COMM 321, Fall 2015 1
C OMMUNICATION 321
I NTRODUCTION TO H EALTH C OMMUNICATION
“If you want the story, you’ve got to get inside the heart of it” (p. 23).
Newsweek, 2002,
“Only thing you ever own is a story. Better make it a good one.”
Australia
Australia
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“A respect for narrative as everyone’s rock bottom capacity, but also as the universal gift, to be shared with others. . . . So it goes, this immediacy that a story can possess, as it connects so persuasively with human experience” (pp. 30, 204-205).
The Call of Stories
“Illness is the night-side of life, a more onerous citizenship. Everyone who is born holds dual citizenship, in the kingdom of the well and in the kingdom of the sick. Although we all prefer to use only the good passport, sooner or later each of us is obliged, at least for a spell, to identify ourselves as citizens of that other place” (p. 3).
Illness as Metaphor
To name an illness is to describe a certain condition of suffering—a literary act before it becomes a medical one. A patient, long before he [she] becomes the subject of medical scrutiny, is, at first, simply a storyteller, a narrator of suffering—a traveler who has visited the kingdom of the ill. To relieve an illness, one must begin, then by unburdening the story” (p. 46).
The Emperor of all Maladies: A Biography of Cancer
“I want you to feel what I felt. I want you to know why story-truth is truer sometimes than happening truth”
The Things they Carried
“To think about a story is to reduce it to content and then analyze that content. . . . To think with a story is to experience its affecting one’s own life and to find in that effect a certain truth of one’s life”
The Wounded Storyteller: Body, Illness, and Ethics
“Storytelling is one of the most potent medicines at our disposal”
Triumph of the heart: Forgiveness in an Unforgiving World

COMM 321, Fall 2015 2
C OMMUNICATION 321
I NTRODUCTION TO H EALTH C OMMUNICATION
F ALL 2015: W EDNESDAYS 4:00-6:40 NE-060
Dr. Patricia Geist-Martin
Office: Communication 244
Email: pgeist@mail.sdsu.edu
Ms. Ashley Elijah-Wagner
Office: PSFA 465
Email: ASHLEYELIJAHWAGNER@gmail.com
Office Hours:
Wed 2:00-3:30 pm & by appointment
Office Hours:
M and W 1:00-2:00 pm & by appointment.
Health communication is a field of study that encompasses theories, research, and applications of the symbolic processes by which people, both individually and collectively, understand, share ideas about, and accommodate to health and illness . This class is designed to be an overview of significant concepts and issues that have emerged in health communication scholarship. The sources for this scholarship are interdisciplinary, but the core of our attention will be focused on the communicative implications of health beliefs, practices, and policies, with special emphasis on the question of what should be the core communication competencies of a health citizen . I have divided the course content into four major sections: social construction of health and illness, the clinical context of communication, public health campaigns, and healing ourselves: communicating across the life span. Finally, we will discuss ways that individuals can use health information to bring about positive changes in their relationships, communities, and society at large.

Define and critique personal, cultural, social, and organizational understandings of “health.”

Analyze the effect of significant relational events on personal health and wellness outcomes.

Understand the principles of health advocacy, including health communication campaigns and personal advocacy of health behaviors.

Demonstrate the ability to identify core assumptions and claims of several historically and contemporarily perspectives in health communication research.

Demonstrate the ability to engage in reasoned analysis and critique of existing efforts to promote or enhance health communication.

Engage in the process of solving health problems by presenting a cogent, credible, and complete argument in favor of a new approach to a health-related problem.

Present writing in a scholarly form that is consistent with the guidelines of the American
Psychological Association’s Publication Manual.
Geist-Martin, P., Ray, E. B., & Sharf, B. (2011). Communicating health: Personal, cultural, and political complexities.
Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press.
Harrington, A. (2008). The cure within: A history of mind-body medicine. New York, NY: Norton.

