Course Details

RHCS 105: Media, Culture, and Identity
Dr. Nicole Maurantonio (nmaurant@richmond.edu)
Spring 2016
Tu/Th, 9-10:15 AM
Classroom: Weinstein Hall 105
Office: Weinstein Hall 402-I
Office Hours: Tuesday, 3-5 PM and by appointment

Course Readings:

There is one required text for this course available at the University of Richmond Bookstore. The text can also be purchased on Amazon or another online seller.

Croteau, D., Hoynes, W., & Milan, S. (2014). Media/Society: Industries, Images, and Audiences. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage. (5th edition)

Additional readings will be accessible via the course blog. All assignments should be completed by class time the day they are assigned.

Please note: There are several required films for this class as well. I will make announcements in class regarding the best way to access these films.

Course Evaluation:

Students are assessed according in three ways: 1) Exams/Quizzes, 2) Class Participation, and 3) Written Assignments.

Exams/Quizzes (45% or 450 points)

  • Pop Quizzes  25 points/quiz x 10 quizzes = 250 points
  • Final Exam 200 points

Class Participation (10% or 100 points)

Written Assignments (45% or 450 points)

  • Short Essay Assignments 100 points/paper x 3 papers = 300 points
  • Media Fast Assignment 100 points
  • Campus Participation 50 points

Total: 1000 points

Exams/Quizzes (450 points)

Students will take 11 pop reading quizzes over the course of the semester. Students will be permitted to drop their lowest quiz, as only 10 of the 11 quizzes will count toward each student’s final grade. [However, please note ALL quiz grades will appear on Blackboard until the end of the semester.] Quizzes will include a combination of multiple choice, T/F, fill in the blank, and short answer questions. Students will receive 10 minutes at the start of class to complete the quiz. Latecomers to class will not receive additional time to complete the quiz. Quizzes cannot be made up. Students with a University-sanctioned absence (i.e. athletics, illness, etc.) should see me.

In addition to the pop quizzes, students will take a final exam. This exam will take place during finals week at the assigned time for this course (Tuesday, April 26 from 2 – 5 PM). The final exam is cumulative. I will distribute a study sheet during the last week of class.

Class Participation (100 points)

Class participation will be assessed on the basis of two elements: 1) blog and in-class participation (and attendance); 2) blog curation.

Blog and in-class participation (75 points). Students are expected to be in class on time. I will begin promptly at the time designated for this course. Please respect our time together and make sure you are ready to go when we begin. Not attending class will adversely impact students’ grades. Student are permitted one (1) absence over the course of the semester. More than three absences will constitute grounds for failing this course. If you are absent on a given day, it is your responsibility to catch up on any work you miss. I do not post my slides to Blackboard and will not email them to individual students. I will also not explain missed work via email. I am more than happy to answer questions regarding course materials, however, it is your responsibility to be in touch with me.

Participation in class entails more than showing up. Each student is expected to contribute to discussion both in class and on the course blog.

Students are expected to reply to their peers’ blog posts with brief comments. The blog is intended to help stimulate discussion and also introduce the class to a variety of contemporary issues in popular media. Using the blog to make connections and ask questions will improve your class participation grade.

Note: Individual comments are not graded. Rather, blog participation is assessed collectively. At the mid-term point, I will give each student a projected class participation grade based upon blog and in-class contributions. I am happy to discuss class participation grades at any point in the semester.

Additionally, all students are strongly encouraged to post relevant articles, images, etc., along with a brief explanation of what prompted the post as a way to connect the course to the world outside.

Blog curation (25 points): Over the course of the semester, each student will be required to work with a partner to post a question and/or produce a reflection paper that is intended to stimulate discussion. I will provide additional information as the semester progresses.

Written Assignments (450 points)

Over the course of the semester, students will be required to write three (3) short papers that respond to a provided question(s). I will provide the question(s) one week prior to the paper deadline. These papers are due before the start of class on the days listed on the course schedule. The assignments are to be submitted via the course Blackboard site. Each short essay is worth 100 points and will be scored on the basis of the rubric provided in class. I will not accept late essay assignments.

Students are required to complete two additional writing assignments over the course of the semester, the media fast and campus participation assignments. Additional detail regarding these assignments will be provided as the semester progresses.

Student Accommodations:

I would like to hear from anyone who has a disability or a special challenge that requires some modification of seating or other class requirements so that we can make appropriate arrangements. Please see me after class or during office hours.

Academic Integrity:

This course adheres to the University’s policy regarding academic integrity. Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Students are required to pledge the following statement on all assignments, quizzes, exams, and projects submitted for this course, acknowledging their commitment to the University’s Honor Code:

“I pledge that I have neither received nor given unauthorized assistance during the completion of this work.”

A simple “I pledge” followed by the student’s signature will also do.

See University’s Honor Code for more information.