Syllabus—Spring 2014
JOUR 160: Understanding News Media
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2:00PM – 3:15PM, SPA 006
Professor: Jennifer Fleming, PhD
Phone: 562-985-7986
Email: jennifer.fleming@csulb.edu
Office: SPA 002
Office Hours: Mondays 10:00AM-11:30AM and Thursdays 3:30PM-5:00PM
Objectives:
The purpose of this course is to broaden and deepen student understanding of news media production,
distribution, and interpretation practices in the digital age. Students will examine how journalistic
processes work and learn how to recognize and critically question news media narrative patterns, hidden
meanings, and stereotypes. Throughout the semester, students will watch television news segments,
listen to radio news reports, read printed news articles, and access online news sources to become more
discerning news consumers. At a time when the digital revolution is spawning an unprecedented flood of
information and disinformation each day, the course, which is based in part on a model of news literacy
developed at the Stony Brook University School of Journalism, ultimately seeks to help students
recognize the differences between news and propaganda, news and opinion, bias and fairness, assertion
and verification, and evidence and inference. It will draw on disciplines such as sociology, political
science, philosophy, and media studies to demonstrate that news, reality, and truth in the digital age can
often be a matter of personal perspective, political orientation, and information-seeking habits.
Student Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this course, you will have gained experience in:
 Distinguishing between legitimate journalism and other kinds of information
 Describing how news decisions are made
 Discussing the mission of the press in democratic societies
 Identifying and distinguishing between news media bias and audience bias
 Analyzing the key elements of a news account, including weight of evidence, credibility of
sources and of context, to judge its credibility and reliability
 Blending personal scholarship and experiences to write about news media standards and
practices, as well as First Amendment issues and personal news consumption choices
 Connecting current news accounts to course concepts
 Theorizing about the impact of digital information technologies on individuals and culture
Required Texts:
Carr, N. (2011). The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains. New York: Norton & Co.
Manjoo, F. (2008). True Enough: Learning to Live in a Post-Fact Society. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Other readings will be assigned throughout the term and made available electronically on Beachboard
Recommended Text:
Hacker, D. and Sommers, N. (2011). A Pocket Style Manual, 6th ed. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s.
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Methods:
The class will blend lecture and seminar formats to emphasize critical thinking, discussion, and writing
as a means to discovery. Students will do well if they think critically and deeply about the material, craft
carefully their written assignments, and engage fully in conversation. Students are expected to be
thoughtful and active participants. Readings and homework assignments are intended as a starting point
for an understanding of news media. Students will enhance this understanding through looking for
connections between readings and class discussions or current events and personal experiences.
Evaluation Procedures and Grading Policy:
Class activities are designed to demonstrate competency of the course learning outcomes. Students will
be graded based upon the quality of performance in assignments and the ability to meet requirements of
the course as follows:
Course Requirements
News Log Homework Assignments (10 X 15 points)
Reading Summary Presentation w/partner
Book Review #1: The Shallows
Book Review #2: True Enough
Final Essay
Attendance and informed participation
TOTAL
Points
150
50
100
100
100
100
600
At the end of the course, grades will be converted to a percentage and designated as follows:
A=90% - 100%
B=80% - 89%
C=70% - 79%
D=60 - 69%
F=below 59%
Assessment of Written Work:
You will be graded on how well you articulate an understanding of course material as well as how you
express your own ideas and arguments. Simply put, your grade depends a great deal on your ability to
write with clarity and logic. In general:
“A” assignments are exceptionally written with proper citation, cogently argued, intelligently
analyzed, and brilliantly synthesized; they need little or no rewriting.
“B” assignments are superior in argument, analysis, synthesis and writing; they require minor
editing or rewriting.
“C” assignments are average in argument, analysis, synthesis and writing; they show a grasp of
subject matter, but need heavy editing or rewriting.
“D” assignments show poor grasp of subject; there are serious problems with argument, analysis,
synthesis, and writing.
“F” assignments demonstrate weak grasp of subject or do not meet basic standards of accuracy
and academic integrity.
