP DEVELOPMENT

LECTURE PRESENTATION:Overview of Module

FRI 09/27 SEMINAR DISCUSSION #2 READING TBA ONLINE DISS #6

WEEK 5MON 09/30

GROUP PRESENTATIONSGRP 5 PRESENTATIONUncertainty Reduction Theory

GRP 6 PRESENTATIONSocial Penetration Theory

Textbook:Chapt. 9

Textbook:Chapt. 10

ONLINE DISS #7

ONLINE DISS #8

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WED 10/02 GROUP PRESENTATIONSGRP 7 PRESENTATIONSocial Exchange Theory

GRP 8 PRESENTATIONRelational Dialectics Theory

Textbook:Chapt. 11

Textbook:Chapt. 12

ONLINE DISS #9

ONLINE DISS #10

FRI 10/04 GROUP PRESENTATIONSGRP 9 PRESENTATIONCommunication Privacy Management Theory

REVIEW MODULE 2Summary and Synthesis

Textbook:Chapt. 13

ONLINE DISS #11

WEEK 6MON 10/07

EXAM #2: MODULE 2

WED 10/09 WRITING IN THEDISCIPLINE READING TBA ONLINE DISS #12

FRI 10/11 MODULE 3:GROUPS & ORGANIZATIONS


WEEK 7MON 10/14

GROUP PRESENTATIONSGRP 10 PRESENTATIONGroupthink

GRP 11 PRESENTATIONStructuration Theory

Textbook:Chapt. 14

Textbook:Chapt. 15

ONLINE DISS #13

ONLINE DISS #14

PAPER #1DELIVER ONLINE BY CLASSTIME

WED 10/16 GROUP PRESENTATIONSGRP 12 PRESENTATIONDiscussion Topic:Organizational Culture Theory

GRP 01 PRESENTATION #2Organizational Information Theory

Textbook:Chapt. 16

Textbook:Chapt. 17

ONLINE DISS #15

ONLINE DISS #16

FRI 10/18 REVIEW MODULE 3Summary and Synthesis

WEEK 8MON 10/21

EXAM #3: MODULE 3

WED 10/23 MODULE 4:THE PUBLIC

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Reading: Selected Works of Aristotle

ONLINE DISS #17

FRI 10/25 MIDTERM HOLIDAY

WEEK 9MON 10/28

GROUP PRESENTATIONSGRP 02 PRES #2The Rhetoric

Textbook:Chapt. 18

ONLINE DISS #18

WED 10/30 GROUP PRESENTATIONSGRP 03 PRESENTATION #2Dramatism

Textbook:Chapt. 19

ONLINE DISS #19

FRI 11/01 GROUP PRESENTATIONSGRP 04 PRESENTATION #2The Narrative Paradigm

Textbook:Chapt. 20

ONLINE DISS #20

WEEK 10MON 11/04


WED11/06

EXAM #4: Module 4

FRI 11/08 MODULE 5:THE MEDIA


WEEK 11MON 11/11 WRITING IN THE

DISCIPLINEREADING TBA ONLINE DISS #21

WED 11/13 GROUP PRESENTATIONSGRP 05 PRESENTATION #2Cultural Studies

GROUP PRESENTATIONSGRP 06 PRESENTATION #2Cultivation Analysis

Textbook:Chapt. 21

Textbook:Chapt. 22

ONLINE DISS #22

ONLINE DISS #23

FRI 11/15 GROUP PRESENTATIONSGRP 07 PRESENTAION #2Uses & Gratification Theory

GROUP PRESENTATIONSGRP 08 PRESENTATION #2 Spiral of Silence Theory

Textbook:Chapt. 23

Textbook:Chapt. 24

ONLINE DISS #24

ONLINE DISS #25

WEEK 12MON 11/18

GROUP PRESENTATIONSGRP 09 PRESENTATION #2Media Ecology Theory


Textbook:Chapt. 25

ONLINE DISS #26

EXAM #5:TAKE HOME TEST DUE ELECTRONICALLY ON FRIDAY (11/22) AT MIDNIGHT

WED 11/20 INDEPENDENT LIBRARY NCA CONFERENCE

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RESEARCH

FRI 11/22 INDEPENDENT LIBRARY RESEARCH

NCA CONFERENCE

WEEK 13MON 11/25

LECTURE PRESENTATION:Report on the State of the Discipline Through the Lens of the NCA

PAPER #2DELIVER ONLINE BY CLASSTIME

WED 11/27 OFFICIALTHANKSGIVING

TRAVEL DAY

THU 11/28 THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY

FRI 11/29 THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY

WEEK 14MON 12/02

MODULE 6:CULTURE & DIVERSITY

GROUP PRESENTATIONSGRP 10 PRESENTATION #2Face Negotiation Theory

GRP 11 PRESENTATION #2 Communication Accommodation Theory

Textbook:Chapt. 26

Textbook:Chapt. 27

ONLINE DISS #27

ONLINE DISS #28

WED 12/04 GROUP PRESENTATIONSGRP 12 PRESENTATION #2 Muted Group Theory

Standpoint Theory

Textbook:Chapt. 28

Textbook:Chapt. 28

ONLINE DISS #29

ONLINE DISS #30

FRI 12/06 REVIEW MODULE 6Includes Chapt. 29: Standpoint Theory

Course Summary & Synthesis

FINAL EXAM REVIEW

FINALS WEEK

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APPENDIX B: INFORMAL WRITING SAMPLES

COMMUNICATIONInformal Writing Example #1

From Moodle Discussion Forum #18 of 30Topic: Aristotle’s Rhetoric

DISC #18: THE RHETORIC (CHAPT 18)by Ed Tywoniak - Wednesday, 23 October 2013, 11:53 AM The person who posts the first question will be guaranteed to receive a full 5 points for this discussion assignment. Every other post will be worth up to five points depending upon quality of response. Be sure to

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have both a DIRECT RESPONSE and a PERSONAL RESPONSE in your post plus a any relevant page reference.