COMM 321, Fall 2015 3
OURSE
OLICIES
Information Availability
Students are encouraged to make use of the syllabus for information about assignment guidelines and due dates as well as testing procedures and exam dates. Although questions about class material are always welcome, questions about procedures and scheduling will likely be answered by information provided in the syllabus. Any student question regarding information detailed in the syllabus will receive no reply.
Black Board Site
Please check Blackboard regularly. This is where I will post important announcements and any changes in our schedule. I will also post study guides and links to web sites.
Attendance Policy
Although there is no formal attendance policy, students are expected to attend class when it is scheduled.
As we will be doing in-class activities worth points and written responses to films or guest speakers, your attendance will be based on those on points. Please be on time for class and stay for the entire period. If you should need to excuse yourself early from a class session, please let me know ahead of time.
People walking in and out of the room are very distracting to me and to others in the class.
Should you need to miss class for any reason, it is your responsibility to find out what you missed by getting notes from a classmate and/or attending office hours.
Miscellaneous Conflicts Policy
I understand that many students have full or part-time jobs, children, family, and other commitments. I am sensitive to this and try to do what I can to help. But there may come a time when nothing else can be done. In that case, I’ll ask you to make some decisions about your priorities and responsibilities. Please feel free to talk to me about emergencies or any other unavoidable conflicts.
Disabilities or Special Needs
If you need special equipment or classroom accommodations for exams, please let me know WELL IN
ADVANCE and we will work with Student Disability Services together to provide an effective learning environment. If you come to me in the middle of the semester citing a learning disability as a cause of poor class performance and are not registered with SDS, there is nothing I can do.
APA Formatting for All Written Assignments
As of fall 2007, the School of Communication requires student papers to be formatted according to
Publication Manual (6th ed.) of the American Psychological Association. Therefore, a substantive amount of the grade for written assignments in this class is based on compliance and accuracy with which the APA style is used. Resources are widely available for providing guidance in the APA style, including: the library (http://infodome.sdsu.edu/refworks/index.shtml), bookstore, Word 2007, and the School of
Communication website. There is also a brief primer in APA style and a sample cover page posted under
“Course Documents” on the Blackboard site for this course.
Course Expectations/Classroom Etiquette
Students agreeing to the terms for the class as set out in this syllabus are expected to:
1.
Be on time to class.
2.
NEVER leave class during a guest speaker’s presentation.
3.
In fact, in ANY situation it is RUDE to walk out when someone is speaking.
4.
Be respectful and let others talk without interruption, including me.
5.
Read the assigned chapters/materials and engage in class discussions.
6.
Turn off cell phones and put them away, off your desk.
7.
Treat others’ viewpoints and experiences with respect.

COMM 321, Fall 2015 4
8.
Turn in assignments on time.
9.
Communicate with the instructor in advance about potential attendance conflicts.
10.
Use laptops ONLY for note taking (i.e., no Facebook or e-mail).
11.
Not dropping the class constitutes an agreement to the terms, including the grading policy.
Late Assignments
Absolutely no exam or other assignment will be accepted after its due date if you do not talk with me beforehand. I may make exceptions based on circumstances, so if you anticipate having problems, please see me. It is easier for us to deal with them before they happen than after they happen. You are responsible for all materials on the day they are handed out. The instructor may grant extensions to students, without penalty, at her discretion in the case of EXTREME documentable emergencies.
Things like computer failure, lack of reliable internet connection, or a minor illness resulting in a note from a doctor do not qualify as EXTREME emergencies. If you feel you have an extreme emergency, please contact the instructor privately and produce the necessary documentation to verify your situation.
Sensitive Subject Matter
We will be experiencing work that deals with issues of a potentially sensitive nature. While you are not required to self-disclose in assignments or discussion anything with which you are uncomfortable, I do expect you read and discuss the articles and chapters assigned. Our goal this semester is to create an open dialogue where we can discuss how the theories and concepts analyzed in research become real through lived experience; therefore, I ask that you keep the information shared in class privileged. Please be respectful of your classmates by treating their stories with care and sensitivity.
If you anticipate problems completing the readings or participating in class discussions, please talk to me well in advance. A good grade in this class is not dependent on what you disclose in your writings and discussion, though self-reflexivity is a necessary and important characteristic of the discussion of topics in health communication. If you find yourself in need of extra care, counseling, or support this semester, please feel free to take advantage of one or more of the services listed below:

At SDSU: Students who require immediate psychological help are seen on an emergency basis by calling C&PS at (619) 594-5220 during business hours.

