ComSt
404: Senior Seminar Fall 2008
“Other-Centered” Approaches to
Communication: Perspective Taking, Empathy, Role-Taking, Social Decentering,
and Communication Adaptation.”
Dr. Mark V. Redmond Office Hours:
Phone: 294-0183 MW 2-3, TTh 11-12 & by appointment
Office: 338 Carver Hall Homepage:
Email: mredmond@iastate.edu www.public.iastate.edu/~mredmond
This course will begin with a review of the theory and research associated with being “other-centered” including perspective taking, empathy and social decentering. Course discussion will focus on how these processes are informed by and affect communication. The impact of being “other-centered” will be examined as it applies to various communication contexts (relationships, organizations, groups, intercultural interactions, media, Internet, etc.).
Course
Objectives
The overall objective of this course is to act as a capstone course which builds upon your collective communication studies while exploring an issue in depth. Specifically you will be expected to:
1. Read, analyze and summarize research and theory relevant to the course topic.
2. Present in a cogent (clear and pertinent) fashion the information you gain from research articles.
3. Demonstrate the ability to actively listen and synthesize information gained from others.
4. Exercise the ability to analyze, synthesize and evaluate information that is gained on each topic.
Course
Design
The first three weeks you will be given a set of five articles to read that provide an introduction and foundation for the course concepts. You are expected to read and come prepared to discuss each article (expect possible pop quizzes over the articles).
Every two weeks after that, you will be responsible for finding an article related to the topic assigned. You will compose a one to two page summary of the article which you will distribute to me and the other students (either through email or hard copy). You will present an oral summary of the article.
After completion of the oral reports, you will write a three page summary of what was learned from all the student presentations as they apply to the given area under investigation. To reduce information overload, each article will actually be reviewed and presented by a pair of students, thus there will be 12 articles you will have to draw upon in developing each reflective summary.
Articles
You are responsible for locating a relevant research and theory articles from referred academic journals. These articles will generally be research based, but you may also review articles that are theoretical in nature or which reflect reviews or critiques of research (be careful however, since reviewing reviews is more challenging because they are usually very extensive). Opinion articles, articles from trade journals or popular press are UNACCEPTABLE as the basis of your article summaries, but they can be brought to class for discussion. Check with me if you have uncertainties about the relevance or legitimacy of a given article or journal.
For each issue period, students will be paired up for the article selection process. We will discuss the method by which students decide on the shared article. Each student will then work individually in reading, writing up a review, and making a presentation.
Article
Summaries
Six article summaries at 50 points each are assigned. These summaries must convince me that you have indeed read and studied the entire article and have come to some understanding of it. Each written summary is due the FIRST DAY of each topic discussion. Each summary must be written IN YOUR OWN WORDS; avoid the use of direct quotes (but if included, APA style must be followed).
Relying on or providing a restatement of the article abstract is inappropriate and will result in a failing grade. You do not need to cite the article within the summary, just provide a complete and accurate APA reference at the top of the page. When you submit your summary, you need to email me a link to the article in advance if retrieved online, or submit a photo copy of the article along with each summary. Summaries should:
1) Discuss all relevant terms or concepts
being studied in the article, and briefly review the theory the author(s)
reviewed in support of the study.
2) Cite the issues, research question(s) or
hypothesis(es) and briefly describe the method/procedure used to collect data
and test the RQ/hypothesis.
3) Describe the results (not just the summary
provided in the discussion section), but a review of what they found to be
significant and insignificant (often presented in terms of validating the
hypothesis(es)).
4) As is appropriate, discuss any
implications of the findings and/or study limitations.
Summary Paper
Grading Criteria:
1)
Demonstrate that you have read and understood the complete article.
2) Provide
a complete, clear, and adequate description of the article.
3) Clear
writing and organization; correct APA style, grammar and spelling.
Presentations
Six presentations at 25 points each are required. The objective of the presentations is to
“TEACH” the other students what you have learned and what is
important for them to know. Please
approach these presentations in a creative, engaging, and pedagogically sound
manner. While you are expected to
cover what is included in your summaries, you should do so in a fashion that
leads to better understanding and retention of the information. For example, you might reenact the
study, have students complete a questionnaire, or engage in the research
activity. Role playing, video
clips, group discussions, etc. can be incorporated to help you TEACH us.
Since each research article will be reviewed by two students, each
student will be called upon to do half of the presentation on a given
article. You do not need to meet
with the other student to prepare for this. Simply prepare for a presentation over
your summary. One student will be
randomly asked to cover the first half of the article (the theory and method)
and the other student will have the responsibility of explaining the results,
implications and limitations. Both
students will be asked to add to anything the other student missed.
Following the presentation, both students are to lead a discussion of
relevant questions raised by the articles.
Presentations will be graded on 1) completeness of the information, 2)
clarity and organization of the information, 3) success in
“teaching” the material, 4) underlying knowledge of the article, 5)
effective class discussion.
Synthesis
Papers
Seven papers at 100 points each
are assigned. After each set of articles
is completed you are to write a three page paper that syntheses what you have
learned as it relates to the given topic.
Your paper should focus on the major themes or issues that you identify
as running throughout the various articles.