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Re: DISC #18: THE RHETORIC (CHAPT 18)by Olga Zhuk - Wednesday, 23 October 2013, 1:57 PM Aristotle proposed two assumption that are critical for the Rhetoric Theory, "Effective public speakers must consider their audience, and effective public speakers use a number of proofs in their presentations." (p. 313)These are very essential, as the first assumption underlies as we have learned that 'communication is a transnational process', how important do you think this concept is through out this chapter?In the second assumption Aristotle proposed importance of ethos, logos, and pathos. He emphasizes that they are critical to speech effectiveness.(p.315)Which of these is more important than the other, or do you believe that all are equally important? I agree with Aristotle that putting more into logos is necessary.Syllogism, as learned in class, contains two premises and a conclusion. Can you think of a very wise example of one?The types of rhetoric learned in this theory are forensic, epideictic, and deliberate rhetoric's. Give an example of each. (Defined on page 321).

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Re: DISC #18: THE RHETORIC (CHAPT 18)by Jency James - Thursday, 24 October 2013, 7:04 PM Olga, I think the point you make about communication being a transnational process is described in the chapter under audience analysis, “the process of evaluating an audience and its background and tailoring one’s speech so that listeners respond as the speaker hopes they will” (Turner and West 314). As we communicate with people of different beliefs, backgrounds, cultures, etc, we are likely to adjust our rhetoric.This idea sets up the rest of the chapter with the discussion of pathos, ethos and logos in our communication. I agree with you that logos would be the most important of the three since it’s the most truthful. The other two leave room for misinterpretation and untruthfulness but since logos is logic-it is the most reliable.


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Re: DISC #18: THE RHETORIC (CHAPT 18)by Kristen McEnerney - Sunday, 27 October 2013, 2:48 PM The first assumption is very important to this chapter on rhetoric because the type of language you use when addressing an audience and trying to be persuasive changes depending on the age and type of audience you are speaking to. As stated on page 313, “Speakers should, in a sense, become audience-centered. They should think about the audience as a group of individuals with motivations, decisions, and choices and not as some undifferentiated mass of homogeneous people.” Using the example from the beginning story of this chapter, Camille’s speech was very persuasive and effective to her classmates because she was able to understand her audience and made her topic relevant to their age group. I agree with Olga and Aristotle’s belief that more emphasis is necessary for logos. When trying to be persuasive to an audience the most important thing to have is logical proof to backup your claims, which as a result will persuades others.


Re: DISC #18: THE RHETORIC (CHAPT 18)by Elizabeth Geiser - Sunday, 27 October 2013, 2:57 PM Olga, I do think that pathos, ethos and logos are all crucial to speech effectiveness because they provide a well rounded consensus for an argument. But if i had to choose one i would agree with Aristotle that logos is the most important in providing the most effective message due to its basis on evidence and logical proof. ultimately, when you are involved in a argument and rhetoric is necessary, precise evidence and logical proof is almost always a sound way to win your argument in the most effective way. I have experienced this kind of rhetoric many times in deep discussion with friends and it truly does not matter on their ethos or pathos, so in many times we have to end up researching the true answer to finally conclude on the topic.

The first thing that comes to mine when I think of forensic rhetoric is when parents use it as a device to make their children admit guilt. I personally experienced this when my mom wanted to make me admit to doing something wrong and make me feel bad. In the book they give the example of a funeral to describe epideictic rhetoric to explain how the values or the virtues of the dead person correspond with those of the society. Lastly, deliberative rhetoric is used to determine an audience' course of action. This type of rhetoric immediately brought my mind towards politics and how all politicians are persuading audiences based on what they plan to do in the future.

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Re: DISC #18: THE RHETORIC (CHAPT 18)by Matthew Ringard - Sunday, 27 October 2013, 4:28 PM Jency--between logos, ethos, and pathos, you suggest logos is the best because it does not leave room for misinterpretation and untruthfulness. But could it be possible that this perception of logos also makes it the most dangerous? How many people are fooled not by emotional pleas but by false logic, or falsified information? I think all three elements are powerful, but logos could be the most potent just because it can be so deceptive.

On that note, the notion of tailoring the speech (pg. 314) is absolutely critical. It's just like in day-to-day conversation, or the constitutive rules discussed in Chapter 6: "Constitutive rules refer to how behavior should be interpreted within a given context" (106). We adjust behaviors and interpret behaviors, actions, words based on context.


Re: DISC #18: THE RHETORIC (CHAPT 18)by Alyssa Collier - Sunday, 27 October 2013, 5:05 PM Olga in regards to your question about transnational process, Aristotle states, "speakers should not construct or deliver their speeches without considering their audiences. Speakers should, in a sense, become audience-centered. They should think about the audience as a group of individuals with motivations, decisions, and choices and not as some undifferentiated mass of homogeneous people" (313). I found that logos is the most important because it is the logical proof and evidence that are critical to speech effectiveness. In order to be the most effective to your audience pays attention to logical claims and clear language. When I think of Forensic rhetoric I think of when my aunt who is a police officer would question me about something as a kid, she would always make me feel obligated to tell the truth because she would make me feel bad. An example for Epideictic rhetoric would be at a wedding or a funeral when friends and family are speaking highly about the beloved. An example for Deliberate rhetoric would be when the president is making a speech about what action our world should or should not take.