After hours, students can call the San Diego Access and Crisis 24-hour Hotline at (800) 479-
3339. Other emergency services include: Student Health Services Nurse Advisory Line at (888)
594-5281; or University Police at (619) 594-1991.

Other Therapist referral lines:
Counseling & Psychotherapy Referrals 619.232.9622
Psychiatrist Referrals
Psychologist Referrals
Psychotherapists Referral Service sandiegopsychiatricsociety.org
619.291.3451
619.296.9011
Academic Integrity
All assignments must be your original, non-redundant work. When employing or drawing upon the ideas of other scholars, provide appropriate references to their work in order to avoid plagiarism, whether intentional or accidental (see plagiarism policy – Appendix A). All assignments and exams are expected to be the students’ own work – evidence that students have worked inappropriately, copied from a classmate, or submitted anyone else’s work for credit, will be treated as an example of academic misconduct. Any evidence of academic dishonesty or plagiarism, whether intentional or not, will result in an “F” for this course and reported to the university.
Policy Regarding Retention of Student Records
All records from the course will be retained by the instructor for a period of one year from the conclusion of the semester. So, course records from a course concluding in December 2015 will be available until the

COMM 321, Fall 2015 5 conclusion of the semester in December 2016 and so on. Student records will be permanently destroyed at this point, so if you have questions or concerns regarding a grade after the conclusion of the semester, please contact your instructor as soon as possible.
Extra Credit (Maximum 20 points for the semester)
Because the School of Communication seeks not only to distribute knowledge through teaching, but also generate it through original research, and because participation in such research provides important insights into this process of knowledge generation, students in the School of Communication may participate in authorized research projects. Students may locate eligible research projects at the following site: https://sites.google.com/site/commsdsuresearch/
1. Eligibility: Only research projects approved and listed on the site listed above are eligible.
2. Announcement of Opportunities: It is students' responsibility to avail themselves of such opportunities--ongoing announcements and solicitations on the part of the instructor will not be made during the semester.
3. Availability of Opportunities: Research in a program ebbs and flows. Participation is only available during the active windows of time specified by each study. Opportunities for participation may or may not be available in any particular semester, or at any particular time of the semester.
4. Record of Participation: It is the responsibility of each individual researcher to generate a valid
5. list of student participation to return to the instructor of record. It should be apparent in each research project how the student's participation is to be recorded and evidenced
Ethics: It is also important to emphasize that any attempt to falsify participation in research for the sake of receiving unearned credit is a form of academic dishonesty, and will be a basis for failure of a course and initiation of proceedings with the office of Student Rights &
Responsibilities.
Grading Policy
It will help you understand your grades if you remember that an “A” is not average, a “C” is. And a “C” means that you have simply met the minimum requirements for a particular assignment . In other words, if you only do everything that I ask you to, you are doing “C” work. The grade descriptions I abide by are as follows:
A, A- = outstanding work that is superior and demonstrates an in-depth understanding of the skills and material that far surpasses the minimum expectations of a student in the class.
B+, B, B- = above average work that demonstrates an understanding of the skills and material that exceeds the minimum requirements.
C+, C, C-= average work which illustrates that the student has met the minimum requirements and expectations for a particular assignment.
D+, D, D-= below average work in which the student does not meet the minimum expectations for a given assignment.
F = below average work in which little or no effort seems to have been expended by the student.
Grading Assignments
You’ll receive a grading rubric for each assignment, but here is a general list of what I expect:
1.
PARAGRAPHS. Organize distinctly different ideas into paragraphs. Paragraphs should be at least three sentences long and should address one general idea.
2.
TOPIC SENTENCES. Topic sentences are sentences at or near the beginning of each paragraph and preview the content of the paragraph.
3.
EXAMPLES/EVIDENCE. Provide examples. Use examples to support and illustrate your topic sentences and other argumentative statements.

