Introduction to Communicology
Communication 101.00 (CRN: 4219)
MWF 8-8:50 pm -- Hash 212
Communication 101.01 (CRN: 4218)
MWF 9:00-9:50 pm -- Hash 212
Fall 2006
Instructor: Dr. Gregory J. Seigworth
Office: Hash Hall 168 E-mail: Gregory.Seigworth@millersville.edu
Phone: 872-3874 Office Hours: MWF 10-10:30am & 2:55-3:55pm and Tues/Thurs 8-8:30am & 12:20-12:50pm.
Other times are available by appointment. Class list-serv: COMM101@listserv.millersville.edu
Course Description: This course is an introduction to the study and philosophy of communication. The class will
offer both an overview of some of the field's organizing presuppositions as well as an orientation to some of its
different means of inquiry. The questions seem simple to ask: what is communication? how does it 'work?' how do
we approach, study, use, and understand communication? what elements are involved in the act/event of
communication? how do changes in the modes, especially technological modes, by which we communicate affect our
everyday lives, etc. But while the questions are easy enough to ask, the answers are far more difficult and often
slippery to grasp. "To communicate" is to draw upon a wide repertoire of things: social relationships/culture,
images/signs, words/language, feelings/emotions, bodies/brains/sensations, and so on. As such, this class will touch
on many of these aspects (and more) over the course of the semester.
This is the first of four core course (101, 201, 301, & 401) in the Speech Communication major – majors across all four
options must take this course (and the rest of the core). This is also a G1 course for non-majors. Communication
majors must obtain at least a “C” in this course in order to take the next core course, 201, in the sequence. A grade
of C- and below is ‘failing’ and the course must be taken again if you are or hope to remain a major.
Learning Outcomes:
1. Students will be able to recognize the central problematics of ‘communicating.’
2. Students will be able to explain key concepts critical to the study of communication.
3. Students will be able to differentiate among perspectives that are used to examine communication.
4. Students will be able to apply theoretical understandings to communication phenomena.
Course Readings/Texts: This class requires a lot of reading and it is sometimes not very 'easy.' But it only gets
more difficult if you don't read! So, please keep up with the assigned readings. Ask questions when you become
confused, lost, otherwise befuddled, or suddenly enlightened. Always come to class prepared to discuss the reading
for that day. Classes without student-participation aren't only boring for you but for your instructor too.
Required Texts:
* Abram, David (1996) The Spell of the Sensuous, New York, NY: Random House Books.
* Anderson, M.T. (2002) Feed, Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.
* Clark, Andy (2003) Natural-Born Cyborgs: Minds, Technologies, and the Future of Human
Intelligence, New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
* Ramachandran, V.S. and Sandra Blakeslee (1998) Phantoms in the Brain: Probing the Mysteries of the
Human Mind, New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers Inc.
* Slack, Jennifer Daryl & J. Macgregor Wise (2005) Culture + Technology: A Primer, New York, NY: Peter Lang
Publishing, Inc.
Course Evaluation: First, here is a breakdown of the grading/percentages:
Quizzes (approx. 5-8 points @)
One Solo/Duo Presentation (w/ 3 outside sources + 2 discussion questions)
Mid-term exam
Final exam
210 pts. (47.7%)
70 pts. (15.9%)
90 pts. (20.5%)
70 pts. (15.9%)
440pts. (100.0%)
Final Grades: 100-94% = A, 93-90 = A-, 89-87 = B+, 86-84 = B, 83-80 = B-, 79-77 = C+, 76-75 = C, 74-70 = C-, 6967 = D+, 66-64 = D, 63-60 = D-, 59% & below = F.
Attendance: each absence more than three will deduct 3 percentage points from your final grade percentage for the
semester. If you are absent, unexcused, five times or more, you will almost certainly fail this class. You are not
permitted to take the quiz and leave class early unless you make your request 24 hours in advance.
Quizzes are meant to keep you on your toes. They are not designed to be 'tough" but mostly serve to demonstrate
that you are keeping up with the course readings. Be aware that the students who fail this course (and C- counts as
‘failure’) do so because they do not keep up with the reading and fail too many quizzes. Note that almost half of your
final grade is determined by the cumulative quiz grade total. This assignment evaluates outcomes #1-3.
The mid-term exam will be part objective (T/F, multiple choice, matching, etc) and part creative (short essay). The
final exam is take home with two or three essay questions (chosen from among four or five options). It will be based
on a mixture of lectures, discussion, & course readings. This take-home exam is, of course, open book/open note.
These assignments evaluate outcomes # 1-4.
The solo/duo presentation is the delivery of a 2.5-3 page typed paper (about 1000-1200 words) that uses the day’s
reading as the basis for a thought-essay. Type two questions at the end of your paper to ask the class in order to
initiate discussion (based on your essay and/or the reading for that day’s class). Your presentation should last about
ten minutes & will usually happen at the beginning of class (after the daily quiz). The paper must also cite three
‘outside’ sources – dictionary/wikipedia/Bible/day's reading itself do not count as outside sources (you can reference
any or all of these but they will not count among the three outside sources). Please list your sources (or sources) in a
works cited at the end of your paper (MLA or APA style).
