EMF 140
Introduction to Electronic Media and Film
Fall, 2015
Section 002
3 credit hours
Online
Professor: Dr. John R. Turner
Office: MC 112E
Campus Office Hours: TR: 10-11; 1-2; W: 2-3
Phone: 410-704-3604 (Office)
E-Mail: jturner@towson.edu
Web Page: www.towson.edu/~jturner
Blog: http://johnroy.wordpress.com/
Blackboard: http://bbweb.towson.edu
and on Facebook
Course Description:
Exploration of electronic media and film history, technology, aesthetics and
culture from the perspective of the media professional.
EMF 140 is one of the three Pre-EMF screening courses of which your grades in
all three courses must average out to a solid “B” grade to eventually be admitted to the
full EMF Major.
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of the course, the student will:
1. Know the significance of the historical, technical, political, legal, economic and social
bases of American electronic media and film.
2. Know the significance of current issues and research in a variety of electronic media
and film areas.
3. Express opinions, criticisms, and issues in the electronic and film media that
demonstrate critical thinking.
Recommended Text:
ELECTRONIC MEDIA: An Introduction (11th Ed.) by Lynne Schafer Gross, McGrawHill, 2013, ISBN: 978-0-07-3526164
Click here to go to the textbook’s web resources for students.
Students must be able to access their @students.towson.edu email accounts and the
course Blackboard site.
NATURE OF THE ONLINE COURSE:
Online courses are designed to give the student flexibility in determining both the
time and place where learning can occur. Often called “internet” courses, these modes of
learning utilize the internet to deliver the educational experience in such a way that the
student can participate in the course at a time that is convenient for them and at a place
that is convenient as well. In principle, this course can be taken anywhere in the world.
All that is necessary is access to the internet and the ability to see and hear videos
streamed on the internet to the student’s location.
The format for this class is the same as the on-campus sections of the class. You
will watch a series of lectures from various EMF professors via streamed videos that
simultaneously show the instructor’s picture and the power point presentation that
accompanies the lecture.
You will also develop an understanding of current issues dealing with electronic
media and film by writing abstracts from current periodicals and will express your own
critical opinions of the issues covered in the articles. The abstracts with your opinions
will be submitted through Blackboard for review and a grade. The other written
assignment is a critical analysis of a current TV program.
There are two exams during the course (a Mid Term and a Final Exam). These
will be taken online through the Blackboard system. The course is self-paced with all of
the lectures initially available to the student. The modules should be done in order
because exams are tied to clusters of lectures in the order of their listing.
For students wanting some help in pacing, a course calendar is provided at the end
of the syllabus. FOR PRACTICAL PURPOSES, THE STUDENT NEEDS TO KEEP
PACE WITH THE DATES LISTED ON THE SYLLABUS, PARTICULARLY THE
DUE DATES FOR EXAMS. ALL CLASS WORK MUST BE COMPLETED BEFORE
FINAL EXAM WEEK BEGINS ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10TH.
REQUIREMENTS FOR SUCCESS:
1. Students need to set aside enough time to be able to view lectures, take notes,
reflect on course material, write abstracts and take exams. Having the spare time
to devote to the class is important. Keeping pace with the class will spread the
work load to a manageable level, avoiding a last minute surge of work to prepare
abstracts or prepare for an exam.
2. Students need to have the discipline to set aside a regular time to view the lectures
and be able to focus on the lectures. This generally means being relatively rested
and IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT IS FREE FROM DISTRACTIONS. Online
students report one of the biggest obstacles to doing well is an environment where
there are a lot of distractions, either from roommates, family or from self-induced
distractions of TV, iPod, cell phones, etc. This is a test of the student’s selfdiscipline because there is no requirement to be in a class at a certain time.
3. Complete the “Orientation” module on Blackboard for taking an online class
before the semester begins or soon thereafter.
ACCESS TO THE LECTURES:
To view the lectures, the student must be enrolled in “Blackboard.” This site
contains all of the materials you will need for the course. It contains the recorded weekly
previews of what’s due by Dr. Turner, along with lectures from other EMF instructors
talking about the power points as well as the unaccompanied power point presentations,
and other resources. Blackboard is also the way the instructor will communicate with
you, so make sure you can access the Blackboard course materials at
http://bbweb.towson.edu where you should see this course listed as 1154EMF140003.
EVALUATION:
1. Mid Term Exam (100 points) on lectures 1-7.
2. Final Exam (100 points) on lectures 8-13.
3. Critical Analysis Essay (100 points)—the student will write a 3-5 page critical
analysis of a current broadcast or cable TV show and submit it through Blackboard (see
assignment details in Blackboard).
4. Abstracts (40 points). The student will complete (4) four abstracts about
“BROADCASTING AND CABLE” or “VARIETY” magazine articles. The abstract due
dates are listed in the course calendar section of the syllabus. The abstract assignments
will be posted on Blackboard through which you will submit your abstract document.
Each abstract will be graded on a 10-point basis. One point will be deducted for each day
that the abstract is late. One point will be deducted for each misspelled word, typo, or
grammatical error, so proofread your abstract before submitting it (see # 6 below).
Only “BROADCASTING AND CABLE” or “VAREITY” magazines are acceptable for
articles. Broadcasting and Cable (http://www.broadcastingcable.com/) and Variety
(http://www.variety.com/) are available online. The articles must be from recent issues
correlating with the dates of the Fall Semester (August-December, 2015).