COMM 321, Fall 2015 6
4.
PARAPHRASE. Always try to paraphrase rather than quote sources directly (except in the case of interviews and field notes). This shows the reader that you understand and have internalized the original author’s ideas. Remember, though, to cite, even if you paraphrase.
5.
DIRECT QUOTATIONS. When using direct quotations, always lead into or follow up quotes with your own words. Do not put all the citation information in your writing. Consider these sentences: a.
“Traveling through a beginning life passage significantly impacts our identities and how we communicate” (Geist-Martin, Ray, & Sharf, 2011, p. 135). →NO. You need to lead into or end the quote with your own words. b.
In the chapter “Beginning life passages” in their textbook, Communicating health, Geist-
Martin, Ray, and Sharf (2011) tell us that “traveling through a beginning life passage significantly impacts our identities and how we communicate” (p. 135). →NO. Do not clutter your sentences with the citation information. Instead, place the limited information that APA asks for in parentheses. c.
Geist-Martin, Ray, and Sharf (2011) state that, “traveling through a beginning life passage significantly impacts our identities and how we communicate” (p. 135). →YES. This is okay, but even better is the example provided in “e” where YOUR claim leads into the quote. d.
“Traveling through a beginning life passage significantly impacts our identities and how we communicate” argue Geist-Martin, Ray, and Sharf (2011, p. 135). →YES. This is okay, but even better is the example provided in “e” where YOUR claim leads into the quote. e.
Our communication and relationships change over time, which means that “Traveling through a beginning life passage significantly impacts our identities and how we communicate” (Geist-
Martin, Ray, & Sharf, 2011, p. 135). →YES. In this example, YOUR perspective and claim comes first, leading into a quote that becomes evidence for your claim.
6.
BEGINNINGS/ENDINGS. Begin and end pieces with a bang. Beginning and ending papers effectively is usually the hardest part of academic writing. Besides previewing and reviewing, give the reader something to think about. Don’t begin or end paper or paragraphs with direct quotations.
7.
Err on the side of over-explaining your reasoning rather than under-explaining it. While you’re writing for an academic audience, don’t assume they know everything you do about a topic.
8.
Do not shift to second person in your writing (i.e., “one”), instead utilize first or third person.
9.
Offer APA citations for any quote or source cited the FIRST time they are stated.
10.
NEVER use a dictionary to define a term. NEVER use a quotation from a quote book/site/poster, unless you can track down and cite the original source.
11.
Be aware of some common mistakes in writing
 Use “among” not amongst

Every day is used as two words, except when it is used as an adjective. (Every day I get up at
6:00. My everyday routine is to get up at 6:00.

Affect is most often used as a verb and effect is most often used as a noun.
12.
Use comma in a series and other invaluable places. (e.g., Every morning she eats eggs, bacon, and grapefruit.) Please review the use of the comma in the APA guidebook.
13.
Follow APA closely in cover page, header, page numbering. There are excellent exemplars on line that you can find. Remember that the words Running head: appear before the header and are not in all caps. The word header is not capitalized. The header is typed in ALL CAPS and is shorter than the title of the paper. After the first page, the words Running head disappear.
14.
Follow APA in citing sources in the text and on the reference page, paying close attention to spacing, capitalization, and the sequencing of required information. .