Assessment of News Logs:
Nearly every week you will be required to complete a homework activity or in-class writing assignment
of no more than 500 words. Each of these “news logs” will be evaluated out of 15 points. News logs will
be assessed on your ability to think critically, write clearly, apply course concepts, and follow directions.
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Assessment of Attendance:
You can earn up to 50 points for attendance. Attendance will be taken every class through a sign-in
sheet or in-class assignment. You will be awarded two points for almost every class that you attend.
Assessment of Participation:
Active participation is essential to succeeding in this course. You should consistently demonstrate that
you have knowledge of the news; that you have completed the homework and assigned readings; and
that you are willing to engage in discussion and debate with your classmates. Examples of factors that
are considered when evaluating participation include:
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Contributing interesting, insightful comments
Presenting good examples of concepts being discussed
Building on comments of others
Raising good questions
Listening and responding appropriately to others’ comments
Attending all class meetings and being on time
You can earn up to 50 points for participation. I will keep regular notes on the discussion activity in
class to assure a veritable record of participation.
Class Policies/Statements:
Assignments, Deadlines and Grading
All assignments should be handed in when they are due, which is typically at the beginning of class on
the due date. If you must miss a class or deadline for a legitimate reason, contact me prior to the start of
the class period, if possible. Work handed in late without a legitimate reason will be lowered by one
letter grade for each day that it is late. Any assignment not turned in within three days of the deadline or
one that is incomplete will receive an F. Note that I will not accept email assignments nor will I accept
late submissions on the final paper.
Absences from Class
Grades in a course will be adversely affected by absences. Make-ups usually are granted in strict
accordance with CSULB policy, which defines excused absences as (1) illness or injury to the student;
(2) death, injury or serious illness of an immediate family member or the like; (3) religious reasons; (4)
jury duty or government obligation; (5) CSULB-sanctioned or approved activities. These and any other
requests for an excused absence must be documented.
CSULB Cheating/Plagiarism/Fabrication Policy
CSULB takes issues of academic dishonesty very seriously. If you use any deceptive or dishonest
method to complete an assignment, take an exam, or gain credit in a course in any other way, or if you
help someone else to do so, you are guilty of cheating. If you use someone else’s ideas or work and
represent it as your own without giving credit to the source, you are guilty of plagiarism. This does not
apply if the ideas are recognized as common knowledge, or if you can show that you honestly developed
the ideas through your own work. You should use quotation marks and bibliographic references to give
credit to your sources according to the format recommended by your instructor.
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Attendance
Attendance at all classes is required. In case of an emergency, contact me prior to class, if possible. The
class starts at 2:00PM and you are expected to be present and ready to begin at that time.
Diversity of Perspectives
I encourage you to include people and subjects traditionally overlooked by news media in your written
work and our class discussions whenever possible. In addition to seeking and understanding the
importance of diverse voices and sources in news accounts, we will also learn how to more critically
evaluate depictions of ethnicity, gender, and class in news media.
Students with Disabilities
Students needing support services or accommodations should establish their eligibility for assistance by
contacting the Disabled Student Services Office (Brotman Hall 270) at 562-985-5401. Students are to
provide me verification of their disability and appropriate alternatives from Disabled Student Services.
Class Civility and Professional Conduct:
This should go without saying, but students are expected to assist in maintaining a classroom
environment that is conducive to learning. In order to assure that all students have the opportunity to
gain from time in class, students are prohibited from engaging in any form of distraction. Inappropriate
behaviour in the classroom shall result, minimally, in a request to leave the class. In other words, please
come to class on time and silence your cell phone. In fact, this discussion-dominated class will be a
screen free zone, which means turn off and put away your laptop too.
Assistance
If you think you might need help with some aspect of the course, you probably do. Don’t ever hesitate to
see me about your needs and concerns during the semester. I strongly encourage you to meet with me
regularly to review your progress. My office hours are listed at the beginning of this syllabus. You can
also reach me via email. Please include ‘J160’ in the subject line of all e-mails to me
(Jennifer.Fleming@csulb.edu) regarding this class.
