COMM 412 (Section 4, Class #17013)
Fall 2011
TTh 3:30 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
ROOM: UTC—101
GENDER & COMMUNICATION
Instructor: Dr. Ragan Fox
Office: AS 364
Phone: (480) 985-9145
Office Hours: TuTh 1:55-3:25
Email*: findragan@gmail.com
SPREAD GROUP PRESENTATIONS THROUGHOUT SEMESTER!!!
Course Description :
Gender issues emerge salient in almost every film plot, sitcom, and advertisement.
Conceptualizations of masculinity and femininity establish roles in interpersonal relationships, govern our expectations of people, and serve as a foundation for what we venerate and vilify in our culture. This course will encourage you to think about the ways in which sex, gender, and sexuality shape human communication practices.
Throughout the term, we will turn our attention to the intersections of gender, sex, and other “differences that make a difference,” including geography, race, ethnicity, sexuality, and class. Many of the assigned readings for the course report the results of quantitative, empirical studies about gender and communication. The texts we read also consider performative, rhetorical, and other interpretive understandings of sex, gender, and sexuality. Class is taught through a combined lecture-and-discussion format with frequent individual and group activities.
Course Goals :

To critically interrogate gender expectations and practices.

To understand the impact of gender stereotypes and the consequences of (not) conforming to gender-specific communication norms.

To fluently discuss the significance of alternative modes of gender expression.
Course Objectives :

To analyze and distinguish between the major theories used to explain communication, gender, and culture.

To apply gender-related theories and concepts to a wide range of communication artifacts.

To engage in thoughtful and critical reflection about how one communicates gender, sex, and sexuality.
Texts :


Wood, Julia T. Gendered Lives: Communication, Gender, and Culture. (9 th Ed.).
Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Gender documents packet found on Beach Board.

Online readings can be found on Beach Board
Leaving Class Early & Coming to Class Late :
If, for any reason, you have to leave class early or come to class late, please let me know in advance. I frequently administer pop quizzes. Because the pop quiz assess whether or not you completed the daily readings and mark your participation in the course, students who leave early or come to class late will not earn quiz credit .
Academic Integrity:
Student work must be original as stipulated in University policies and publications.
Plagiarism, cheating, fabrication, or other varieties of academic dishonesty, including but not limited to facilitating the dishonesty of others and using work from your other classes, WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. Academic dishonesty in any form will result in failure on the assignment and may result in failure for the course. The instructor reserves the right to make such determinations on a case-by-case basis. Additionally, the instructor will report each and every case to the Academic Integrity Committee. The
Committee may, in turn, choose to enforce its own sanctions, such as expulsion from the
University. Students uncertain about the parameters of academic dishonesty and its consequences should consult the University’s policy on “Cheating and Plagiarism, # 85-
19.”
Attendance :
Attendance in this class is crucial. Much of what we learn will come from our discussions and in-class activities. I will take attendance at the beginning of each class period. Any time after the official start time of the class will be considered late. Being late three times will count as one absence. Anticipate parking, traffic, and other punctuality-related problems and arrive early. Refrain from explaining your tardiness as you walk in the room. You are given TWO free absences this term. Each absence beyond your second will result in a five-point deduction from your final point total.
EXCUSED ABSENCES include:
1.
Illness or injury to student.
2.
Death, injury, or serious illness of an immediate family member or the like.
3.
Religious reasons (California Education Code section 89320)
4.
Jury duty or government obligation
5.
University sanctioned or approved activities (examples include: artistic performances, forensics presentations, research conferences, intercollegiate athletic events, student government, required class field trips, etc.)
Any EXCUSED absence that results in a missed test or presentation will have to be substantiated with SIGNIFICANT evidence. Make-up assignments must either be completed one week before or one week after the absence. It is the student’s responsibility to ask for and complete make-up assignments.