COMM 321, Fall 2015 7
SSIGNMENTS
RADING
Final grades are based on the accrual of points over the course of the semester. The point totals may vary, but the percentage to the grade will remain approximately the same. Graded assignments include:
Assignment
Exams (2 @ 150 pts)
Guest Lecture Responses (4 @ 25 pts)
StoryCorp Interview (1 @ 50 pts)
Percentage of Grade
60 %
20 %
10 %
Possible points
300
100
50
Class Activities (5 @ 10 pts)
TOTAL
10 % _______ 50
500
Exams (2 @150 = 300 points). There are two exams: one at midterm (Wed, Sept 30, 2015) and one during finals week (Wed. Dec 16, 2015, 4-6). Exams consist of objective (multiple choice, true false) questions targeted at familiarity with basic concepts, application of concepts to practical scenarios, and analysis of complex problems/situations. Exams will NOT be given early or late except in cases of extreme documentable emergencies or university-approved absences (e.g., athletics, debate).
Guest Lecture Response (4 @ 25 points= 100 points)
We are VERY fortunate to have eight guest speakers who are expert in their areas and offer us great additional insight into the topics covered in this course. The Guest Lecture Response assignment is designed to gain your response to guest speakers’ presentations and to connect their ideas to the course and textbook material. YOU CHOOSE which four that you want to respond to. I recommend that you take notes as the guest speakers are presenting AND that you ask questions after the presentation to allow us to have a lively discussion. The FOUR typed responses MUST BE SUBMITTED ON LINE AND IN
CLASS one week after the guest presentation (on line by noon on Wednesdays; in class at 4:00). Please note that all of these guest speakers offer their time and insight FREE of charge. Your written response to their presentations is one way that we can repay them for their time and offer them feedback on what you enjoyed and what you want to know more about from them. Sections include:
Part 1: Describe what you personally enjoyed most about the presentation (e.g., you were moved, it is connected to your life, and other personal views) (1 paragraph) (5 points)
Part 2: Cite one statement from the lecture that you can tie specifically to the textbook. (Cite the page number from the text in APA) (1 paragraph) (5 points)
Part 3: What else would you like to know from this guest speaker (i.e., if they were to speak for longer or on another day, what else would you like them to discuss) (1 paragraph) (5 points)
APA style: Cover page, citation in text, form (5 points)
StoryCorps Interview (1 @ 50 points)
The first night of class we will learn about an amazing organization called StoryCorps. You will view a
Tedtalk by the founder of StoryCorps, Dave Isay, who states that everyone around you has a story the world needs to hear. Download the StoryCorps app. Locate someone that you want to interview (have a conversation with) about their illness or wellness experience. Then using the app, devise your questions, and then sit down and conduct the interview (have the conversation). It will be helpful to listen to some of the posted interviews to get an idea of who and what you want to focus on. Perhaps you know someone that is a cancer survivor, or someone that had to quit sports because of an injury, or someone else that is a new mother or father, or someone that is a recovering addict of some kind. Maybe you know someone that has begun to eat healthy, workout, become a devotee of yoga, or found a way of being in the world that is more positive and fulfilling. Every guest speaker that comes to our class has a story to tell that may inspire you. You can complete this assignment at any time, but it must be submitted no later than midnight, Sunday, October 18. You will receive an e-mail when it is completed. You must forward that to me immediately at this e-mail address pgeistmartin@gmail.com
. DO NOT send the e-mail to pgeist@mail.sdsu.edu
. The e-mail must be sent by midnight, Sunday, October 18.

COMM 321, Fall 2015 8
Class Participation (5 @ 10 points) . Several weeks we will engage in a brief class discussion or activity of some type. The dates for these activities will not be announced in advance. Students with universityrelated absences (athletic teams, the debate team, etc.) may be excused from missed activities provided they give the instructor a published schedule listing their expected absences IN ADVANCE. This class participation will be hand-written during class and turned in the day of the activity.
Final Course Grades . Final grades will be awarded according to the following point distribution. You should not expect these distributions to change (e.g., “curving”) nor should you expect to be “bumped up” if you are within a few points of the next highest grade.
A 500 - 465
A- 464 - 450
B+ 449 - 430
B
B-
429 - 415
414 - 400
C+ 399 - 380
C 379 - 365
C- 364 - 350
D+ 349 - 330
D
D-
329 - 315
314 - 300
Questions about Grades
If you want to contest a grade on one assignment or as many questions as you like from one quiz or exam ,
I ask that you turn in a type-written argument as to why you deserve the grade you think you do. This argument must be no longer than one (1) page in length and be turned in no later than two class periods after it is graded. I will read your argument and make my decision, and if further discussion is warranted, you may discuss it with me in my office. I will not discuss such matters as a class. All matters are to remain between instructor and student.