If you work as a duo (and this is not required), the paper will be 4-5 pages (about 1400-2000 words), have five
outside sources, and at least three questions for discussion at the end. The presentation should last about fifteen
minutes (including questions / discussion). Please list your sources (or sources) in a works cited at the end of your
paper (MLA or APA style).
NOTE: I do NOT want a simple summary of the day’s reading (no more than one paragraph should
summarize the class reading) but a paper that reflects and reacts to certain ideas that were conveyed by the reading.
Your paper must, however, offer at least one direct quote from the day’s assigned reading. Combine the day’s reading,
your outside sources, and your own unique insights/perspective. In other words, use the day’s reading for a flight of
invention through your own words. Perhaps you can think of examples that you can use to further illustrate a point
made in the reading or think of something that you could bring into class (an object, a film clip, a web-link, etc).
Everyone will be assigned 'their day' for the presentation by the end of the first week of classes. Let me repeat: Do not
simply regurgitate the reading!
Please e-mail me or stop by my office in advance of your presentation if you need assistance of any sort. This
assignment evaluates outcomes # 2 & 4.
Addenda:
1) Any student using a laptop computer in class must sit in the front seat of a row. Cell phones should be stored out of
sight (and sound) during class time.
2) Any past-due work will be marked down one letter-grade per day past its due-date. I do not design alternative
assignments for work missed and I don't give make-up quizzes and exams. If I do allow work to be made-up (such
as a quiz), it must be accompanied by an official excuse (of one sort or another) or its points will not be counted.
If allowed, the make-up work for a quiz is a summary/reaction to the day's reading missed, 1.5 – 2 typed pages in
length. This kind of 'make-up work' (with an excuse) can be done no more than three times over the course of the
semester (and must be submitted within two class periods of the day missed). No work is accepted if more than
one week late.
3) Make-up work covers the quiz points missed but does not make-up the absence (i.e., the absence still counts).
4) Students who are dissatisfied with their grade on a paper or exam must see me within 48 hours of having received
the grade.
5) I will not negotiate with students for extra-credit or make-up work at semester's end. Here is the simplest route
for failing this class: 1) miss more than three class meetings 2) submit work late &/or incomplete & 3) don’t
read every day and fail too many quizzes.
Inclement Weather Days &/or Delays or other unscheduled class cancellations: If we miss class due to a delay or a
inclement weather day, keep up with the reading and be prepared to discuss or turn in whatever is due on the originallyscheduled day. For instance, if we miss Monday, you should be prepared to discuss both Monday and Wednesday's readings (and
take a quiz on both days) on the Wednesday we return. If you have a paper due on a missed Monday, be ready to turn it in on
Wednesday. If we miss Monday and there's a paper due on Wednesday, it is still due on Wednesday. I will always communicate
with the class via our list-serv when we miss a class or have an assignment due.
Reading & Assignment Schedule (Subject to Change, if need be)
Aug 28 Class introduction. Review syllabus. Why study communication?
30 Spell of the Sensuous pp.ix-xi & pp.3-16.
Sep 01 Spell of the Sensuous pp.16-35.
04 NO CLASSES – Labor Day.
06 Spell of the Sensuous pp.35-53.
08 Spell of the Sensuous pp.53-69.
11 Phantoms in the Brain pp.vii-ix & 1-20.
13 Phantoms in the Brain pp.21-38
15 Natural-Born Cyborgs pp.3-20.
18 Natural-Born Cyborgs pp.20-43.
20 Phantoms in the Brain pp.39-62
22 Phantoms in the Brain pp.63-84.
25 Culture + Technology pp.1-25.
27 Culture + Technology pp.27-40.
29 Culture + Technology pp.41-49.
Oct 02 Culture + Technology pp.51-74.
04 Spell of the Sensuous pp.73-92.
06 Spell of the Sensuous pp.93-115.
09 Spell of the Sensuous pp.115-135.
11 Culture + Technology pp.83-89. Review for mid-term exam on Friday.
13 MID-TERM EXAM (part objective, part open-note/open-book).
16 NO CLASSES – Fall recess.
18 Spell of the Sensuous pp.239-257.
20 Spell of the Sensuous pp.258-274.
23 Phantoms in the Brain pp.158-173.
25 Phantoms in the Brain pp.113-126.
27 Natural-Born Cyborgs pp.43-62. Last day to withdraw from class with a 'W.'
30 Natural-Born Cyborgs pp.62-87.
Nov 01 Natural-Born Cyborgs pp.89-114.
03 Culture + Technology pp.93-109.
06 Culture + Technology pp.109-133.
08 Culture + Technology pp.135-147.
10 Culture + Technology pp.149-162.
13 Culture + Technology pp.163-182 & 191-196.
15 Natural-Born Cyborgs pp.115-142.
17 Natural-Born Cyborgs pp.158-181.
20 Natural-Born Cyborgs pp.182-198.
22 & 24 NO CLASSES – Thanksgiving recess.
27 Feed pp.3-49.
29 Feed pp.50-104.
Dec 01 Feed pp.105-156.
04 Feed pp.157-203.
06 Feed pp.203-248.
08 Feed pp.249-299.
11 Semester Wrap-up. FINAL TIMES: 8am Section Thursday, Dec 14 2:45pm-4:45pm
9am Section Wednesday, Dec 13 8am-10am