SYLLABUS: COMM 1210 (PERSPECTIVES ON HUMAN COMMUNICATION) SPRING 2007
Lecture M/W 9-9:50 pm, in CHEM140 plus a once weekly recitation
PROFESSOR: Dr. Brian L. Daniell
Brian.Daniell@colorado.edu
Campus phone 303-492-7488
OFFICE HOURS: HLMS 76 Mondays 12:00-2:00, Wednesdays 2:00-3:30
Other times available by appointment
COMM 1210 INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF:
Lori Britt, Lead TA
Lori.Britt@colorado.edu
Shannon Dickerson
Shannon.Dickerson@colorado.edu
Jessica Robles
Jessica.Robles@colorado.edu
Christydale Sims
Christy.Sims@colorado.edu
Jennifer Stradling
Jennifer.Stradling@colorado.edu
Mike Wiley
Wileymc@colorado.edu
COMMUNICATION WITH INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF:
Please communicate with COMM 1210 instructional staff either face-to-face during class or office
hours, or by means of e-mail. You will be required to use the CULearn site set up by your recitation
instructor throughout the semester.
REQUIRED TEXT:
Wood, J. (2006). Communication mosaics: An introduction to the field of communication. Belmont
CA: Thomson Wadsworth. 4th or 5th edition.
Additional readings (journal articles, book chapters, etc.) will be assigned in your recitation.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
1. To become familiar with the broad range of research and theoretical work carried out by
communication scholars.
2. To understand the impact and effects of various forms of communication in personal,
institutional, and societal contexts.
3. To provide a foundation for critical examination of communication practices in interpersonal,
institutional, and societal/cultural contexts.
4. To prepare the student for advanced coursework as a major in the Department of Communication
at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
COURSE CONTENT AND APPROACH:
COMM 1210 is an introductory overview course designed to impart knowledge of the theoretical
frameworks and focus of the modern field of human communication. Any such course involves
theories (“the ways by which we understand communication”) and practice (“what we do with the
understanding provided by our theories). Our course consists of both lecture and recitation sessions.
Lectures will present the various theories and analytical frameworks communication scholars have
developed to describe or analyze various communication phenomena. Recitation sessions will
provide students with the opportunity to discuss and clarify the theories and terminology as well as
applying them to specific contexts, problems, or issues. Note that our approach to communication in
this course is primarily descriptive and predictive rather than prescriptive; in other words, we will
concern ourselves with “how things work” rather than “how things ought to be.”
COURSE TOPICS AND SCHEDULE:
COMM 1210 follows the structure of the textbook (Communication Mosaics Wood, 2006). Read the
corresponding chapter in Wood prior to each week’s lectures and recitations.
WEEK 1 (Jan. 14-18); Wood, Chapter 1.
Course introduction and general concepts of communication as a discipline.
WEEK 2 (Jan. 23-25, no lecture Monday 1/21, MLK holiday); Wood, Chapter 2.
Communication in historical and contemporary perspective.
WEEK 3 (Jan. 28-Feb. 1); Wood, Chapter 3. Perceiving and understanding.
WEEK 4 (Feb. 4-8); Wood, Chapter 4. Verbal communication.
* Assignment One due in recitation this week.
WEEK 5 (Feb. 11-15); Wood, Chapter 5. Nonverbal communication.
WEEK 6 (Feb. 18-22); Wood, Chapter 6. Listening and responding.
* Exam 1, Wednesday, February 20 (covers chapters 1-5)
WEEK 7 (Feb. 25-29); Wood, Chapter 7. Communication climates.
WEEK 8 (Mar. 3-7); Wood, Chapter 8. Adapting communication to cultures and communities.
WEEK 9 (Mar. 10-14); Wood, Chapter 9. Communication and self-concept.
WEEK 10 (Mar. 17-21); Wood, Chapter 10. Communication in personal relationships.
* Assignment Two due in recitation this week.
WEEK 11 (Mar. 24-28); SPRING BREAK, NO CLASSES
WEEK 12 (Mar. 31-Apr. 4); Wood, Chapter 11. Communication in groups and teams.
* Exam 2, Wednesday, April 2 (covers chapters 6-10)
WEEK 13 (Apr. 7-11); Wood, Chapter 12. Communication in organizations.
WEEK 14 (Apr. 14-18); Wood, Chapter 13. Public communication.