COMM 321, Fall 2015 9
T ENTATIVE C OURSE S CHEDULE
Although every effort will be made to follow the proposed schedule as closely as possible, the instructor reserves the right to make changes in the order in which certain topics are presented. I will do my best to inform students of schedule changes as far in advance as possible.
UNIT 1: DEFINING “HEALTH:” PERSONAL AND SOCIAL COMPLEXITIES
August 26, 2015 Introduction to the course
Thinking about “health communication”
Story Corp. The art of telling good stories.
Consider who you want to interview and what you want to talk about (e.g., illness, wellness journeys)
September 2, 2015
September 9, 2015
Illness, narrative, identity, and healing
Film: The Art of the Possible
Guest Speaker: Ally Briggs,
Breast Cancer Survivor
Cultural complexities of health and illness
Guest Speaker: Dr. Jillian Tullis,
Assistant Professor, Dept of Communication
University of San Diego
September 16, 2015 Political complexities of health and illness
Film: And the band played on
September 23, 2015 Formative Life Passages
Film: Bully; or The Education of Shelby Knox
Syllabus
Ch. 1
Ch. 2
BB: Sharf (2010)
Chap. 3
Chap. 4
BB: Parker et al. (2010)
Ch. 6;
BB: Strasburger (2010)
September 30, 2015 Exam 1
Sustaining and Enduring Life Passages
Exam 1 (first half)
Ch. 7;
BB: Lindemann
October 7, 2015
UNIT 2: HEALTH COMMUNICATION ACROSS THE LIFESPAN
Beginning Life Passages: Birth
619-583-1129 ; beautifulbeginnings.org; preparingtheparents.org
Guest Speaker, Doula Stacey Scarborough
ICCE, CLE, CD/ PCD (DONA),
DONA-approved Birth Doula Trainer.
Ch. 5
October 14, 2015
October 21, 2015
The Cure Within: A History of Mind-Body
Medicine. “Integrative Medicine
Guest Speaker: Dr. Christopher Suhar, MD
Film: The New Medicine
Discuss StoryCorps Stories (volunteers play theirs)
Harrington, pp. 1-138
Harrington, pp. 139-255
October 28, 2015
“The journey of Forgiveness: Destination peace”
Guest Speaker : Azim Khamisa BB: TKF website/video

COMM 321, Fall 2015 10
November 4, 2015
Ending Life Passages “End of Life Conversations”
Guest Speaker: Paula McMenamin, MSW
Elizabeth Hospice
November 11, 2015 No Class-Veteran’s day. Have a conversation with a veteran (no points, just rewarding)
November 18, 2015 Ending life passages; Right to Die
Film: Tuesdays with Morrie
Ch. 8
BB: Wittenberg-Lyles (2008)
Ch 10
UNIT 3: USING HEALTH INFORMATION TO EFFECT CHANGE
November 25-27, 2015 NO CLASSES—THANKSGIVING BREAK
December 2, 2015 Activism and advocacy: Some conclusions
Guest Speaker: Bill Torres, Stroke Survivor
Ch. 11
Ch. 9
BB: Scott et al (2008)
December 9, 2015 Evaluating health information
Health Literacy/Health Campaigns
Guest Speaker: Dr. Peter Andersen, Professor
Emeritus, School of Communication, SDSU
FINAL EXAM:
Wednesday, December 16, 2015, 4:00-6:00

