SANTA MONICA COLLEGE
Media 10 “Media, Gender and Race” Course Syllabus
Instructor: Redelia Shaw
Spring 2014
Section 4352, Room LS 106
Mon & Wed 5:15P – 6:35P
e-mail: shaw_redelia@smc.edu
Office: LS 148, Phone: 310/434-8910
Office Hours: Mon 4:30P-5P
(All other times by appointment)
Media 10
Transfer: UC,CSU
3 UNITS
Prerequisite: None
Course Catalog Description:
This course is an historical overview of media in the United States. Using readings from selected texts, clips
from movies, radio and television broadcasts, as well as period literature, students analyze and debate
representations in the media with a focus on class, gender, and race/ethnicity. Critical thinking is stressed in
this course.
Student Learning Outcomes:
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Analyze representations in media with particular focus on social class, gender, and race. As assessed by:
department grading rubric, participation in class analysis and discussion, and/or analytical essays and
examinations.
Understand and apply key concepts that inform media analysis. As assessed by: department grading
rubric, participation in class analysis and discussion, and/or analytical essays and examinations.
Learn how to critically analyze media images. As assessed by: department grading rubric, participation in
class analysis and discussion, and/or analytical essays and examinations.
Demonstrate familiarity with basic mass communication and media industry knowledge. As assessed by:
department grading rubric, participation in class analysis and discussion, and/or analytical essays and
examinations.
Required Reading and Supplies:
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Race/Gender/Class/Media: Considering Diversity across Audience, Content, and Producers (2012, 3rd
Edition) Author: Rebecca Ann Lind. ISBN: 0205006108
Six (6) Scantrons - 882 compatible and a No. 2 pencil (The bookstore sells a 6-pack 100 question
Accuscan 29500 which is 882 compatible. You can also buy the Scantron Brand 882-E six pack.)
Method of Presentation:
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Lectures and interactive group discussions relating to reading assignments from the main text
including use of supplementary materials supplied by the instructor, and encouraged/required from
students. Both current and historically relevant media events will be evaluated.
Class discussion of important articles from current media periodicals and websites.
Methods of Evaluation
Students will be evaluated by performance in a variety of areas:
METHOD
NUMBER OF
TOTAL
ASSIGNMENTS
POINTS
PERCENTAGE
GRADE
SCALE
LETTER
Quizzes
10 @ 10pts
100
25%
90-100
A
Weekly Written
Assignments & Blogs
20 @ 5pts
100
25%
80-89
B
Midterm & Final Exam
2 @ 50pts
100
30%
70-79
C
Group Presentation
100pts
100
10%
60-69
D
*Class Participation
(In Class Activities)
100pts
100
10%
59 and
below
F
500
100%
TOTAL
Weekly Writing Assignments (WA) and Blogs (WB):
As future media-makers students, will demonstrate their critical analysis of media representations through
weekly writing assignments and blogs. The goal of the written assignments will be for students to
academically deconstruct media messaging through thesis statement and organized essays. Each week an
assignment is late will be subject to a 10% reduction of letter grade on the assignment.
The weekly blog is to engage students with technology and raise their awareness of media literacy and the
construction of messages as it relates to race, gender and class. Students will be required to reference a
range of sources including magazine and newspaper articles, broadcast news reports, internet-published
articles, films, television shows or music recordings. There will be no “right” or “wrong” answers in this blog,
but it will be graded for its level of critical thought, analysis and effort. The finished product will include at
least 10 entries, and will contain no fewer than 500 words.
Missed Work:
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When class will be missed, or an assignment will not be ready on time, contact the instructor
as soon as possible, preferably in advance.
Quizzes CAN NOT be made up if you are not in class when it is given for any reason.
Generally, to receive full credit, assignments must be turned in on time. You have until
midnight on the due date to upload the assignment to eCompanion.
Unit Tests and Group Projects, in emergency circumstances, may be taken or turned in late
with instructor approval, but these will result in a reduction in points regardless of the reason
for the absence or lateness.
