Course prerequisites:
Students should have already taken and passed MCOM 101 (Intro to Mass Communication), MCOM 151, or MCOM 125; and either MCOM 350 (Media Law) or MCOM 433 (Media Ethics) with a C or better. This course CANNOT be taken concurrently with these courses.

Course description:
Survey of the methods and applications of research in mass media fields, including advertising, public relations, journalism, new media, and political communication.

Course objectives:
· Familiarize students with research as a discipline.
· Learn to evaluate other research reports.
· Learn to conduct a simple research project using surveys, content analyses, experiments, and focus groups.
· Learn to perform data analysis using descriptive statistics and simple statistical tests.
· Learn to prepare a research report.

Textbooks (Required):
Research in Mass Communication: A Practical Guide, by Poindexter and McCombs
Statistical Concepts, A Basic Program by Brown, Amos, & Mink
Other Supplies (Required):
PC-formatted high-density 3 ½ inch computer disks
An E-mail account, provided by Towson University or other provider

Course format:
The class will alternate between lecture/discussion and lab work. Students will learn about the research process and approaches to research and then apply it through data analysis and reporting research findings.

Grading:
Quizzes, class/homework assignments, participation/attendance: 25 percent
Exam 1: 25 percent
Exam 2: 25 percent
Research project report: 25 percent

Grading criteria for written assignments and course in general: (Students are expected to produce the best  written work of which they are capable.)

90 - 100  ("A" & “A-”) On the written assignments, this means the paper is clear, organized coherently, and well-written. It is an effective discussion of the topic. It has no spelling, grammar, format, or accuracy errors. In terms of the course, this means you have almost perfect attendance, scores in this range on the tests, and have good questions and discussion in class.

80 - 89  (“B+”,"B", & “B-”) On the written assignments, the paper is cohesive and well-organized, although it may have some minor spelling or grammatical errors. The discussion covers almost all of the important information and follows proper format. In terms of the course, this means you have good attendance, scores in this range on the tests, and have good questions and discussion in class.

70 - 79  (“C+” & "C") On the written assignments, the paper is disorganized and contains many minor errors. The discussion missed some pertinent information or does not follow proper format. In terms of the course, this means you have poor attendance, scored in this range on the tests, and have not participated in class discussions.

60 - 69  (“D+” & "D") On the written assignments, the paper ineffectively discusses the topic; it is not coherent or understandable. It contains an unacceptable number of spelling, grammar errors and/or inaccurate information or does not follow proper format. In terms of the course, this means you have missed more classes than you have attended, scored in this range on the tests, and have not participated in class discussions. Students may receive upper level elective credit with a D, but this course  will not count among MCOM credits.

Below 60  ("F")* The paper contains major factual error(s) related to the topic. The information presented is completely incorrect. The paper does not meet the requirements in page length, focus, or format. In terms of the course, this means you have missed more classes than you have attended, scored in this range on the tests, and have not participated in class discussions.  If you are caught cheating in any way, you will automatically receive an F in the course. If you attend the final exam and your average is below 60, you will receive F rather than an FX.

("FX")* This is an administrative failure for non-attendance or failure to withdraw. If you do not withdraw from the course by Towson’s preset deadlines for the semester and stop attending the class, this is the grade you will receive.

("I") Incomplete. At Towson University, students may only receive an Incomplete with "verifiable medical reasons or documented circumstances beyond their control" (Towson University Undergraduate Catalog, p. 24).

* 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  (Towson University Undergraduate Catalog, p. 25).

Guidelines for all assignments
· Papers are due within the first 10 minutes of class. Any late papers will be docked a grade for each day they are late unless a verifiable excuse is attached. The written excuse only counts for the exact day(s) the excuse covers; the paper is then due in my box to avoid late penalities.
· NO late papers will be accepted after the last day of classes for the semester.
· Do not plagiarize, fabricate, or submit work you have done for another class.
 Academic Dishonesty:
Plagiarism or fabrication of any kind will not be tolerated. You should adhere to the University's policy on cheating and plagiarism. If you are caught breaking this policy, you will be prosecuted to the full extent that the policy allows. You should adhere to the highest possible standards of ethical behavior for this class.
· All assignments must be typed in the form requested and should contain your name, the date, and the assignment topic in the upper left-hand corner.
· Proofread and correctly edit your papers!

Participation:
If you regularly contribute to discussions, you receive 90-100 points for the participation part of the grade. If you moderately contribute, you receive 70-89 points. And if you never or rarely contribute or have numerous absences, you will receive a 69 or below. Prolonged serious illnesses or hospitalization will be considered individually.

Students with Disabilities:
If you are registered with the Office of Disability Support Services, please see your instructor during the first two weeks of class to arrange your specific accommodations. If you believe you may need accommodation and have not registered with DSS, please do so by calling ext. 42638.

Student Athletes:
You must have a letter from the coach explaining your place on the team and a schedule of any away games or competitions during the semester. You must take any tests or prepare any assignments that conflict with this schedule before the test or due date, not after.

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ASSIGNMENTS

QUIZZES, IN-CLASS/HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS – Be prepared for “spot” quizzes on any readings assigned. Every lesson in this class builds upon previous lessons, so it is essential that students keep up with readings and attend class. To learn data analysis, we will work with a data set provided by the instructor. A number of class and homework assignments will be related to that data set.

RESEARCH PROJECT REPORT – Students will be given a data set to analyze and then write a corresponding research report. Based on findings, the report will give recommendations in several areas of mass media to the “client” who provided the data. Because this is survey data, please follow the format outlined in Chap. 9 in Research in Mass Communication: A Practical Guide.

EXAMS -- These will be traditional tests with multiple choice, true-false, short answer and essay questions. The essay questions will focus on your ability to apply the research concepts and data analysis techniques you have learned in class. The Statistical Concepts book has numerous quizzes within it that are good practice for the tests.
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