Discuss how the articles reviewed relate to these themes. Each article acts as a source of evidence to be used in developing and supporting the major themes you identified.
Synthesis Papers Continued: The Synthesis paper is not to be summaries of articles stapled together, but rather it is an integration of the information contained in each. Organizing around several central themes or issue is the most effective manner of writing these papers. You are to follow APA format in referencing the articles, but no reference page is needed.
Synthesizing diverse pieces of information is a high level cognitive process and you should give yourself amble time to reflect on what themes are most common among the articles and how each article connects to these themes. Sometimes the connections are subtle and require strong, clear, detailed explanations of these connections. Grading criteria:
1) clearly identified, developed, and supported themes,
2) effective and adequate incorporation of relevant articles,
3) demonstration of an understanding of the research articles,
4) clearly organized and written; correct grammar and spelling; appropriate APA formatting
Late Assignments:
Points will be deducted for lateness proportionate to how late the
assignment is turned in. Late
assignments will be placed at the bottom of my work pile.
Completing and Passing All
Assignments: All assignments must be completed and
passed (D- or better) in order to pass the course.
Classroom Expectations
Participation: Student participation is a key element. You are expected to come prepared to class (READ THE ARTICLES IN ADVANCE) and conscientiously participate in discussion. After the first four weeks, you will have the responsibility to teach and learn from each other.
Respect: Showing respect to fellow students and me includes not reading unrelated class materials (e.g. , The Daily) during class, not talking at inappropriate times, not arriving late, not sleeping (especially snorers), not packing up early to leave, and acting responsibly in group activities.
Not Leaving Class Once it Begins: Be sure you have made any necessary stops to the restroom before class begins. If it is absolutely necessary to visit the restroom once class begins, quietly leave your cell phone on my desk as you leave to reduce your impulse to use it in the hall way.
Laptops: Students wishing to use a laptop for note taking need to sign a contract with me that you will only use it for note taking; otherwise, laptops are to remain put away.
PLAGIARISM EITHER INTENTIONAL OR ACCIDENTAL WILL RESULT IN A FAILURE IN THE COURSE AND ADDITIONAL DISCIPLINARY ACTION. All ideas or material that not are not your own MUST be appropriately referenced. It is your responsibility to know how to appropriately reference sources. Ignorance of referencing methods is not an acceptable excuse. A variety of on-line resources are available (see my website for some links ). See me if you have any uncertainties.
Grading: Article Summaries: 6 at 40 points each 240 points
Presentations: 6 at 20 points each 120 points .
Synthesis Papers 7 at 100 points each 700 points
Class
participation/Attendance 20 points
TOTAL: 1,080 points
Final Grade Scale :
100-93% = A 89-87 = B+ 82-80 = B- 76-73 = C 69-67 = D+ 62-60 = D-
92-90 = A- 86-83 = B 79-77 = C+ 72-70 = C- 66-63 = D 59- 0 = F
Tentative Calendar
Date Topic Deadlines
Aug 26 T Course introduction and syllabus review. Introduction to basic concepts.
28 Th Article—“Toward Resolution of
the Confusion…” by
Sept
2 T Article—“Functions
of Empathy” by
4 Th Article—“Solving the (Real) Other Minds Problem” by Epley (link on homepage)
Sep 9 T Article—“Different Kinds of Conversational Perspective-Taking” by Schober
11 Th
Article—“A Multidimensional
Theory and Measure of Social Decentering” by
16 T Discussion. Synthesis Paper Due
18 Th Interpersonal Relationship. Application of Other-Centered processes to the initiation
or development of interpersonal relationships. Presentations begin. Summary Due
23 T Interpersonal Relationship Presentations.
25 Th Interpersonal Relationship Presentations.
30 T Interpersonal Relationship Presentations.
Oct 2 Th Marital and Familial Relationships: Application of Other-Centered processes to marital
& family comm./relationships (satisfaction, conflict management, etc) Synthesis Due
7 T Marital and Familial Relationships. Summary Due
9 Th Marital and Familial Relationships.
14 T Marital and Familial Relationships.
16 Th Teams and Small Groups: Application of Other-Centered processes to small groups,
group decision making, team interactions. Synthesis Paper Due
21 T Teams and Small Groups Summary Due
23 Th Teams and Small Groups
28 T Teams and Small Groups
30 Th Leadership/Management: Application of Other-Centered processes to effective
leadership and/or management in organizations. Synthesis Paper Due
Nov 4 T Leadership/Management Summary Due
6 Th Leadership/Management
11 T Leadership/Management
13 Th The Downside: The downside or negative impacts of Other-Centeredness. Synthesis Due
18 T The Downside Summary Due
20 Th The Downside
Thanksgiving Break
Dec. 2 T Potpourri!!! Find an article that relates Other-Centered processes to the Internet, Mass
Communication (radio, TV, movies, newspapers), Public Address (Rhetoric), Politics
or any area not covered in the previous topics. Synthesis Paper Due
4 Th Potpourri Summary Due
9 T Potpourri
11 Th Potpourri
Last Synthesis Paper Due no later than Tuesday, Dec. 16 by noon.
Finals Period: Thursday, Dec. 18, 2:15-4:15 OR Friday, Dec. 19, 12:00-2:00