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JOUR 160 Class Schedule
Note: This schedule is subject to change
PART 1
The Digital Revolution and the Digitization of News
WEEK 1
1-A
Tues/Jan21
1-B
Thurs/Jan23
Course aims, instructional methods, and assessment guidelines
Reading summary sign-up
WEEK 2
2-A
Tues/Jan28
2-B
Thurs/Jan30
WEEK 3
3-A
Tues/Feb4
3-B
Thurs/Feb6
Readings (due at beginning of week): The Shallows, chapters 1, 2 & 3, pp. 5-57
Due: News Log #1
WEEK 4
4-A
Tues/Feb11
4-B
Thurs/Feb13
Readings: The Shallows, chapters 4, 5 and 6, pp. 58-114
Due: News Log #2
WEEK 5
5-A
Tues/Feb18
5-B
Thurs/Feb20
Readings: The Shallows, chapters 7, 8 and 9, pp. 115-200
Due: News Log #3
WEEK 6
6-A
Tues/Feb25
6-B
Readings: The Shallows: chapters 10 plus epilogue pp. 201-228
Due: Book Review #1, The Shallows
Thurs/Feb27
PART 2
What the Internet is Doing to “Truth” and What You Can Do About It
WEEK 7
7-A
Tues/Mar4
7-B
Thurs/Mar6
WEEK 8
8-A
Tues/Mar11
8-B
Thurs/Mar13
Readings: True Enough, introduction plus chapters 1, 2, and 3 pp. 1-96
News Log #4
Readings: True Enough, chapters 4 and 5, pp. 97-181
“Journalism Objectivity” from Media Debates (on BB)
Due: News Log #5
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WEEK 9
9-A
Tues/Mar18
9-B
Thurs/Mar20
WEEK 10
10-A
Tues/Mar25
10-B
Thurs/Mar27
Readings: True Enough, chapter 6 plus epilogue, pp. 183-230
“New Media and Polarization” from Political Communication (on BB)
Due: News Log #6
Due: Book Review #2, True Enough
PART 3
Deconstructing the News and Assessing “Reliable” Information
WEEK 11
11-A
Tues/Apr8
11-B
Thurs/Apr10
Due: News Log #7
WEEK 12
12-A
Tues/Apr15
12-B
Thurs/Apr17
Due: News Log #8
WEEK 13
13-A
Tues/Apr22
13-B
Thurs/Apr24
JOURNALISM DAY
WEEK 14
14-A
Tues/Apr29
14-B
Thurs/May1
Due: News Log #9
WEEK 15
15-A
Tues/May6
15-B
Thurs/May8
Due: News Log #10
FINAL ASSESSMENT: Thursday, May 15, 2014, 12:30PM - 2:30PM
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Student Learning Assessment
The national accrediting agency for journalism education has established a requirement that all
accredited journalism schools assess student mastery of 12 core values and competencies that any
graduate of a journalism and mass communication program should possess. According to the
Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (ACEJMC), all graduates,
irrespective of their particular specialization, should be able to:
1) Understand and apply principles of law of freedom of speech and press for the United States, as
well as receive instruction in and understand the range of systems of expression around the
world – including the right to dissent, to monitor and criticize power, and to assemble and
petition for redress of grievances.
2) Demonstrate an understanding of the history and role of professionals and institutions in
shaping communications.
3) Demonstrate an understanding of gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and, as appropriate,
other forms of diversity in the United States in relation to mass communications
4) Demonstrate an understanding of the diversity of peoples and cultures and of the significance
and impact of mass communications in a global society.
5) Understand concepts and apply theories in the use and presentation of images and information.
6) Work ethically in the pursuit of truth, accuracy, fairness and diversity.
7) Think critically, creatively and independently.
8) Conduct research and evaluate information by methods appropriate to the communications
professionals in which they work.
9) Write correctly and clearly in forms and styles appropriate for the communications professions,
audiences and purposes they serve.
10) Critically evaluate their own work and that of others for accuracy and fairness, clarity,
appropriate style and grammatical correctness.
11) Apply basic numerical and statistical concepts.
12) Apply current tools and technologies appropriate for the communications professions in which
they work, and to understand the digital world.