* Assignment Three due in recitation this week.
WEEK 15 (Apr. 21-25); Wood, Chapter 14. Mass communication.
WEEK 16 (Apr. 28-May 2); Wood, Chapter 15. Communication technologies.
Final cumulative exam will be held Wed., May 7, 1:30 p.m.- 4:00 p.m.
GENERAL EXPECTATIONS FOR STUDENTS:
RECITATIONS BEGIN THE FIRST WEEK OF CLASS! BE SURE TO ATTEND TO AVOID
BEING DROPPED FROM THE ROLL.
Recitation attendance: In addition to your inability to cope with assignments and exams, absences
will have a negative effect on the participation component of your final grade. Experience
shows that missing lectures and/or recitations is the best way to lower your exam scores. Students
will be allowed two unexcused absences, after which each additional un-excused recitation
absence will result in a loss of 7 points from your overall course point total.
Deadlines and Make-up Exams. Papers will be turned in on the day they are due at the beginning of
class. Make-up exams will be allowed only under extraordinary circumstances (see below).
Participation in Recitation: All students are expected to participate in and contribute to class
discussions. The quality of your course experience depends in large part on your participation in
and contributions to recitations. You are expected to arrive at class having done the assigned
reading, with questions and observations in mind, with curiosity, and with enthusiasm for
discussion. Remember: Attendance and participation are not the same thing.
Recitation Participation/Activities: Your participation in recitation and completion of recitationbased activities will also contribute to your final grade for the course. Your graduate instructor will
evaluate the degree to which you are actively engaged in discussion and activities in the recitation
sections. Completing small written or group activities in recitations will also be a component of the
participation grade. Recitation instructors will provide a “participation syllabus” in recitation the
first week of class that provides more information on their expectations for you and how this
component of the grade will be derived.
Format of assignments submitted for evaluation: Hand-written submissions will not be read. Email submissions will not be downloaded or accepted. All submitted assignments must be typed
double-spaced on white 8.5 by 11 inch paper. Follow the APA format when references are used.
NOTE! Your grades will suffer in the event of problems with grammar, punctuation, and/or
spelling.
Academic ethics and appropriate behavior: The University of Colorado has an honor code as well
as a university policy concerning appropriate classroom behavior (see section on policies below).

Every student should be familiar with university policies concerning classroom behavior as well
as the general set of ethical guidelines underlying all scholarly work.

As are all professional scholars, you are responsible for providing citations and references for
every assertion in your work that you did not originate. The representation of the work, words, or
concepts of others as your own will result in a grade of F for the assignment as well as a formal
complaint to the University Honor Code Council.

All incidents of cheating will be formally reported to the University Honor Code
Council. Cheating is a serious offense; being found guilty of cheating will result in extremely
serious consequences for your academic career at the University of Colorado.

Students will refrain from engaging in disruptive or inappropriate behavior in lectures and
recitations (this includes talking at inappropriate times, talking or text messaging on your cell
phone, sleeping, reading the newspaper, etc.).
COURSE POLICIES
Accommodation for students with special needs: If you qualify for accommodations because of a
disability, please submit to me a letter from Disability Services in a timely manner so that your needs may
be addressed. Disability Services determines accommodations based on documented disabilities. Contact:
303-492-8671, Willard 322, and http://www.Colorado.EDU/disabilityservices
Accommodation for religious observance: Campus policy regarding religious observances requires that
faculty make every effort to reasonably and fairly deal with all students who, because of religious
obligations, have conflicts with scheduled exams, assignments or required attendance. See full details at
http://www.colorado.edu/policies/fac_relig.html
Classroom behavior: Students and faculty each have responsibility for maintaining an appropriate
learning environment. Those who fail to adhere to such behavioral standards may be subject to discipline.
