MCOM 333 Syllabus

Spring 2012
MCOM 333.101 | Thursdays 6:30-9:10 p.m. | VB 207
Dr. Stacy Spaulding | office hours | email | @drspaulding

Course description

MCOM 333 explores the changing world of social media in a comprehensive manner. Its usefulness to advertising, journalism and public relations practitioners is examined in depth. By the end of the course, students should have the knowledge and the capability to implement social media strategies in relation to a variety of communication challenges that they may face. Students should also be able to understand, discuss and write about social media within an ethical framework. MCOM 214 or 253 or 257 are course prerequisites.

Required reading

Required readings include class blog posts, readings listed in the class schedule and selected chapters from the following books:

• Groundswell
• Here Comes Everybody
• The Social Media Management Handbook
• The Social Media Bible
• Likeable Social Media
• A Survival Guide to Social Media and Web 2.0 Optimization

Assignments

Assignments for this class will include:

• The Social Media Status Update: Each week, one student will present a social media news report of relevant, timely developments in the social media world that communications professionals should be aware of. (5 points. Due dates vary.)
• The Thought Leader List: This is a list of two things: 1) your current social media profile, and 2) thought leaders and organizations in your field, along with their Twitter, Facebook and other relevant social media contact information. You’ll compile the list and follow the thought leaders you’ve identified, monitoring their feeds for industry-specific social media news that you can use to give your Social Media Status Update news report. (Pass/Fail. Due Feb. 9.) Deliverable: Post as a note to the Facebook group.
• Case Study: The Social Media Strategy of a Thought Leader. You’ll pick a thought leader in your field and analyze their social media strategy. (5 points. Due March 1. Assignment handout: PDF Example of an excellent student paper: PDF)
• Case Study: Ethics. You’ll study and write a case study of how an organization faced, and dealt with, an ethical dilemma. (5 points, Due March 15. Assignment handout: PDF Example of an excellent student paper: PDF)
• Group Project: Crafting an Organizational Social Media Strategy. You’ll conduct research and write an organizational social media strategy. (10 points. Assignment handout: PDF Example of an excellent student paper: PDF)
• Final exam: Using the readings and other class materials, you’ll create a personal social media strategy.

If necessary, there will be reading quizzes to encourage students to complete reading assignments.

Expectations

I expect you to:

• Read: Read all your assignments for class so that you’ll be prepared to talk intelligently on the issues we’ll discuss in class. Read the newspapers: I read the New York Times, The Washington Post, The Baltimore Sun, the City Paper, Urbanite, Baltimore Magazine and the Baltimore Brew. Set up an RSS feed and read news feeds that are relevant to your interests and to this class. Read good journalism that inspires you to be a better reporter.
• Be a problem-solver.
• Be persistent in tracking down information and sources for assignments.
• Be honest, supportive and kind to your classmates.
• Act professionally: Meet deadlines, attend and actively participate in classroom meetings, allocate an appropriate amount of time outside of the classroom for assignments and consultations with the professor, refrain from texting and Facebooking during class and refrain from interrupting class by leaving for water or bathroom breaks.

It is my goal to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of the subject and explain concepts clearly.
• Encourage you to do your best.
• Assign grades according to the criteria stated in the syllabus.
• Provide helpful feedback.
• Be available for consultation: I answer email promptly during business hours on business days, generally Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. I will also post and keep office hours. This is the appropriate time to discuss personal matters such as missed deadlines and class absences, questions regarding grading or missed coursework. This is also a good time to get my feedback on rough drafts.

Grading

There will be a minimum of 30 points available in this class–six graded assignments, each worth 5 points. I generally use rubrics to assess assignments. I have not yet developed the rubrics for this class, but you can see other rubric examples on the MCOM 407 webpage. I routinely use peer-grading techniques in other classes, and we may give that a try in this class as well.

Other grading notes

• Students may receive upper-level elective credit with a D, but this course will not count among MCOM credits.
• According to the Registrar’s Office, an I or incomplete can only be given “verifiable medical reasons or documented circumstances beyond their control.”
• A course grade of FX is given for non-attendance or failure to withdraw. If you stop attending class but do not withdraw, this is the grade you will receive.
• If you receive an F or FX, you may only repeat the course once. After repeating the course, students will only receive credit for the course once and the highest of the grades will be calculated. The lower grade will remain on the transcript with an “R” before it to indicate the course was repeated. For the transcript to reflect the repeated course, students must submit a Repeated Course Form to the Records Office. Transcript adjustments are not automatic.

Course Policies

Attendance: It is the policy of the university to excuse absences for illness, injury, religious observance, participation in university activities and compelling, verifiable circumstances beyond your control. If you are requesting an excused absence, you must provide documentation. Graded assignments, quizzes, tests, etc., may be made up in the case of an excused absence. All other absences are unexcused. Students are allowed one unexcused absence per semester. Graded assignments, quizzes, tests, etc., may be not be made up in the case of an unexcused absence. If you know you will be absent, it is your responsibility to do the following: 1) Email any homework to me before class starts. 2) Check with classmates and the course website to keep up to date on readings and assignments. 3) Meet with me during office hours if you have questions.

Students with disabilities are encouraged to register with Disability Support Services, 7720 York Road, Suite 232, ext. 4-2638 (voice or TDD). Students who suspect that they have a disability but do not have documentation are encouraged to contact DSS for evaluation information. A memo from DSS authorizing your accommodation is needed before any accommodation can be made.

Plagiarism: Please familiarize yourself with the MCCS plagiarism policy. All cases of plagiarism will be handled according to this policy. The best way to avoid plagiarism in this course: (1) Do your own, original reporting. (2) Be clear in your notes. Know what is a quote or paraphrase and what you wrote yourself. (3) Quote and attribute anything that you did not write yourself. (4) Don’t procrastinate. Get a head start so you can avoid making mistakes.

Civility: MCCS is committed to cultivated a collegial atmosphere in which we can all enjoy mutual respect and the creative pursuit of knowledge. Please familiarize yourself with our civility code and practice respectful behavior in the classroom and throughout campus.

Legal liability: In all assignments, students must comply with all laws and the legal rights of others (copyright, obscenity, privacy and defamation) and with all Towson University policies (academic dishonesty). Towson University is not liable or responsible for the content of any student assignments, regardless of where they are posted.

Repeating classes: Towson requires me to remind you that you may not attempt a class for the third time without prior permission from the Academic Standards Committee. Information regarding this policy can be obtained through Enrollment Services.