Re: DISC #18: THE RHETORIC (CHAPT 18)by Paul Aliotti - Sunday, 27 October 2013, 6:49 PM

Communication is known as a transactional process, because the speakers should always consider the audiences as a group. As stated in our text, “They should think about the audience as a group of individuals with motivations, decisions, and choices and not as some undifferentiated mass of homogeneous

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people” (p.313). This concept applies to this chapter, for it shows how significant rhetoric is when it comes to communicating with one another.

The second assumption of rhetoric derives from Aristotle’s three means of rhetoric: ethos, logos, and pathos. These three means of rhetoric are very important when it comes to speech effectiveness, but I think the most effective one is logos, because when one tries to make their point or argument, they need evidence to back their opinion up. Logos provides logical proof that supports the use of arguments and evidence in a speech. I feel when one provides confirmation to their argument they have the audience persuaded, or at least more engaged. Examples of forensic, deliberative, and epideictic rhetoric are mentioned in the text on page 322. Forensic rhetoric involves judicial rhetoric and is used in courtroom speaking. Epideictic rhetoric is when the speaker relates to virtues of the topic to the audience, and is used in political speaking. Deliberative rhetoric focuses on the future and what the audience will do or think after the result of the speech, so this is commonly used in political speeches.


Re: DISC #18: THE RHETORIC (CHAPT 18)by Elizabeth Searl - Sunday, 27 October 2013, 8:57 PM I agree here with you paul, that the logos aspect is crucial and most beneficial in providing proof for an argument. Although, "ethos, logos, and pathos - is critical to speech effectiveness" (315) logos and syllogisms combined help strongly to enforce proof to an argument. Rhetoric is a very interesting way at looking how one may alter or change speech to create a strong bias one way or another. Understanding the audience is also vital in preparation for a speech in order to see a group as, "individuals with motivations, decisions, and choices and not as some undifferentiated mass of homogeneous people" (313) By understanding and preparing for a particular audience before going into the speech will benefit a lot.


Re: DISC #18: THE RHETORIC (CHAPT 18)by Nannina Cooper - Sunday, 27 October 2013, 10:39 PM Both Olga's and Jency's thoughts about logos seem very logical to me as well.

"Logos is the logical proof that speakers employ- their arguments and rationalizations. For Aristotle, logos involves using a number of practice, including using logical claims and clear language." (314)

We all know what the term logos means in terms of communicating. I agree with the thoughts presented; logos is the most clear cut and least bias between pathos and ethos. However, the way that West and Turner write about these three components, proves that a good argument cannot be properly portrayed without each part doing its job.

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Logos may be more "reliable", but pathos and ethos have their own job in making rhetoric imaginative and thought provoking.


Re: DISC #18: THE RHETORIC (CHAPT 18)by Hana Mathe - Sunday, 27 October 2013, 10:47 PM The concept of communication being a transnational process is something that is evident throughout this chapter since the text reveals that Aristotle spent a lot of time stressing that the "speaker-audience relationship must be acknowledged" (313). Not only that, but it's very important that "speakers should not construct or deliver their speeches without considering their audiences" (313); thus giving me the impression that rhetoric and interaction amongst others is highly interlinked.

Secondly, I think ethos, logos, and pathos are all equally important since the three proofs can play off of one another and work together in order to form one cohesive and well executed speech. It's important to have credability, logic, and emotion when delivering a speech, though in some instances it definitely seems like some may be more valuable than the others. For example, if you're giving a highly factual presentation, you're not going to need to incorporate a lot of emotion in order to be effective.


Re: DISC #18: THE RHETORIC (CHAPT 18)by Kathryn Conaty - Sunday, 27 October 2013, 11:14 PM I see throughout the course of this chapter that the first assumption is something that is very important in regards to the idea that each and every person in an audience is different and will view things differently. This is expressed as something that is very important when considering the type of audience you have. I found that logos is the most important in regards to the second assumption. “Logos is the logical proof; the use of arguments and evidence in speech.” (314) This seems the most necessary when compared to the other two because evidence is something that one needs in order to make a good argument. This allows one’s audience to believe what they are saying, and have thoughts to back that opinion up.


Re: DISC #18: THE RHETORIC (CHAPT 18)by Brandon Finstad - Sunday, 27 October 2013, 11:32 PM In response to Olga and others who have posted before me, it seems that many believe logos to be the most important of the three. Does that mean the first canon - invention- is also the most important of the canons of rhetoric? Table 18.1 on page 317 lists Aristotle's canons of rhetoric and it states that there is heavy emphasis on logos with invention.

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It seems to me that delivery is also very important because your subject matter knowledge must be delivered with confidence. "He (Aristotle) believed that the way in which something is said affects its intelligibility" (p. 312). Would you agree with this or do the facts speak for themselves and delivery and presentation are not a key factor?

And Olga, an example of a syllogism: No homework is fun. Some reading is homework. Some reading is not fun.


Re: DISC #18: THE RHETORIC (CHAPT 18)by Xavier Sanchez - Monday, 28 October 2013, 12:43 AM The question you asked about transnational process has to do with what everyone has stated already, consideration for the audience. I think of elementary school principles and how they have to consider their audience when it comes to kids, school teachers, and personal friends. All these different type of audiences have a different context in which the principle has to be careful with their words in order to be professional. I agree that logos is the most important out of the three. For logos and using logic, you have to make sure to back up whatever logic decides to be used or someone can figure you out right away. The thing is, if rhetoric is used well enough then an argument can seem as if it is true, thats why I agree with Matthew that it is the most dangerous.


