PSC 336 : Mass Media and American Politics

Course Summary and Objectives

It is impossible to understand the current state of American politics without understanding the role of the mass media. The media are at the center of current debates over American politics. In this course we will examine the ways politicians attempt to use the media (both in campaigns and while in office), the ways we consume media, and the impact that media consumption has on our opinions, attitudes, and values. This class will be of use to anyone with an interest in political science, communications, sociology, psychology, or simply an interest in gaining a deeper understanding of the political and social world in which we live. I hope you will find these topics as interesting as I do!

In this class you will learn theories about the mass media and American politics and then apply these theories to examples of how news is generated and reported in real time. The constantly changing nature of the mass media suggests that a Web-based approach is an optimal way to teach the subject. Throughout this course, you will use articles, press releases, Web-based experiments, and Web sites on specific topics to answer questions, complete assignments, and learn more about media and politics.  

When you have completed this course, you will be able to apply theories of mass media and politics to actual news events, and increase your understanding of American politics.

This course home page provides the information you will need to get started, including the course requirements and links to the lessons.

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Required Readings

• Graber, Doris A. 2006. Mass Media and American Politics, Seventh Edition. Washington DC: CQ Press (referred to in the lessons as Mass Media)
• Graber, Doris A., Denis McQuail, and Pippa Norris, eds. 1998. The Politics of News: The News of Politics. Washington DC: CQ Press.  (referred to in the lessons as Politics of News)
• There are also a number of Web-based readings listed in each lesson.

You may purchase the textbooks from the Higher Grounds bookstore at the Friday Center in person, online, or by printing out a book order form and mailing or faxing it in.

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Assignments and Grading

Your grade will be determined by five assignments and two exams:

1. There are five small papers or assignments spread throughout the course. Each falls on an even-numbered lesson (2, 4, 6, 8, 10). In the assignments you will apply what you’ve learned to real-world events in media and politics. Each assignment is worth 10 percent of your total grade in the course.
2. The midterm (to be taken after Lesson 5) will cover the first half of the course and will consist of 33 multiple-choice questions. The midterm will make up 25 percent of your total grade in the course.  When you are ready to take the midterm, send me an e-mail and I will e-mail the exam to you.
3. The final exam must be supervised. The final will consist of 25 multiple-choice questions that cover the second half of the course, and one essay question that covers the entire course. This exam will make up the remaining 25 percent of your grade. When you have completed all of your course work, you'll need to schedule your final exam (see Scheduling Your Final Exam).

Submitting Written Assignments

When you submit assignments, please make sure they’re double-spaced in 12-point font. Put your name at the top of the first page and number all pages. I will grade MS Word or .pdf files; please do not submit anything in Word Perfect. If you follow these simple instructions, I’ll do my best to grade your assignments quickly and thoroughly and will have your grades returned to you by e-mail within seven days of the time I receive them.

Submit your written assignments according to the following instructions. Please proofread your work and keep a copy for your records.

Use the "Submit Your Assignment" button at the end of each Assignment section to submit your assignment. This button provides you with an e-mail message that is pre-addressed to me and to Student Services at the Friday Center. Attach the file containing your assignment to that e-mail. If the Submit button does not work with your computer/browser, type both of the following addresses into a regular e-mail message:

ccooper@email.wcu.edu
stuserv@unc.edu.

All assignments must have the following information in the Subject line of the e-mail: SPC PSC 336 Submission # and your name (example: SPC PSC 336 Submission 3 Jim Smith). This is essential for the Friday Center to keep track of your assignments.

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Online Library Resources

Students enrolled in Self-paced Courses can access online library resources from the UNC Library System by linking to Library Services for Distance Education Students. This site includes information on using general online reference works as well as accessing e-reserves and e-journals. If you are off-campus, when you click on a restricted library resource (such as e-reserves), you will be prompted to enter your UNC-Chapel Hill PID (personal identification number). If you don't have a UNC OneCard or an ID with your PID, you can look up your PID using UNC's Online PID Inquiry page. If you are unable to access the library's licensed resources, please contact the proxy team for further assistance.

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Academic Dishonesty

I take academic dishonesty very seriously. If I catch you plagiarizing on any of your papers, or cheating on exams, you will receive an immediate F in this class and the violation will be reported to Carol McDonnell, Student Services Manager at the William and Ida Friday Center for Continuing Education. If you have any questions about what constitutes plagiarism, please feel free to contact me.

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How to Proceed

When you have reviewed the information on this home page:

1. Download this Personal Information Sheet (a Word document) and e-mail it to me (ccooper@email.wcu.edu) so I can learn some things about you.
2. Click on the Lesson 1 link at the bottom of this page or in the list of Lessons.
3. Read the Lesson Objectives to get an idea of what you will cover in the lesson.
4. Read the Lesson Notes.
5. Complete the Reading Assignment.
6. Complete and submit any Written Assignment.
7. You will then be ready to submit your assignment. Click the Submit button. An e-mail form will appear, which will be pre-addressed to both me and Friday Center Student Services. Attach your assignment, and type the Subject line of the message as directed.

You will complete steps 3-7 for each lesson in the course.

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Contacting Your Instructor

For any questions related to this course, please contact me by e-mail. There is a link to my e-mail address at the top of every course page. If I don’t know the answer to your question, I will put you in touch with someone who does. If I’m away from e-mail for more than three days, I’ll be sure to let you know. To help me sort through my mail better, I’d appreciate it if you would put “PSC 336” in the subject line of any message you send me.  

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Lessons

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Lesson 1

Course author: Chris Cooper, PhD