No Laptop Policy :
While class is in session, students MAY NOT use laptops. I have instituted this policy for a number of reasons that are substantiated by educational research. First, emailing, instant messaging, game playing, and web surfing frequently distract students who use laptops in the classroom. As a result, laptop users provide less eye contact and participate less in class discussion. Second, technology use distracts other students in the class. Communication and technology experts Kinzer and Lohnes find that students are distracted by the sound of typing and sight of screen glow. Finally, the use of laptops inhibits feelings of community in a classroom, because in-class laptop users are dually and only partially committed to two simultaneous contexts: the world of the classroom and online space. Laptops may ONLY be used for individual and group presentations.
Common Courtesy #1: Cell Phones and Text Messaging :
Turn off your cell phones before walking into class. Note: “Off” does not mean
“vibrate.” If your cell phone rings during class or if I see you text messaging during lectures or activities, I’ll ask you to stay after class and you will lose quiz and attendance credit for the day.
Common Courtesy #2: Seating:
Seating in this class is not assigned. If I notice you talking while I am lecturing, I will ask you to stay after class. If you are a repeat offender, I will ask you to sit away from your friend(s).
University Withdrawal Policy:
It is the student’s responsibility to withdraw from classes. Instructors have no obligation to withdraw students who do not attend courses, and may choose not to do so.
Withdrawal from a course after the first two weeks of instruction requires the signature of the instructor and the department chair, and is permissible only for serious and compelling reasons. During the final three weeks of instruction, withdrawals are not permitted except in cases such as accident or serious illness where the circumstances causing the withdrawal are clearly beyond the student’s control and the assignment of an incomplete is not practical. Ordinarily, withdrawals in this category involve total withdrawal from the university. The deadline to withdraw from class for Summer
2011 term is posted online.
(However, drops at this time are not generally approved except in cases of accident or serious illness.)
Late Work:
Because part of your commitment to the norms of the class is to do the best job you can in the time available, and because everyone in the class is operating under the same strictures, it would be unfair to excuse late work without penalty. Therefore, subtract
10% from the earned grade for EACH day (including weekends and holidays) that work is turned in after the class PERIOD on which an assignment is due. This rule applies

even if your computer or printer fails to function. Start work far enough in advance to allow for possible glitches. Other policies regarding late work include the following:

All make-up exams are essay and short answer tests.

If you miss an exam due to an extra-curricular activity (i.e., sporting competition, debate, etc.), religious holiday, or any other event that can be anticipated, you have to complete the exam BEFORE the rest of the class takes the test.

Make-up tests will only be given to students who have an excused absence.
Grading
My grading norms represent the STANDARD quality index at most academic institutions located in the United States. If you are surprised that average work, or work that meets the minimum requirements, results in grades ranging from 70-79, I encourage you to visit the following link to brush up on the United States’ standard evaluative index: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grade_point_average#United_States
. “A” and “B” grades go to students who go ABOVE and BEYOND average student work.
Please wait 24-hours before approaching me about a grade you earned on an essay, presentation, or exam.
Please do not email at the end of the semester and ask me to “bump up” or reconsider your final grade in the class, unless you believe there’s been an error in my grading or grade entry. I automatically “bump up” students who meet the following two requirements: 1) they have not missed more than one full week of class; 2) they are less than 1% away from the next letter grade (i.e., 79.1). If you email me after the final exam and ask me to increase your letter grade, I will refer you to this page of the syllabus. Please understand that I have to operate in a fair manner to ALL of my students. The end of the semester is a busy time for professors and this is the fairest and easiest way I have found to explain my grading philosophy to ALL students.
Assignments :

Tickets Out-
A “ticket out” is a participation activity that measures your ability to apply theoretical concepts to contemporary communicative phenomena. You may, for example, be asked to watch part of a movie in class and then write a theoryapplicative response to it. To earn attendance credit for the day, you have to be in class for its ENTIRE duration and complete the day’s ticket out. The assignment is your ticket out of the class for the day.

Quizzes- Throughout the semester, you will take a number of pop quizzes. The sum of the ten highest quiz grades will make up your quiz total. Other graded
“quiz” activities might include an artifact “show and tell” and similar presentation activities. (10 point each, 100 points total)

Show-and-Tell Bonus Quiz - This assignment is OPTIONAL . Students who opt to participate in the online show-and-tell will receive an additional quiz grade to factor into their top ten quiz scores. Participating students will locate a print advertisement in which gender themes emerge salient. They will then apply concepts from the gender and media chapter to explain the communication found

in the advertisement. Students will post their findings under the discussion panel on BeachBoard. To receive credit, BeachBoard entries should include 1) a link to the ad; 2) a PARAPHRASED explanation of the gender and media concepts that he or she plans use to operationalize in his or her analysis; and 3) an application of the concepts to the communication that takes place in the advertisement.
Students may earn up to 10 points of quiz credit for their BeachBoard postings.
Exemplary contributors will be extended an opportunity to orally present their findings to the class for 5 additional points of EXTRA CREDIT. See the course calendar for the assignment’s due date.

