Visual Communications
for Modern Media­—MCom70
SYLLABUS (a.k.a. Greensheet)
Web D2L https://sjsu.desire2learn.com
Fall 2012 semester, SJSU
Instructor mr. Tim Mitchell
3 Units, Class 42731, Section 2 Phone (e-mail is preferred) @ 408.924.3286
e-mail timothy.mitchell@sjsu.edu
12:00 – 1:15 p.m., Monday + Wednesday
Office hours 11:30 p.m.+, M,W, & appt @ DBH-131
Room DBH-133 @ Dwight Bentel Hall
SJSU Catalogue’s Course Description
Design for television, newspapers, advertising, public relations, magazines, film and video.
Modules include design and impact of visual imagery and how to apply sound ethical
principles. 3 units, MCom070
Instructor’s Course Description
This course is designed to give students a broad understanding of the impact visual messages
have on society. We will discuss some similarities and differences of how visual concepts are
applied throughout various media.
The main goals of the class are: to see the interaction of visuals with words; to begin learning
and understanding the importance of a visual language; to begin thinking visually and
looking for ways to communicate visually with an appreciation for the intellectual and ethical
challenges; and to be able to create and apply visual concepts across the different areas of
communication using a visual-arts vocabulary.
Student Learning Objectives
This course will introduce the language, theories, and more-recent history of visual
communication. By the end of this semester students should be able to demonstrate and
articulate
SLO-1 Visual design principles, visual composition/layout, typography, visual persuasion,
visual perception, etc.,
SLO-2 Visual theories and apply those theories to the various media with which we come
into daily contact,
SLO-3 Concepts and apply theories in the presentation of images and information,
SLO-4 Ethical problems associated with images,
SLO-5 History and role of professionals and institutions in shaping communications,
SLO-6 Visual communications so you can analyze them critically and independently.
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Text Books
Visual Communication: Images with Messages
5th Edition, Paul Lester
ISBN 978-1-4390-8282-9
Graphic Communications Today
4th Edition, William Ryan and Theodore Conover
ISBN 0-7668-2075-0
The textbooks are available at the Spartan Bookstore, other bookstores (like Robert’s), and
by online orders. Check out rental options. Use caution for online orders to avoid delayed
shipping, getting an incomplete text, and hidden shipping costs. Additional readings may be
assigned throughout the semester as handouts and for download/viewing from the web.
Class Structure
The classes are intended to encourage discussion and critical thinking about the visual
component of our exposure to modern media with a historical perspective. There will be
lectures, reading assignments, multimedia presentations, quizzes, exams, in-class (pass-fail)
exercises, and a journal to develop. Independent thinking is encouraged and it will help bring
a diverse set of ideas and dialogue to the class. Visiting guests, who are professionals in the
visual arts and sciences, will provide additional relevance and insight.
Create your success in MCom 70
• Commit to making this class a learning priority,
• Do well on all of the quizzes, exams, and any extra credit assignments,
• Be on time to class to get the most out of lectures, discussions and guest speakers,
• Read and think about the assignments in advance of each class,
• Make regular journal assignment entries that meet each objective,
• Do well on your project and its presentation,
• Participate/contribute — help yourself and others learn in a diverse environment,
• Take advantage of guest visits to learn more about their contributions to a visual world.
Maintaining regular class participation; reading your textbooks, online material, assorted
handouts; taking exams, quizzes, in-class exercises; completing, on time, your assignmentsdriven journal (due twice during the semester) and being part of a team (or solo) to give a final
class presentation. Regular participation is encouraged so you can learn and contribute to
lectures, in-class exercises, guest visits, possible field trips, and discussions. Exam questions
will come from these sessions, textbooks, and journal assignments.
Plan on a 1:1 instructor meeting near the beginning of the semester and again near the end.
Journal
Your visual communication journal is an accounting through text and images of that week’s
journal assignments. You will be referencing TV, ads, movies, magazines, newspapers, the
internet, and your observations of the visual world around us. Journal topics will be defined
by the instructor. Images you discuss/critique/describe must be included or represented within
your journal so the instructor can see your referenced source material.
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Journal grades are based on the thoughtfulness and content of your entries based on each
assignment — not how much your blank journal cost. Gold plating and diamonds don’t help.