Re: DISC #18: THE RHETORIC (CHAPT 18)by William Ratcliff - Monday, 28 October 2013, 8:54 AM "Effective public speakers must consider their audience, and effective public speakers use a number of proofs in their presentations." (p. 313)

I think the iidea that communication is a transnational process is very true, different audiences from different nations will have different ideologies and cultures, this effects the encoding and decoding of symbols on a base level of communication which is also why there are so many in group and out group stereotypes created transnationals, differences like being a collectivistic culture compared to an individualistic one will creste. Small differences in communication that will lead to larger scale miscommunication . Disregarding linguistics and only emphasizing the difference in audience; where they come from and who they are plays a massive role in rhetorical speech.

Ethos pathos and logos seem to have a lost effect when someone from the wrong culture tries to deliver a discourse on something they do not belong to.

Funny Example: American sports announcers attempting to narrate a rugby game... They compare

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everything to the hedgemonic American football,

Example: that Rugger hits like a linebacker!!

This creates the sense of lost ethos.


Re: DISC #18: THE RHETORIC (CHAPT 18)by Kaitlin Kellogg - Monday, 28 October 2013, 9:20 AM From my experience in public speaking, on the saint marys debate team, the audience is your main focus. I find that both of the assumptions mentioned by Aristotle are extremely imperative in order to communicate effectively to the audience. Considering the ethos, pathos and logos... Although logos seems to be one of the most prevalent I find that the perfect balance of all three leaves room for the most effective communication. When a coordinated balance of the three are struck you maintain communication that has factual value, and emotional value, leaving the audience with an excellent understanding of the message you are trying to communicate.


Re: DISC #18: THE RHETORIC (CHAPT 18)by Amber Myers - Monday, 28 October 2013, 9:21 AM I agree with Nina that logos, pathos, and ethos are all necessary. Yes, logos provides factual information, but a good argument does not just have logos. Although I do agree logos is the most powerful, a good argument must have all three components for it to work.


Re: DISC #18: THE RHETORIC (CHAPT 18)by Khayla Jones - Monday, 28 October 2013, 9:24 AM Following up on your question about logos, pathos and ethos, I think that logos is definitely the most affective out of the three. I agree with Aristotle when he says that the other two both play a key role in speaking, however I believe that more factual and logical speech is more effective. I also agree with the use of syllogisms to make logos even stronger. " Nestled in these logical proofs is something called syllogism." (315) This goes to say that you cannot have logos without syllogisms. To have affective speech and reach an audience, I think that focusing on logos is necessary.


Re: DISC #18: THE RHETORIC (CHAPT 18)by Garrett Jackson - Monday, 28 October 2013, 9:26 AM

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I disagree. I think that pathos is more important than logos. If you are a talented speaker who knows how to use pathos to win over the emotion of the crowd, it can have a lasting effect on the audience. I just think that a speaker spitting out facts and logical ideas will not grab or have the same type of lasting effect as a speaker who uses pathos and emotion to grab hold of the audience.


Re: DISC #18: THE RHETORIC (CHAPT 18)by Hector Berber - Monday, 28 October 2013, 9:56 AM I believe that to have a successful argument and to persuade an audience ethos, logos and pathos are necessary in union. I agree with most that logos is the most important because of the use of evidence and logical proof but as amber mentions as well, without all three it is much more difficult to construct a successful argument. All three in union make the speech effective but logos is what provides the evidence for the speech or argument being made. Which is the most important part of a speech.


Re: DISC #18: THE RHETORIC (CHAPT 18)by Danielle Lamb - Monday, 28 October 2013, 6:03 PM I believe that Comminucation being a transactional process is extremely important throughout the chapter. This is especially true for deliberative rhetoric. West and Turner write that a "deliberative rhetorician needs to know not only the actual subject of deliberation but also the elements of human nature that influence deliberation" (323). This coincides with Aristotle saying that "the speaker-audience relationship must be acknowledged" (313).

I believe that all three proofs are necessary for effective rhetoric, but logos is probably the most valuable. Having sound logic creates a civilized and productive society. In a perfect world, perhaps, logos is all you need. However, this is not the case. People will not listen if pathos and ethos is not present. They need to have their emotion provoked to catch their attention, and they need their speaker to have credibility to believe them.

I'll repeat my syllogism I made in class: Penguins can swim. Humans can swim. Penguins are humans. Haha. This one is obviously flawed :)

Forensic rhetoric: Judge JudyEpideictic: V for Vendetta speechDeliberative: Jeff Winger's speech for Ben Chang on the show Community


Re: DISC #18: THE RHETORIC (CHAPT 18)by Alexander Levesque - Tuesday, 29 October 2013, 4:07 PM

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I agree with what Garrett said about being able to convince someone of an idea is better then just throwing facts at them. If you are a good speaker and can communicate your point then you can win over a crowd. We can see this in politics during elections. The person that is personable and can communicate his/her message to the crowd with the receiver having a good understanding will most likely win the election.


Re: DISC #18: THE RHETORIC (CHAPT 18)by Megan Verrips - Sunday, 17 November 2013, 7:50 PM A syllogism is "nothing more than a deductive argument, a group of statements (premises) that lead to another group of statements (conclusions)" (315). If I were arguing that tall people should have to stand in the back of the standing room section of concerts I could have a syllogism like

Anyone who blocks others at concerts should stand in the backTall people block others at concertsTherefore, Tall people should stand in the back

This syllogism could be used as an example of epideictic rhetoric because it is "discourse related to praise or blame" (321).


