MC 7209: PUBLIC COMMUNICATION PRACTICES: Fall 2001, 1:40-4:30 p.m.

Dr. Laura F. Lindsay: Office: 215 Hatcher Hall; mailbox on second floor of Journalism Building near entrance to dean's offices; Phone: 8-5340; E-mail: Aclind@LSU.edu. Office Hours: 9:30-11:00 a.m. and 3:10-4:00 p.m. Tuesday, and Thursday or by appointment.

COURSE OVERVIEW: MC 7209 examines the role mediated communications plays in defining, influencing, and/or altering relationships among various stakeholders and interest groups with an emphasis on mass communication strategies used to formulate and execute public communication campaigns.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

Understand advanced theories related to defining/influencing/altering relationships among various stakeholders and interest groups
Provide historical context that gives students theoretical basis for judging strategies in time and place
Introduce students to practitioners who have conducted effective campaigns
Provide an opportunity to develop oral and written approaches to analysis and communication
Tie in possible publication opportunities in public relations or other communication journals
Provide opportunity to develop a thesis topic
Introduce students to classic texts and readings

CLASS FORMAT

The class follows a seminar format with emphasis on opportunities for students to apply written and oral presentational skills. Since this is a seminar format, attendance and timeliness are essential. Students are encouraged to have an LSU computer account to use E-mail and other computer access opportunities on campus. Students should not bring computers to class for note taking unless there are special circumstances; use of such devices in class is disruptive for other students.

REQUIRED TEXTS:

Petty, Richard E. and John T. Cacioppo. Attitudes and Persuasion: Classic and Contemporary Approaches. Boulder, CO: Westview, 1996.

Rice, Ronald E. and Charles K. Atkin, eds. Public Communication Campaigns. 3rd ed. London: Sage Publications, Inc., 2000.

Schudson, Michael. The Power of News. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1996.

Stake, Robert E. The Art of Case Study Research. London: Sage Publications, Inc., 1995.

Students must also purchase a course packet from the LSU Bookstore that includes selections from the following texts:

Buchholz, R. A. Principles of Environmental Management: The Greening of Business. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1998.

Hallahan, K. The Dynamics of Issues Activation and Response: An Issues Processes Model. Journal of Public Relations Research 13.1 (2001): 27-59.

Nimmo, Dan D. and James E. Combs, The Political Pundits. New York: Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc., 1992.

Stauber, John C., Sheldon Rampton, and Mark Dowie. Toxic Sludge is Good for You!: Lies, Damn Lies and the Public Relations Industry. Monroe, Maine: Common Courage Press, 1987.

GRADING POLICIES: Assignments are weighted as follows:

Project #1 25%

Project #2 25%

Project #3 50%

GRADING SCALE:

A = excellent, usually in the 90-100 range

B = good to very good, usually in the 80-89 range

C = average but not acceptable for graduate work, usually in the 70-79

D = below average, 60-69 range

F = failing, 0-59 range

WRITING ASSIGNMENTS: Students will prepare two written papers of no more than five pages each (single-spaced) to accompany oral class presentations for the first two projects. The final project will also be presented orally; the paper for the final project should be no more than 15 pages, excluding bibliography and attachments. Your papers will provide an opportunity to analyze mediated communication campaigns. Papers must be in 12 pt. font double-spaced on good white paper with margins of 1.5 inches on the top and left-hand side and 1.0 inch on the right-hand side and bottom. Work will receive full credit if it is on time and conforms to the highest professional standards (grammar, punctuation, spelling, format, quality of research and analysis). Use correct format and documentation according to one of the following style manuals: MLA Style Manual or the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA), which can be found in the LSU or other campus bookstores. To receive credit, students should submit papers on the due date assigned, either before or during class.

SPECIAL CONCERNS: University regulations will be followed without exception. If you are not familiar with these regulations, consult the LSU Catalog.

Special Needs: If you have a disability, notify the Office of Disability Services for information about university services, policies, and procedures.
Ethical Issues: Graduate education is an opportunity to develop and sharpen your knowledge, analytical skills, and ability to present ideas. Plagiarism and Cheating of any kind will not be tolerated. Anyone suspected of these serious offenses will be referred to the Dean of the Graduate School for further action. Plagiarism is the use of another's work or ideas and presenting them as your own, orally or in writing. Always cite your sources.
Other Concerns: Your work should be original for this course, not a recycled topic submitted for another course. If you wish to further explore a topic that you have used for an assignment in another course, speak to me first.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

Session Date Topic

1 8/27 Public communication practices: an overview and expectations.

Assignment: Read: Rice/Atkin, Ch.1-4; Petty/Caccioppo Ch. 1-4.

Discussion of Project #1

2 9/10 Discussion of readings.

Sampler: Hill and Knowlton's "Campaign for a Free Kuwait"

Assignment: Read Petty/Cacioppo Ch. 5, 6, 8; Rice/Atkin Ch. 6-10.

3 9/17 Project 1 presentations beginning with 18^th c.

Rice/Atkin Ch. 6-10 as they relate to presentations.

Assignment: Read Schudson all; Rice/Atkin Ch. 28, 29, 30.

4 10/1 Media's impact on public communication campaigns.

Assignment: Project #2. Stake, Ch. 1-4.

5 10/8 Presentation of case study: LSU.

6 10/15 Presentations of Project 2 and discussion of readings.

7 10/22 Complete presentations of Project 2.

Assignment: Read Rice/Atkin Ch.12, 21-23; Caywood, Ch. 11, 12, 18; Hallahan's Issues Processes Model; Stake, Ch. 5-7.

8 10/29 Issues Management. Final project discussion.

Assignment: Rice/Atkin Ch. 11, 13, 14, 15, 24, 25, 26, 29.

9 11/5 Guest speaker: Health campaigns.

Assignment: Rice/Atkin Ch. 16, 19; Stauber Ch. 7-9; Buchholz Ch. 3, 12-13.

10 11/12 Guest Speaker: Environmental campaigns.

Assignment: Rice/Atkin Ch. 20; Nimmo Ch. 4 and 6; Stake 8-9.

11 11/19 Guest Speaker: Political campaigns. Final project discussion.

12 11/26 Final project presentations

13 12/3 Final project presentations

NOON 12/11 Scheduled date of final exam.