Paula K. Dixon, M.A. Communication

office 103 Swails Center  ::  desk 706.245.2837  ::  pdixon@ec.edu

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CM130 Intro. to Comm.

CM205 Media Writing

CM211 Desktop Publishing

CM212 Photojournalism

CM214 Graphic Design

CM215 Journalism

CM310 Biz-Pro Speech

CM316 MM Public Comm.

CM317 Pro. Interviewing

CM402 Internship

CM471 Sr. Project

BU360 Biz Comm.

SS400 Sr. Seminar

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Course Description

This course studies interviewing practices applicable to a broad range of contexts including journalism, employment, and opinion polling. Prerequisite: CM 130.

Required Texts

Stewart, Charles J. and Cash, William B. Jr. Interviewing: Principles and Practices. 12th ed. Boston, MA: McGraw Hill, 2008. ISBN 978-0-07-340671-8 or 0073406716.

"The most widely-used text for the interviewing course, Interviewing: Principles and Practices offers comprehensive coverage of a wide range of interviews, as well as the most thorough treatment of the basics of interviewing (including the complex interpersonal communication process, types and uses of questions, and the structuring of interviews from opening to closing). Relevant theory is carefully integrated as a foundation for the practical aspects of interviewing--for both the interviewer and the interviewee. " (mhcollege.com).

E-mail Requirement

   Students MUST activate their campus e-mail accounts with our college no later than one week into the semester. The instructor will distribute study guides for exams and some assignments via e-mail. Likewise, students will submit some assigned work via e-mail. Basic e-mail operations will be reviewed in class by the instructor as needed.

Course Goals

Upon completion of this course, students should be able to

Class participation is vital. Significant portions of course material will be presented through in-class interactive assignments and discussions as well professional experiences by special guests; therefore, attendance will directly affect your success and course grade. Each absence is a one-point deduction from the final course grade, and each tardy is a 1/2 point deduction from the final course grade. An absence on a day when a special guest shares with our class is a 5-point deduction from the final course grade.

It is the student’s responsibility to sign the attendance sheet. If the student fails to sign in, s/he will be recorded absent. If absences are because of college-sanctioned events, then the absence will be recorded but the absence will not carry a penalty. (Submitting late work will, however, will carry a penalty.) Any written excuses, such as a doctor's excuse, must be given to the instructor within one week of the absence to allow make-up tests or assignments.

Ten percent of the course grade will be a direct reflection of the student's attendance, conduct in the classroom, participation in class discussions, group work, interaction with peers, instructors and guests. This reflects issues of attitude, effort, attentiveness, timeliness, participation, the ability to work well with others, meeting deadlines, etc.

Automatic Grade Reduction

   Missed Deadlines

   Because of the nature of the communication industry and the importance of time management skills in any field, this instructor does not give full credit for any assignment or in-class exercise after the deadline/due date. Late submissions result in a deduction of 20 points per each day after the deadline for the assignment or exercise.

   Each deadline for each assignment and exercise is clearly outlined in the course schedule of this syllabus, and the instructor usually reminds students frequently about upcoming deadlines. However, it is the responsibility of the student to keep up with deadlines and plan accordingly.

   If the student foresees a problem with meeting a deadline, for example an absence on that particular deadline date, then that student should plan to submit that assignment before the deadline and should talk to instructor to arrange that. Early submissions are always welcome.

    Failure to Cite Sources

Assignments which intentionally or unintentionally omit sources will receive a grade of zero. The instructor may or may not give one warning, but do not expect two. This refers to written, visual, and audio sources. "In plain language, plagiarism is taking someone else’s work and passing it off as one’s own without proper acknowledgment or documentation" (www.ala.org, July 3, 2003).

Because some of this course in handled in an online format, please be aware of Emmanuel College's policy:

"Because of the nature of online courses, if a faculty member has any concerns that a student’s work might not be his/her own, the College reserves the right to require any distance education student to take or re-take any quizzes or exams in a supervised setting. Furthermore, under such circumstances, the College reserves the right to base the entire course grade upon the results of a supervised comprehensive exam.  Students refusing to take supervised quizzes/exams will be subject to administrative withdrawal from the course(s). Attempts by any student to buy, borrow, or steal work from another individual for the purpose of submitting that work as one’s own will be treated as the equivalent of actually having submitted the work and may result in failure of assignment, failure of course, and/or expulsion from the College."

Students are expected to comply with the dress code of modesty in the Student Handbook.

Two exams will be given during the semester and constitute 20 percent of the overall course grade. A number of in-class assignments are also included and make up 20 percent of the overall course grade (see the Course Schedule for dates).

Students who anticipate absences on exam dates or in-class assignment dates should arrange to take tests or complete assignments before the date of absence. Approval is at the discretion of the instructor. Conversely, students who do not anticipate absences but are unable to attend class on exam dates may be allowed at the discretion on the instructor to complete late exams. However, late exams must be completed within one week of the original exam date. Failure to take exams on scheduled dates results in automatic elimination of any curve or bonus points which might be added to exam scores.

This course is designed to feature special guests who will share their professional interview experiences and advice. The instructor considers this to be a huge learning opportunity for students as well as a chance for students to make significant contacts and, hopefully, positive impressions on guests. Students must post feedback about what they learned to the Discussion Board in NetLearn. (See Class Schedule for due dates.)

Student absences on special guest days result in a 3-point deduction from the final course grade. More about conduct and attire will be discussed in class then documented in this syllabus (that gives the instructor and students a chance to discuss and agree on what is appropriate and expected before including it in this syllabus). NOTE: information shared by guests will be included on exams.

In-Class Assignments

Participation in assignments during class meetings accounts for 30 percent of the course grade. These include role playing (mock interviews), constructing questions, structuring interviews, etc. Anonymous peer evaluations provide valuable feedback for each student during these application-oriented exercises. Class attendance is a must for these; the instructor can not replicate these, so make-up work is not possible.

Writing

Written work includes resumes, cover letters and thank you letters, and they account for 15 percent of the final course grade. You will revise these and submit the final version of your choice for a grade. (More details  and examples will be discussed in class.)

Grading Scale

A = 90-100, B = 80-89, C = 70-79, D = 60-69, F = 0-59

Examinations...20%

In-class Assignments...30%

Interviews...25%

Writing...15%

Responsibility Grade…10%

Writing Across Curriculum Policy

Consistent with our college's goal of striving for writing excellence in all classes, this instructor will grade all written assignments for correct grammar, spelling, and the like. Points will be deducted for writing mistakes, and any written work containing spelling or grammatical errors will not receive an A regardless of the content. For assistance, visit EC's Success Center in Aaron 207.

Multicultural Objective

Students are expected to show respect for all, regardless of gender, ethnicity, cultural background, disability, or religious viewpoint.