The journal is due around mid-term and again before finals. Specific dates are shown on the
schedule of class meetings in this document. Your journal will not be accepted late so be
forewarned that journals contribute significantly to your final grade.
Final Project
Your final project will be done either as part of a team or as an individual. You will be given
details to develop a proposal, development work, and presentation stages. Your group, or you
if acting as an team of one, will determine the topic through a larger class brainstorming and
with my “green light” of your proposal it can move to development and completion. The class
brainstorming will be during class 12 (see the Meeting Schedule, page 5).
There will be peer evaluation of the project during development by the team members and at
presentation by the whole class — and the instructor. This evaluation process will ensure that
everyone does their part and the workload is distributed evenly. More information will be
made available before the project begins just after mid-term.
Grades
Your grades are determined by your total points earned.
The total points possible are shown below.
Grades will be based on the
percent of total points earned
in the class.
Quizzes
40+ points × 5 = 210pts.
21%
Mid-term exam
200 points × 1 = 200pts.
20%
Final exam
200 points × 1 = 200pts.
20%
Journal 1
100 points × 1 = 100pts.
10%
Journal 2
60 points × 1 = 60pts.
6%
140 points × 1 = 140pts.
14%
Project
Class participation 3 points × 30= 90pts.
Total possible1000pts.
9%
100%
A+= 97–100%
A =94–100
A- = 90–93
B+ = 87–89
B = 83–86
B- = 80–82
C+ = 77–79
C = 73–76
C- = 70–72
D+ = 67–69
D = 63–66
D- = 60–62
F = 59 and below
As a general rule the instructor does not give incomplete grades. All work must be completed
during the semester and on time. Missed quizzes cannot be made up and missed-deadline
assignments will not be credited.
Deadlines
In the profession of journalism, deadlines are commitments and critical for timely publication.
So in this class all assignments are expected to be turned in on time, with extensions only
granted in circumstances defined as emergencies. Late work without documentation of such
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an emergency, like hospitalization, family emergency, or death in the immediate family, will
not be accepted. There are no provisions for incompletes in the class, make-up exams will
not be given without a doctor’s note or other appropriate documentation, and missed quizzes
cannot be made up.
Extra Credit, Other Assignments, and Schedule Changes
Extra credit may be assigned based on local and global influences and events. These
assignments are optional so they only add points and do not subtract from your total. Extracredit points will not increase your grand total beyond the maximum of 1000 points.
I may periodically ask you to do additional readings or explorations that are not listed in the
syllabus. These readings are not extra credit unless specified as such during the assignment of
them and you will not need to purchase any additional reading material for them. The extra
reading material will either be handed out in class or assigned for review at a specific web site.
You are responsible for all readings listed in the syllabus and all other class assignments except
optional extra credit.
The schedule for this class could change. Guest speakers may substitute for lectures but the
reading assignments are expected to be maintained whether there is a lecture or not.
Fabrication, Plagiarism, and Cheating (don’t go there)
Journalists are expected to be in the honest information business. Those who report false
information harm the reputation and value of other journalists as individuals and journalism
as an institution. Thus, no school of journalism can tolerate fabrication, plagiarism or
cheating. Fabrication, plagiarism, cheating and other similar violations will not be tolerated in
any course. Any such misconduct will result in a failing grade for the course and can result in
dismissal from the university.
Fabrication is the act of making up information and reporting it as fact. This includes
inventing quotes and interviews as well as misquoting a source or quoting someone out of
context.
Plagiarism is using someone else’s work and turning it in as your own or without giving
proper credit to the original author. It includes stealing research as well as “borrowing”
phrases and expressions.
The official policy on student conduct can be found at http://www.sjsu.edu/studentconduct.
Participation (do go there)
Contribute to this class, be prepared for each session, and be on time. Plan on adding your
thoughts and questions to the rich diversity of students and by being on time you can nurture
an important habit to exhibit throughout your professional career/s. You cannot expect
to get as much out of this class if you miss some or all our discussions, exercises, visual
presentations, guests and quizzes. You are responsible for any material or assignments given
in classes even if you are unable to attend. Check the web links or contact other students to
catch up. The instructor will not have transcripts nor restate any of the lectures.
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