Examinations- There will be two exams given this term. Exams will cover course readings, lectures, discussions, videos, and announcements. The exams will not exclusively cover information found in the course readings. If we watch a taped episode of a sitcom, you should be able to identify the significance of viewing it in class. Conversely, showing up to class without reading the assignments will seriously constrain your ability to earn good grades on the exam. A significant number of test questions will test information that can only be found in the readings. (100 points each, 200 points total)

Performance/Presentation- The purpose of this assignment is to get you thinking about the ways in which gender is performed in our day-to-day lives. You may cover any of the themes, concepts, and/or ideologies covered in the course, but you must find ways to broaden our understanding of the material. You will also have to work in groups, ranging from four to six students. Prepare for 4-5 minutes of speaking time for each group participant. Each student in the group should demonstrate mastery of the material presented. An annotated bibliography is due on the day of the presentation. More details regarding this assignment are on the last few pages of the syllabus. (100 points)
Grade Breakdown and Scale :
100 Quizzes
200 Exams (2 exams worth 100 points each)
100 Group Presentation
400 Total
360-400
320-359
280-319
A
B
C
240-279
000-239
D
F
As always, keep in mind that “A” is not average. “A” students have gone above and beyond course expectations; “B” students have done very good work; “C” is average;
“D” is below average; “F” indicates poor work, excessive absences, and/or a deluge of other problems.
Tentative Schedule :
Like the number, frequency and type of assignments, this schedule may be altered to adjust to the class’s progress. This is a tentative schedule and subject to change based on the progress of the class.

Date
Day’s Topics
Au 30 Introduction to Course
Sep 1 The Social Construction of Gender
Have Read
Sep 6 Culture, Gender, and Sex W: Ch. 1
Sep 8 Gender Theories, Day 1
(Biological & Interpersonal
W: p. 41-54 (Stop at “Cultural
Theories”)
Theories)
Sep 13 Gender Theories, Day 2 (Cultural
& Critical Theories)
W: p. 54-66; OL:
Scheibel
Sep 15 Gendered Verbal Communication W: Ch. 5; OL:
Philipsen
Sep 20 Gendered Nonverbal
Communication
W: Ch. 6
Sep 22 Gender and Close Relationships W: Ch. 9
Sep 27 Gendered Family Dynamics
Sep 29

Gender and Aging

Explain Group
Presentation

Exam Review
W: Ch. 7
OL: Fox, “Gay
Grows Up”
Oct 4 Exam 1
Oct 6 Gendered Education
Oct 11 Gender and Organizations
W: Ch. 8; OL:
Fox, “Tales of a
Fighting Bobcat”
W: Ch. 10
Oct 13 Gender and Media, Day 1: News
Media and Advertising
Assignments Due
Have Groups
Selected for Group
Presentation
Exam 1
W: 255-261 & 269
(start at “Gendered
Advertising”) –
272 (stop at “Tell
Us How”)
W: 262-269 &
272-283
*Show-and-Tell bonus quiz due on
BeachBoard
Oct 18 Gender and Media, Day 2: TV,
Film and Music
Oct 20 Gender and Media, Day 3:

Tropes of Gay
Representation

Digital Media
Oct 25 Gender, Power, and Violence
Oct 27 View Tough Guise
No 1
Women’s Movements
No 3
Finish Women’s Movements,
Begin Male Movements
No 8 NO CLASS
OL: Reed
W: Ch. 12
W: Ch. 3
W: Ch. 4

No 10
No 15
LGBTQ Theory
Gender and Race
OL: Slagle
OL: Crenshaw
No 17 Dr. Fox at NCA convention. Inclass time to work on group presentations.
No 22 Group Presentations
No 29 Group Presentations
Dec 1 Group Presentations
Dec 6 Group Presentations
Dec 8

Gender and the Future

Exam Review
TBD Exam 2
W: Epilogue
Statement of Personal Responsibility
COMM 412, Summer 2011
Group Presentations
Group Presentations
Group Presentations
Group Presentations
Exam 2
I, _____________________________, accept the terms of the syllabus and agree to abide by them for the course of the semester, including policies on: respecting others’ personal experiences and points of view; the standards for evaluation and academic achievement as set forth here; and reasonably working with the instructor for alternative assignments in the case that certain commitments may prevent me from otherwise taking part in the class. I understand that some class materials address beliefs, value systems and social practices that may be different from mine, and I agree to address such materials critically, openly and thoughtfully, as such behavior may enhance class discussion and the students’ and the instructor’s understanding of the material.
Signed ________________________________ Date ___________________________