Professional courtesy and sensitivity are especially important with respect to individuals and topics
dealing with differences of race, culture, religion, politics, sexual orientation, gender, gender variance,
and nationalities. Class rosters are provided to the instructor with the student's legal name. I will gladly
honor your request to address you by an alternate name or gender pronoun. Please advise me of this
preference early in the semester so that I may make appropriate changes to my records. See polices at
http://www.colorado.edu/policies/classbehavior.html and at
http://www.colorado.edu/studentaffairs/judicialaffairs/code.html#student_code
Discrimination: The University of Colorado at Boulder policy on Discrimination and Harassment, the
University of Colorado policy on Sexual Harassment and the University of Colorado policy on Amorous
Relationships apply to all students, staff and faculty. Any student, staff or faculty member who believes
s/he has been the subject of discrimination or harassment based upon race, color, national origin, sex, age,
disability, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status should contact the Office of Discrimination and
Harassment (ODH) at 303-492-2127 or the Office of Judicial Affairs at 303-492-5550. Information about
the ODH, the above referenced policies and the campus resources available to assist individuals regarding
discrimination or harassment can be obtained at http://www.colorado.edu/odh
Honor code: All students of the University of Colorado at Boulder are responsible for knowing and
adhering to the academic integrity policy of this institution. Violations of this policy may include:
cheating, plagiarism, aid of academic dishonesty, fabrication, lying, bribery, and threatening behavior.
All incidents of academic misconduct shall be reported to the Honor Code Council
(honor@colorado.edu; 303-725-2273). Students who are found to be in violation of the academic
integrity policy will be subject to both academic sanctions from the faculty member and non-academic
sanctions (including but not limited to university probation, suspension, or expulsion). Other information
on the Honor Code can be found at http://www.colorado.edu/policies/honor.html and at
http://www.colorado.edu/academics/honorcode/
COMM 1210 EXAMS AND ASSIGNMENTS:
I. Exams. There will be three objective-format exams (multiple-choice, true-false items). The first two
exams will be limited to specific sections of the reading, lecture and research material. The final
exam will be cumulative. NOTE: In no case will you be allowed to make up an exam without a
compelling and documented reason.
Make-up exams will be given only if
a) The student was required to attend an officially sanctioned athletic event as a participant.
b) In cases of documented illness.
c) A documented family emergency.
d) In the case of religious observance.
e) Where student has legal obligations (e.g., court appearances).
Please note that “food poisoning” the night before an exam or the day a paper is due is not included in
the above list.
II. Assignments. Three assignments will be completed. Specific guidelines for each written assignment will
be provided separately. Late papers will not be accepted; a grade of zero will be given if papers are
not submitted on time. Students who anticipate missing class on paper-due dates are advised to
turn their work in prior to the due date in hard-copy form. E-mail submissions will not be
accepted.
III. Participation. Participation points reflect the instructor’s assessment of your contribution to the
recitation discussion and activities and your performance on recitation assignments. See Attendance and
Participation (above) as well as your recitation instructor’s specific syllabus.
FINAL GRADES: Your final grade will be derived as follows:
Points
Assignment #1
50
Exam #1
100
Assignment #2
100
Exam #2
100
Assignment #3
100
Final exam
150
Recitation activities (readings,
participation in discussions, quizzes, etc.)
100
Total possible points
700
Final grades will be assigned based on the following final point totals which correspond to your final
average in the course.
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
92.5 or higher
90-92.4
87.5-89.9
82.5-87.4
80-82.4
77.5-79.9
72.5-77.4
647.5 points ↑
630-647 points
612.5-629 points
577.5-612 points
560-577 points
542.5-559 points
507.5-542 points
C- 70-72.4
D+ 67.5-69.9
D 62.5-67.4
D- 60-62.4
F Below 59.9
490-507 points
472.5-489 points
437.5-472 points
420-437 points
419 points ↓
HOW TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN COMM 1210:
Many students assume that because it is an introductory course, COMM 1210 is therefore an easy course.
Proceeding on this assumption, they then make the mistakes common to students who are unsuccessful in
any course: They miss lectures, fail to do assigned readings, keep unorganized notes, put minimal effort
into assignments, and wait until the night before to study for exams. They are then shocked by their
resulting grades. Here are a few tips for avoiding such tragic outcomes.
1. Assume COMM 1210 is a hard course. It can be if you don’t . . .
2. Attend lecture regularly. Exam questions are almost always derived from material covered in
lecture.
3. Organize your notes after every lecture. Type them out if your handwriting is difficult for
(even) you to read.
4. Study a little every night. Regular exposure increases retention.
5. Read the textbook! Assume that we will test you on concepts it contains (and we will).
6. Study with others. If you cannot articulate a concept, you don’t understand it. Talking a thing
through is the key to understanding.
7. Ask questions in recitation. Help the teaching staff help you. That’s why they are here.