Extra Credit Policy:
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There is limited Extra Credit in this class, for up to 10 extra credit points, which consists of
Extra Writing Assignments graded at 90% or better grade, attending specified SMC
workshops/events or participating in specified independent production projects and writing a
detailed summary about the experience.
Students may participate the Sustainable Works program. For more information, visit:
http://www.smc.edu/AcademicAffairs/Sustainability/Pages/Sustainable-Works.aspx
Recommended Computer Skills and Technology Requirements:
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Access to eCompanion, or a computer to access publisher online content. eCompanion tutorials are
available at www.smconline.org
Ability to use Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint if you do not have a computer at home please use
the Computer labs located on campus including the one in the SMC Library.
Ability to upload to blog weekly commentary to www.smcmedia10@wordpress.com.
Access to an email account and familiarity with social media Twitter and Facebook.
Attendance, Drops and Withdrawal Policy:
Failure to attend class on a regular basis will be reflected in your final grade. In this course, “on time”
attendance means arriving within the first 10 minutes of class, according to the clock in the room. “Present”
means staying in class for the entire period; if you leave early, it will be counted as an “absence.” Three tardy
appearances (late for class) will be equal to one unexcused absence and will reduce your final grade
percentage that is allocated to class participation (10%).
You are expected to attend all classes. You are responsible for notifying me, the instructor, in advance of
any absence or scheduling conflict, via email or telephone. If you are absent for any reason, it is your
responsibility to find out what material was covered in class, and to be prepared for the next class session
including the submission of due assignments. Lectures and other class-work will not be recreated for
individual students. You may be dropped from the class if you miss more than two consecutive classes
without notifying me. Students who are out for 3 sessions due to illness need to provide a doctor’s note
to be reinstated back into the class.
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Although I retain the right to drop you given the above circumstances, it is nevertheless your
responsibility as a student to withdraw from class if you do not intend to complete it. Students must
NOT expect faculty to initiate withdrawal procedures for them. If you wish to drop this class, you may
do so through Corsair Connect. Students may process a drop for themselves through 75% of the class,
which is through the 12th week in a regular semester. Data regarding the withdrawal parameters for
each class are provided within each student’s individual Corsair Connect account.
Classroom conduct:
Please conduct yourself as you would in a business environment: on-time attendance, respect for others,
respectful language and personal integrity. Private conversations with the instructor should be held in office
hours, not during class time. For additional information on the SMC Student Code of Conduct please visit:
http://www.smc.edu/StudentServices/StudentJudicialAffairs/Documents/AR4410.pdf
Cellphones, tablets, laptops and other devices:
• Cell phone/tablet etiquette: Do not use these items during class, which includes group work time. If caught
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using devices your participation grade will be lowered by 2 points for each instance. Frequent and
excessive use and you will be considered absent from class.
Laptop use is permitted in this class. Devices must be kept on the desk—not in your lap. Activities using
these devices must be limited to activities supporting concurrent class topics. Students using devices for
other purposes will lose the privilege of device use during class.
Academic Honesty:
The SMC Honor statement, signed by each student upon enrollment, reads: “In the pursuit of the high
ideals and rigorous standards of academic life, I commit myself to respect and uphold the Santa
Monica College Honor Code, Code of Academic Conduct, and Student Conduct Code. I will conduct
myself honorably as a responsible member of the SMC community in all endeavors I pursue.” It is
your responsibility to familiarize yourself with The Code of Academic Conduct, which is printed in the General
Catalog and available online through the website:
http://www.smc.edu/StudentServices/HonorCouncil/Pages/Honor-Code.aspx
Please be extremely careful that you do not engage in any behavior that could even be construed as
cheating. Violations could result in failing grades, reports to the Campus Disciplinarian, and
subsequent academic disciplinary action. Examples of behaviors that are not permitted include but are
not limited to: Copying another student's homework, inappropriate language or physicality in the classroom,
and inappropriate behaviors during an exam (talking with another student, looking at or copying from another
student's paper, using a disallowed PDA, using disallowed notes, leaving the room without prior permission,
removing exam materials from the classroom). Honest and ethical students are protected in this class.