COMM 321, Fall 2015 11
School of Communication Plagiarism Policy
Plagiarism is theft of intellectual property. It is one of the highest forms of academic offense because in academe, it is a scholar’s words, ideas, and creative products that are the primary measures of identity and achievement. Whether by ignorance, accident, or intent, theft is still theft, and misrepresentation is still misrepresentation. Therefore, the offense is still serious, and is treated as such.
The 2008-2009 SDSU Graduate Bulletin policy 1 states:
Plagiarism is formal work publicly misrepresented as original; Work shall be deemed plagiarism: (1) when prior work of another has been demonstrated as the accessible source; (2) when substantial or material parts of the source have been literally or evasively appropriated (substance denoting quantity; matter denoting qualitative format or style); and (3) when the work lacks sufficient or unequivocal citation so as to indicate or imply that the work was neither a copy nor an imitation. This definition comprises oral, written, and crafted pieces. In short, if one purports to present an original piece but copies ideas word for word or by paraphrase, those ideas should be duly noted.
Lindey, Alexander. Plagiarism and Originality , 1952.
The 2008-2009 Graduate Bulletin continues by stating:
San Diego State University is a publicly assisted institution legislatively empowered to certify competence and accomplishment in general and discrete categories of knowledge. The president and faculty of this university are therefore obligated not only to society at large but to the citizenry of the
State of California to guarantee honest and substantive knowledge in those to whom they assign grades and whom they recommend for degrees. Wittingly or willfully to ignore or to allow students’ ascription of others’ work to themselves is to condone dishonesty, to deny the purpose of formal education, and to fail the public trust.
The objective of university endeavor is to advance humanity by increasing and refining knowledge and is, therefore, ill served by students who indulge in plagiarism. Accordingly, one who is suspected or accused of disregarding, concealing, aiding, or committing plagiarism must, because of the gravity of the offense, be assured of thorough, impartial, and conclusive investigation of any accusation. Likewise, one must be liable to an appropriate penalty, even severance from the University and in some cases revocation of an advanced degree, should the demonstrated plagiarism clearly call into question one’s general competence or accomplishments.
In any case in which a Professor or Instructor identifies evidence for charging a student with violation of academic conduct standards or plagiarism, the presumption will be with that instructor’s determination.
However, the faculty/instructor(s) will confer with the director to substantiate the evidence. Once confirmed, the evidence will be reviewed with the student. If, following the review with the student, the faculty member and director determine that academic dishonesty has occurred, the evidence will be submitted to the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities. The report “identifies the student who was found responsible, the general nature of the offense, the action taken, and a recommendation as to whether or not additional action should be considered by the campus judicial affairs office.” (CSSR
Website 2 ).
Zero-Tolerance Plagiarism Policy
1.
Proper source attribution: Proper attribution occurs by specifying the source of content or ideas.
This is done by (a) providing quotation marks around text, when directly quoted, and (b) clearly designating the source of the text or information relied upon in an assignment.
2.
Intellectual contents : Intellectual contents include all forms of ‘text’ produced by another person or persons. It includes writings, visual information such as models, lyrics, software, etc.
1 San Diego State University Graduate Bulletin, 2008-2009, p. 35.
2 http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/srr/academics1.html