Re: DISC #18: THE RHETORIC (CHAPT 18)by Charles Plumer - Saturday, 7 December 2013, 6:20 PM I believe this concept is very important throughout the chapter. The "Assumptions of the Rhetoric" as stated, "Effective public speakers must consider their audience and Effective public speakers use a number of proofs in their presentations". Personally I believe that ones audience is the most important part. The more one can relate to their audience the more successful of a speech it would be. If one cannot relate to the audience then they have the potential to loose interest. I believe proofs would be helpful to draw the audience in but then the speaker must find a way to relate to the audience. Ethos, logos and pathos are all very important methods but I believe the most important one is pathos. "Pathos pertains to the emotions that are drawn out of listeners." (314) When the speaker enables the audience to think with their emotion I believe that is one of the most powerful forms of persuasion.


Re: DISC #18: THE RHETORIC (CHAPT 18)by Joseph Rattay - Thursday, 12 December 2013, 12:29 PM "Rhetorical Theory centers in the notion of rhetoric, which Aristotle calls the available means of persuasion. That is, a speaker who is interested in persuading his or her audience should consider three rhetorical proofs: logic (logos), emotion (pathos), and ethics/credibility (ethos)" (312).

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These concepts are present in our everyday life, so much so that its difficult to notice them. How do Aristotle's concepts of logos, pathos, and ethos tie into the idea from chapter 11 on Social Exchange Theory? Can the two be reconciled?


Re: DISC #18: THE RHETORIC (CHAPT 18)by Kyle Volk - Thursday, 12 December 2013, 9:21 PM To tell you the truth, though this may sound like a cheesy answer, all three are needed when communicating. A person can not just use one of the three to get there point across. A person needs to be able to hit on each of ethos, logos, and pathos so as to get the audience involved and interested.

COMMUNICATIONInformal Writing Example #2

From Moodle Discussion Forum #25 of 30Topic: Media Ecology Theory

DISC #26: MEDIA ECOLOGY THEORY (CHAPT 25)by Ed Tywoniak - Sunday, 17 November 2013, 8:13 PM The person who posts the first question will be guaranteed to receive a full 5 points for this discussion assignment. Every other post will be worth up to five points depending upon quality of response. Be sure to have both a DIRECT RESPONSE and a PERSONAL RESPONSE in your post plus a any relevant page reference.

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Re: DISC #26: MEDIA ECOLOGY THEORY (CHAPT 25)by Sarah Coutermarsh - Sunday, 17 November 2013, 9:47 PM

The third assumption of Media Ecology Theory is "Media tie the world together" (p. 430). The phrase that Marshall McLuhan uses to further explain his assumption is global village which is defined as, "the notion that humans can no longer live in isolation, but rather will always be connected by continuous and instantaneous electronic media" (p. 432). Global village is used to describe how the media has the power to organize societies socially. While reading the narrative from this chapter I couldn't help but think that it was a story line right out of the television show How to Catch a Predator. On this particular reality television show investigators impersonated underage children on chat room websites in order to detain adults who contacted them over the internet for sexual liaisons. The investigators would then

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lure the older men and women under the pretense of sexual contact and then confronted them. What are the positive and negatives of media being able to tie the world together? What do you think Marshall McLuhan's opinion would be on the many roles technology plays in today's society? Has technology become too powerful and dangerous?


Re: DISC #26: MEDIA ECOLOGY THEORY (CHAPT 25)by Kristen McEnerney - Sunday, 17 November 2013, 10:15 PM I think, like the beginning narrative points out, the positives of media being able to tie the world together is what allows for Tiera and Marcus to meet, even though they live in different countries. If it wasn’t for media, since they don’t visit the same social places, they most likely never would have connected. Obviously the negatives of media are that, like in How to Catch a Predator and the show Catfish, Marcus could have turned out not to be who he said he was and could have turned out to be someone very dangerous. I don’t believe technology has become to powerful and dangerous, because I think the pros of it outweigh the cons. For example, when Tiera decides to meet Marcus for the first time she takes precaution and meets him in a public place, tells her family where she is, and rides in a separate car than him. Taking precautions, like Tiera, are some of the ways people can protect themselves from some of the potential dangers of technology.

I believe Marshall McLuhen would have been okay with the many roles technology plays in our society today, as long as it is used in a positive way, since he himself was part of the culture’s media during his time. As the book states, “McLuhan feels that societies are highly dependent on mediated technology and that a society’s social order is based on its ability to deal with that technology.


Re: DISC #26: MEDIA ECOLOGY THEORY (CHAPT 25)by Xavier Sanchez - Sunday, 17 November 2013, 10:58 PM One of the positives of media being able to tie the world together would be that we can connect and contact people with such ease to obtain information from each other without having distance being a factor. One of the negative factors would be that we as humans have become very dependent on it that we prefer to use different forms of media rather than have face to face contact making us unsocial beings. I would also have to agree that Marshall McLuhan would be okay with it because of how he was a part of media culture in his days. I do believe that technology has been becoming too powerful and dangerous because it is moving at such a fast pace that we as humans have become obsessed trying to catch up by buying the newest products that are pretty much the same as the previous model. They have also been shaping our language by using words such as OMG or hash tags. Basically it has been making us lose focus on whats important in life.