Fairness and Respect:
No matter who you are, what you do, or where you come from outside our class, you have entered an
environment (our classroom) that is fair, where everyone begins and works on the same level playing field. I
will show no favoritism for any reason. If you ever feel that I have treated you unfairly or have disrespected
you in ANY way, please let me know so we can quickly fix the problem. My job is to work with you so that you
will learn as much as possible in our class. Your success and future is solely your responsibility.
Tentative Content & Schedule:
FEB
24
MAR
3
Introduction to Studying Race, Gender and Media
History and Influence Of Ethnic Media
Intersectionality
Lind 2.3, Media Literacy in Eating Disorder Treatment
Lind 3.1, Women with Physical Disabilities, Body Image, Media
Intersectionality
Lind 5.3, Framing Feminism
Lind 6.5, It’s Okay That We Back-Stab Each Other
Lind 9.2, Women in Television and Radio News
19
Read Lind 1.1
Read Lind 4.3
26
5
Due: WA #1, WB #1
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10
Representations of Women in Media
Lind 3.6, Why Don’t you Act your Color?
Lind 5.9, The More You Subtract the More You
Geena Davis Institute (*posted on eCompanion or available at:
http://www.seejane.org/downloads/KeyFindings_GenderRoles.pdf)
12
Due: WA #2, WB #2
Group Project List
17
Representations of Caucasians in Media
Lind 5.5, The Unchanging Face of the News
Lind 6.1, People Tell Me I’m White: Stephen Colbert
19
Due: WA #3, WB #3
24
Representations of LGBT Community in Media
Lind 6.7, The New Gay Domesticity
Lind 7.1, Anti-Gay Speech on the Internet
Lind 8.1, Exploring Gay/Straight Relationships
26
Due: WA #4, WB #4
31
Representations of Asian Americans in Media
Lind 3.2, Negotiating the Mediascape
Lind 5.4, Outwhiting the Whites
Lind 7.5, AudreyMagazine.com
APR
2
Due: WA #5, WB #5
Group Project
Summaries
7
Representations of Middle Eastern and Arab Americans
Lind 2.1, The Social Psychology of Stereotypes
Lind 3.4, How TV Makes Arabs and Muslims…Themselves
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21
Representations of Native Americans in Media
Lind 3.7, Arguing Over Images
Lind 5.6, Gambling with Identity: American Indian…Websites
Lind 5.7, Marketing Authenticity
23
Due: WA #6, WB #6
Midterm Test
(Spring Break 4/144/18)
Due: WA #7, WB #7
28
Representations of African Americans in Media
Lind 2.2, He Was a Black Guy
Lind 7.6, Gender and Race as Meaning Systems
Lind 8.2, The Tom Joyner Morning Show
30
Due: WA #8, WB #8
Representations of Latinos in Media
Lind 5.2, What’s in a Name? Framing the Immigration Story
Lind 5.8, Advertising and Hispanic Culture
7
Due: WA #9, WB #9
12
Film and Entertainment Television
Lind 6.2, Race, Hierarchy and Hyenaphobia in The Lion King
Lind 6.6, Is Daddy’s Little Girl a Bitch or a Princess?
14
Due: WA #10, WB #10
19
Media Effects
Lind 2.4, Believing Blogs: Does a Blogger’s Gender Influence
Lind 2.5, Videogame Design and Acceptance of Hate Speech
21
GROUP
PRESENTATIONS
26
MEMORIAL DAY (NO CLASS)
28
GROUP PRESENTATIONS
4
GROUP
PRESENTATIONS
GROUP
PRESENTATIONS
MAY
5
JUN
2
16
MONDAY, JUNE 16 AT 330P – FINAL EXAM
* Course schedule is subject to change. The instructor will announce all schedule changes and post a revised schedule.
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