COMM 321, Fall 2015 12
3.
Exacerbating conditions: Whenever clear evidence of foreknowledge and intent to deceive is available, it magnifies the seriousness of the offense, and the grounds for official response. Plagiarism
‘by accident’ or ‘by ignorance’ still qualify as plagiarism—it is students’ responsibility to make sure that their assignments are not committing the offense.
4.
Specific exemplary infractions and consequences : a.
Reproducing a whole paper, paragraph, or large portions of unattributed materials (whether represented by: (i) multiple sentences, images, or portions of images; or (ii) by percentage of assignment length) without proper attribution, will result in assignment of an “F” in the course, and a report to Student Rights and Responsibilities. b.
Reproducing a sentence or sentence fragment with no quotation marks but source citation, or subsets of visual images without source attribution, will minimally result in an “F” on the assignment.
5.
Self-plagiarism: Students often practice some form of ‘double-dipping,’ in which they write on a given topic across more than one course assignment. In general, there is nothing wrong with doubledipping topics , but there is a problem with double-dipping exact and redundant text. It is common for scholars to write on the same topic across many publication outlets; this is part of developing expertise and the reputation of being an expert on a topic. Scholars are not supposed to repeat exact text across papers or publications, however, as this wastes precious intellectual space with repetition and does a disservice to the particular source of original presentation by ‘diluting’ the value of the original presentation. Any time that a writer simply ‘cuts-and-pastes’ exact text from former papers into a new paper without proper attribution, it is a form of self-plagiarism . Consequently, a given paper should be turned in to multiple classes. Entire paragraphs, or even sentences, should not be repeated word-for-word across courses. Each new writing assignment is precisely that, a new writing assignment, requiring new writing on the student’s part.
6.
Secondary citations: Secondary citation is not strictly a form of plagiarism, but in blatant forms, it can present similar ethical challenges. A secondary citation is citing source A, which in turn cites source B, but it is source B’s ideas or content that provide the basis for the claims the student intends to make in the assignment. For example, assume that there is an article by Jones (1989) in the student’s hands, in which there is a discussion and quotation of an article by Smith (1976). Assume further that what Smith seems to be saying is very important to the student’s analysis. In such a situation, the student should always try to locate the original Smith source. In general, if an idea is important enough to discuss, it is important enough to locate and cite the original source for that idea. There are several reasons for these policies: (1) Authors often make citation errors, which you might replicate without knowing it; (2) Authors often make interpretation errors, which you might be ignorantly reinforcing; (3) By masking the actual sources of some of your ideas, you make the reader second guess which sources come from which citations, making the reader's research much more difficult; (4) Therefore, reliability of scholarly activity is made more difficult to assure and enforce;
(5) By relying on only a few sources of review, you short-circuit the learning process, and diminish your own research competencies, which are integral to any liberal education; (6) By not citing it as a secondary citation, you mask its true origin, meaning that technically, you are misrepresenting the source of your ideas. Some conditions that assist with this decision: a.
When the ideas Jones is discussing are clearly attributed to, or unique to, Smith, then find
Smith. b.
When the ideas Jones is discussing are historically associated more with Smith than with
Jones. c.
In contrast, many times Jones is merely using Smith to back up what Jones is saying and believes, whether or not Smith would have said it.

COMM 321, Fall 2015 13
Solicitation for Ghost Writing
Any student who solicits any third party to write any portion of an assignment for this class (whether for pay or not) violates the standards of academic honesty in this course. The penalty for solicitation
(regardless of whether it can be demonstrated the individual solicited wrote any sections of the assignment) is F in the course.
TurnItIn.com
The papers in most Communication courses will be submitted electronically in Word (preferably 2007,
.docx) on the due dates assigned, and will require verification of submission to Turnitin.com.
Specific Exemplary Infractions and Consequences
Course failure: Reproducing a whole paper, paragraph, or large portions of unattributed materials without proper attribution, whether represented by: (a) multiple sentences, images, or portions of images; or (b) by percentage of assignment length, will result in assignment of an “F” in the course in which the infraction occurred, and a report to the Center for Student Rights and Responsibilities (CSRR 2 ).
Assignment failure: Reproducing a sentence or sentence fragment with no quotation marks, but with source citation, or subsets of visual images without source attribution, will minimally result in an “F” on the assignment, and may result in greater penalty, including a report to the CSRR, depending factors noted below. In this instance, an “F” may mean anything between a zero (0) and 50%, depending on the extent of infraction.
Exacerbating conditions--Amount: Evidence of infraction, even if fragmentary, is increased with a greater: (a) number of infractions; (b) distribution of infractions across an assignment; or (c) proportion of the assignment consisting of infractions.
Exacerbating conditions--Intent: Evidence of foreknowledge and intent to deceive magnifies the seriousness of the offense and the grounds for official response. Plagiarism, whether ‘by accident’ or ‘by ignorance,’ still qualifies as plagiarism—it is all students’ responsibility to make sure their assignments are not committing the offense.
Exceptions: Any exceptions to these policies will be considered on a case-by-case basis, and only under exceptional circumstances.
However, There Are No Excuses Allowed Based On Ignorance of What Constitutes Plagiarism, Or
Of What This Policy Is