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Re: DISC #26: MEDIA ECOLOGY THEORY (CHAPT 25)by Jency James - Sunday, 17 November 2013, 11:31 PM Technology has definitely made aspects of our lives easier in terms of communication. Distance is not the communicative obstacle it once was and certain actions are much more simplified now. But personally, I think we have allowed technology to overtake our lives in many ways. Just think of how often we log into Facebook, check our email or send Snapchats to friends. This has allowed us to become more disconnected from each other. I think that while McLuhan would appreciate the positive aspects of modern technology, as a communications scholar he would caution us against replacing human interaction with technology.

What forms of modern media would McLuhan categorize as "hot media" and "cool media" (437-438)?


Re: DISC #26: MEDIA ECOLOGY THEORY (CHAPT 25)by Kathryn Conaty - Sunday, 17 November 2013, 11:39 PM I believe that there are positive as well as negative benefits in regards to technology and the idea of it being able to “tie the world together.” The positive things that come out of it are the ways in which we constantly know what is going on in the world at anytime. We also stay connected with people no matter where they are in the world, and have the ability to stay connected to anyone we choose. But aside from these positive aspects there are drawbacks. It is clear that technology has taken over our society. People now have a harder time communicating with each other in person because it is so easy to simply send a text or email. This can lead to problems due to the fact that people are becoming more and more disconnected with each other, not knowing how to interact properly. In my opinion technology is becoming more and more dangerous because we are constantly searching for the next best thing.


Re: DISC #26: MEDIA ECOLOGY THEORY (CHAPT 25)by Krysta Worthen - Sunday, 17 November 2013, 11:45 PM In answer to Sarah's question about the role of technology today, I think that it perhaps has become too powerful, but I definitely think too it is too prevalent in today's society. Technology's advances can be used for both good and bad, for example while I was abroad last semester, I was still able to video chat via FaceTime or Skype with my family and friends back home to stay connected, and when my brother gets deployed in a couple months, he will be able to still see and talk to his wife and kids while he is halfway across the world. However, I think that technology has inhibited our abilities to communicate in a more personal way. We spend so much time on technology that some people don't know how to communicate effectively in a natural setting. I think this is due to a higher amount of "hot media" as McLuhan calls it, because it requires "little involvement from a viewer, listener, or reader"

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(437). Due to a higher intake of "hot media" requiring little involvement, our natural personal/social/communication skills become weaker.


Re: DISC #26: MEDIA ECOLOGY THEORY (CHAPT 25)by Hana Mathe - Monday, 18 November 2013, 7:30 AM I think there are many positives and negatives of media being able to tie the world together. For example, it was stated that "(m)edia connect the world" (432). This is generally a positive thing, especially for people who are trying to keep in contact with friends and family members that live far away. In this day and age, it's so easy to be in touch with people who live in different countries through sites and media apps like facebook. However, this can obviously be negative since you provided a good example, Sarah, of sexual predators using chat rooms to creep on underage children. I think McLuhan would have mixed feelings on technology's impact on society today, especially since he claimed that it's so easy for us to be seduced by technology, which I interpreted to have a negative connotation. However, he did stress that technology plays a large role in the advancement of society, which is generally seen as a good thing.


Re: DISC #26: MEDIA ECOLOGY THEORY (CHAPT 25)by Olga Zhuk - Monday, 18 November 2013, 7:33 AM In response to Sarah, I think that technology has become very powerful in our society today. I would definitely say that the media has been very powerful and has gotten even a stronger grip on the many people around us. Kids watch Family guy that has very funny but inappropriate jokes at time, but yet it is still a cartoon which influences kids to take interest in it. What I am trying to say is that the "epoch" or era (pg.432 has changed a lot and the media that is being aired has become a lot more powerful, through my eyes. As for the assumptions the one that made a lot of sense and caught my eye was "Media infuse every act and action in society." (pg. 430)How we do things, such as use the iPhone, we are influenced by the media and this is how we connect within each others everyday lives.To keep up with the celebrities, we use media and therefore some people may start to act like the people that are displayed to the public.Overall the media does tie the world together as we have learned throughout this chapter of the Media Ecology Theory.


Re: DISC #26: MEDIA ECOLOGY THEORY (CHAPT 25)by Joseph Rattay - Monday, 18 November 2013, 7:50 AM Mcluhan's notion that the 'medium is the message' seems to be much more practical and grounded as a theory when compared to his ideas on 'hot and cold' mediums. The textbook describes hot and cool

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mediums as "confounding to many scholars, and yet it is a pivotal aspect of the theory" (437). I have a difficult time understanding how the classification of media into hot or cold is 'pivotal' in understanding that the medium is more important that the symbols exchanged on them. This isn't my first encounter with the concept of the hot and cold medium, and I still have yet to have an inkling about why anyone is talking about it to me. Reading what I just wrote back to myself,

I seem to be sounding critical of hot and cool mediums, but what do you think? Is there something that I am not understanding in terms of the usefulness of hot and cold mediums when studying media ecology? How do hot and cool mediums change our lives? Is this impact at all as powerful as the idea that the medium is the message?


Re: DISC #26: MEDIA ECOLOGY THEORY (CHAPT 25)by Brandon Finstad - Monday, 18 November 2013, 8:21 AM In response to Sarah, I don't think the media has become too powerful pr dangerous. I think it is evolving so fast we are still trying to figure out how to incorporate it into our daily lives. I think, eventually it will come full circle and we utilize it differently than we do today, for both positive and negative influence. I think T&W makes this point on page 433 - “The computer is by all odds the most extraordinary of all the technological clothing ever devised . . . since it is the extension of our central nervous system” (McLuhan & Fiore, 1968, p. 35). We have had a significant amount of breakthroughs the last 100 years. Far more than any other 100 year period in human history. What do you think will be next big breakthrough? Or will technology finally start to taper-off for w a while?


Re: DISC #26: MEDIA ECOLOGY THEORY (CHAPT 25)by Alana Csaposs - Monday, 18 November 2013, 8:29 AM I think that media has many advantages and drawbacks, mainly surrounding communication between people, as well as the sharing of information. The media has allowed immense amounts of information to be promoted in all kinds of forms, and has allowed for individuals to participate in the search for the truth within all this information - we have learned to take nothing at face value anymore, in terms of what's real. However, it has affected communication in the ways that McLuhan and media ecology scholars foresaw, in which "media fix[es] perception and organize[s] our lives." (431) Communication is constantly mediated, whether it is through a telephone or through Facebook, the medium has become even more important than the message. However, our ability to communicate face-to-face has become lost within the shuffle of the media. In order to gain the abilities we needed to communicated through mediated forms, we have lost some of the social abilities to connect in-person. I don't think that technology has become too powerful, but I do believe it is the responsibility of the individual to regulate their personal use - I do believe technology and media can be abused, but it is up to each person to understand how to use media in a manner that supports a healthy lifestyle for themselves.


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Re: DISC #26: MEDIA ECOLOGY THEORY (CHAPT 25)by Elizabeth Searl - Monday, 18 November 2013, 8:50 AM I like the points that Brandon make here in that technology shouldn't be something were necessarily 'afraid' of, it is something we as a species have created and use everyday in our lives. We should be able to use it to benefit ourselves. I also agree with sarah's initial first response, that the 3rd assumption is 100% accurate; without these new technologies, especially the internet, the media ties the world into one big place, which is becoming less and less segregated everyday. Relating to this idea strongly is the 1st assumption, that "media infuse every act and action in society" (430) The word 'infuse' here really stood out to me, that as a global cyber community, we are all becoming more and more similar each day whether we know it or not. McLuhan says on page 431, "These media transform our society, whether through the games we play, the radios we listen to, or the televisions we watch". The transformation of societies gradually becoming more similar as more media brings many people closer together is ever present is is only going to keep happening. Do you think the world becoming more 'as one' is a good or bad thing?


Re: DISC #26: MEDIA ECOLOGY THEORY (CHAPT 25)by Kurt Jahnke - Monday, 18 November 2013, 9:05 AM I think that the positives largely outweigh the negatives in regards of the media being able to tie the world together. I agree with Brandon in that this technology boom is a first generational thing, and after many years, society will be able to balance it out.

I think McLuhan would find technology's role today fascinating, and think its a very positive thing for this world.

I don't believe that technology has become too powerful, i just think that we are all not used to the sudden advances that are happening all the time. Before we are able to get used to a new piece of technology, a newer, better more advanced one is already being made.


Re: DISC #26: MEDIA ECOLOGY THEORY (CHAPT 25)by Alyssa Collier - Monday, 18 November 2013, 9:29 AM In response to Sarah, T&W states, "As a result we should be concerned with global events, rather than remaining focused on our own communities. The globe is no more than a village and that we should feel responsible for others. Others are now involved in our lives, as we in theirs, thanks to the electric media" (p. 432). The global village is the notion that humans can no longer love in isolation but rather always connected by instantaneous and continuous media. Electronic media helps pervade our sense allowing for people across the world to he connected which has returned to us to a primitive like reliance on talking to one another. In comparison the print era provided even more permanency of record than in the literate age. it allowed people other than the elite to gain access to information. The

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positives of this era is that the media is reaching everyone where as the electronic media may only reach the specific people with the ability to talk through television, cell phones, blogs, etc. I think McLuhan would be impressed with the enhancement of media throughout our society today, it has brought the world together by engaging and involving you. I do not find it dangerous but I do find it to be very powerful in our society today.


Re: DISC #26: MEDIA ECOLOGY THEORY (CHAPT 25)by Danielle Lamb - Monday, 18 November 2013, 10:30 AM There are tons of positives and negatives to living in a global village. What is important to keep in mind, however, that despite its pros and cons, living in a global village is inescapable. It has become a fact of life. By living in a global village, we are able to connect to one another much more easily. In this day and age, an individual can be just as effect in finding support and assistance for a person or a community as a giant corporation. I have the privilege of talking to people of all different cultures all over the world through social media. This makes me a much more aware, compassionate person as a result. Unfortunately though, the inclusiveness of social media can create problems as well. With social media comes a widespread distribution of individual biases. One person, one politician, or one reporter has the ability to shape the minds and mold the perceptions of whole communities. McLuhan assert that “We become (sometimes unwittingly) manipulated by television. Our attitudes and experiences are directly. Our attitudes and experiences are directly influenced by what we watch on television, and our beliefs systems apparently can be negatively affected by television” (431). Technology has the potential to be a powerful weapon—or a powerful tool. It all depends on who is holding that power and how much power the world allows a person to have.


Re: DISC #26: MEDIA ECOLOGY THEORY (CHAPT 25)by Alexander Levesque - Monday, 18 November 2013, 2:12 PM There are both positives and negatives in technology and people communicating. I think that one of the positives is being able to keep in touch with friends no matter how far apart you are. I love the fact that I can send a text to my high school friends even though we went to different colleges. It makes it easier to maintain our friendship. I think the problem arises, like in all things, when we become deponent on these forms of media and communication. People now-a-days can't live without their phone right next to them at all times. Sometimes you can look into a group of people and instead of talking to one another, they are all on their phones. People don't need to get rid of the technology but rather just know when its not needed.


Re: DISC #26: MEDIA ECOLOGY THEORY (CHAPT 25)by Elizabeth Geiser - Monday, 18 November 2013, 4:25 PM

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Sarah, this topic has many positive and negative outcomes based on different contexts. I think on one end the media positively ties the world together by informing on various news and political spheres as well as the resources to be able to communicate with others across the world. On the negative scope, I think the media presents many false facts that individuals choose to perceive as truth therefore leading to misunderstandings through out the world. Additionally, I somewhat think technology has become dangerous in tour day and age. In retrospect of myself, it frightens me to know that someone could be internet stalking me based off of where Facebook say I may be. Even though I have location services turned off on my phone, any one of my friends could tag me at a location. This also leads to the notion that because technology is becoming more powerful, as users we should all be consciously trying to be more responsible about what we reveal through our various forms of technology.


Re: DISC #26: MEDIA ECOLOGY THEORY (CHAPT 25)by Paul Aliotti - Monday, 18 November 2013, 4:37 PM Brandon, I agree with your viewpoint on how media is not dangerous, but I feel it does have a powerful effect on our society today. Take our cellular devices for example. The majority of our society has cell-phones, because they are very convenient, and make life a lot easier. On the other-hand, we all are so dependent and reliable on these devices that we tend to feel somewhat "naked" without them.

I feel the next breakthrough in technology is going to be something that fulfills everyone's technological needs (not that smart phones don't). Technology is evolving into something greater every day. A prime example of a technological breakthrough was when Tupac’s hologram performed at Coachella in 2012. This was something that a lot of people have never witnessed, and made a dream performance a reality.


Re: DISC #26: MEDIA ECOLOGY THEORY (CHAPT 25)by Amber Myers - Monday, 18 November 2013, 7:00 PM I agree Kristen, I definitely believe the pros outweigh the cons. Our society really highlights the dangers of meeting people online, but I don't think it is as much of a problem as we think it is. I also agree that it is nearly impossible to escape technology now because it shapes so much of our society. I can easily say that without Facebook or without a phone I would not have kept in contact with a lot of my friends, or even some distant family members. As long as we use it for beneficial purposes, technology is a positive thing to our society.


Re: DISC #26: MEDIA ECOLOGY THEORY (CHAPT 25)by Amber Myers - Monday, 18 November 2013, 7:35 PM

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I agree Kristen, I definitely believe the pros outweigh the cons. Our society really highlights the dangers of meeting people online, but I don't think it is as much of a problem as we think it is. I also agree that it is nearly impossible to escape technology now because it shapes so much of our society. I can easily say that without Facebook or without a phone I would not have kept in contact with a lot of my friends, or even some distant family members. As long as we use it for beneficial purposes, technology is a positive thing to our society.


Re: DISC #26: MEDIA ECOLOGY THEORY (CHAPT 25)by Nannina Cooper - Tuesday, 19 November 2013, 11:35 PM I also agree with Amber.

Technology has been existent throughout our generation, and nothing functions desirably without it. Therefore it is nearly impossible to escape technology. It has grown to form our society, rather than our society forming it.

I also agree that on the topic of online dating, their are definitely dangers behind it, but our society pushes them aside because it has become such a normal way of meeting people. Technology has completely turned around the typical "dating routine".


Re: DISC #26: MEDIA ECOLOGY THEORY (CHAPT 25)by Kyle Volk - Wednesday, 4 December 2013, 10:11 AM Just this past weekend , my family and I had a large argument on whether technology is helpful or hurtful to all of society. And what we conclude is that though technology in the right hands can be helpful -- such as using technology for work and learning -- but when it causes a distraction like video games and the internet for kids, it causes a problem with their focus. Sine technology is such a large part of our lives now though, kids need to have technology in school and at home while at the same time, your asking them to not be kids and not to use the technology for playing. My old high school has turned into an iPad campus and kids are having trouble focusing because they are on their games and the internet all the time. This is an example of students be inhibited by technology.


Re: DISC #26: MEDIA ECOLOGY THEORY (CHAPT 25)by William Ratcliff - Monday, 9 December 2013, 3:16 PM I also had a similar thought when studying this theory, Marshall Mcluhan makes a point that technology is becoming more and more ubiquitous in our way of life. But what I wondered is what happens when technology becomes even more dominant than human connection? that our global village of human consciousness takes on its own entity. This made me think of a similar idea to yours,

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except I thought of the hollywood movie, "The Matrix". which has similar themes to technology controlling man eventually instead of man controlling technology. It is an interesting theory to ponder.


Re: DISC #26: MEDIA ECOLOGY THEORY (CHAPT 25)by Kaitlin Kellogg - Tuesday, 10 December 2013, 12:39 PM Amber has a really great point here and I couldn't agree more that personal moderation has the ability to be the impact upon the media ecology that influences our daily lives. Media ecology permeates everything people do, technology is everywhere now... It's in our phones, computers, advertisements and even in our homes now! As the old saying goes technology can be " too much of a good thing" but if moderation and will power is exercised in this situation I believe the influence of technology can be helpful and enjoyable.


Re: DISC #26: MEDIA ECOLOGY THEORY (CHAPT 25)by Megan Verrips - Wednesday, 18 December 2013, 8:37 PM I agree with Joseph, the idea of hot and cold mediums confused me as well, while the idea that the medium is the message makes a lot more sense and has more meaning to me. On page 438 the book discusses how McLuhan considered TV as a cool media, while today it could be considered a hot media. I don't understand how a medium can change.

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