The length of the abstract will be at least one page and double-spaced. The abstract will
contain at least three paragraphs. The first paragraph will summarize the content of the
article; the latter paragraphs will present the student’s opinion of the issue(s) discussed in
the article and its impact on the electronic media/film industry and/or society in general.
At the bottom of your document, you must include the URL info of the article you wrote
about (See Abstract Example on Blackboard).
5. Blackboard Orientation Quiz (10 points): Must be taken the first week of class.
6. All papers are to be typed, double-spaced (Times New Roman, 12 point font), and
sources of information properly documented where necessary according to the APA style
format. Submitted papers will be evaluated not only on content, but on how well the
paper demonstrates university-level writing skills (correct spelling, punctuation,
grammar, and free of typos). Furthermore, make sure you fully understand and adhere to
the policy on plagiarism and cheating as described on page 5 of the syllabus.
Grading Scale:
Your final grade will be determined according to the percentage of points you
have accumulated (out of a possible 350 points):
Letter Grade
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
D+ (*)
D (*)
F (*)
Points
325-350
315-324
304-314
290-303
280-289
269-279
245-268
234-244
210-233
0-209
Percentage
93-100%
90-92%
87-89%
83-86%
80-82%
77-79%
70-76%
67-69%
60-66%
0-59%
*A letter grade below a “C” does not count for credit in the EMF Major.
A grade of Incomplete is not given unless you are unable to complete the work required
in the course because of verifiable medical reasons or documented circumstances beyond your
control. Click here to read the full TU policy.
Repeating a Course:
A student may not attempt this course for a third time without prior permission from the
Academic Standards Committee. Click here to read the full TU policy on “Repeating Courses.”
Disability Statement:
Any student who may need an accommodation because of a disability, please make an
appointment to see me during my office hours the first week of class. A memo from Disability
Support Services (http://www.towson.edu/dss/) authorizing your accommodations will be needed.
Diversity Statement:
Towson University values diversity and fosters a climate that is grounded in respect and
inclusion, enriches the educational experience of students, supports positive workplace
environments, promotes excellence and cultivates the intellectual and personal growth of the
entire university community.
Consultations:
During office hours and other various times, you can find me on campus in MC 112E. If
you will not be on campus for other classes, you can request to meet with me online, person to
person, using WebEx. Don’t hesitate to contact me by phone, e-mail, or in person if you have a
question or concern about class matters. E-mail is the best and preferred method of contacting
me. If e-mailing a question to me, be sure to put EMF 140 in the subject line of your e-mail.
Academic Conduct/Plagiarism:
As responsible members of the academic community, students are obligated not to
violate the basic standards of the Towson University Student Academic Integrity Policy
found at this link.
In addition, all EMF students, staff, and faculty are committed to collegial and
academic citizenship demonstrating high standards of humane, ethical, professional, and
civil behavior in all interactions.
We need to be aware of the relationship between our personal conduct and the
quality of campus life. What we do and say always has an effect on others, whether we see
it or not. Civility means more than respecting campus facilities and grounds. Civility
means consistently treating people with consideration and respect. It means being
courteous, polite, and fair. It means recognizing diversity and honoring differing points of
view. When our behavior is guided by concern for others in our community, we are being
civil. Practicing civility requires thoughtful behavior and checking our assumptions and
perceptions of others’ race, gender, culture, and belief systems.
Civility Code
EMF places a priority on learning. We value the inherent worth and dignity of
every person, thereby fostering a community of mutual respect. Students have the right
to a learning environment free of disruptive behaviors. Faculty have the right to define
appropriate behavioral expectations in the classroom and expect students to abide by
them. Faculty have the responsibility to manage and address classroom disruption. Staff
have the right and responsibility to define appropriate behaviors necessary to conduct any
university activity free of disruption or obstruction.
We believe that in order to achieve these ideals, all EMF students, staff, and
faculty are expected to exhibit and practice civil behaviors that exemplify: (1) respecting
faculty, staff, fellow students, guests, and all university property, policies, rules and
regulations; (2) taking responsibility for one’s choices and actions; (3) delivering
correspondence –whether verbal, nonverbal, written, or electronic – with respectful
language and in complete sentences; and (4) accepting consequences of one’s
inappropriate choices and actions.
The use offensive, threatening or abusive language, writing, or behavior will not
be tolerated and can lead to academic dismissal. Further information about civility can
be found in Appendix F of the university catalog.
Examples demonstrating civility in the classroom as a student include:
Being respectful of the professor and other students.
Not texting or using cellular phones and other electronic devices (but devices can
be left on, under your desk, in order to receive emergency text alerts)
Not using your laptop for activities other than class work.
Not eating or drinking in class.
Not reading newspapers or listening to music during the class.
Not sleeping in class.
Outline of the course:
For the student interested in media production either in front of the camera or
microphone, or behind the scenes, this course presents a survey of the field utilizing five
themes (transducing the signal-audio, imaging the frame-visual, storytelling-the
sequence, studio-industry dissemination, and new media.) Each of these central themes
will be divided into the same subparts – history, technical, aesthetics and analysis.
Week #
Week 1 (Aug. 24)
Week 2 (Aug. 31)
Week 3 (Sept. 7)
Week 4 (Sept. 14)
Week 5 (Sept. 21)
Week 6 (Sept. 28)
Week 7 (Oct. 5)
Week 9 (Oct. 12)
Week 10 (Oct. 19)
Week 11 (Oct. 26)
Week 12 (Nov. 2)
Week 13 (Nov. 9)
Week 14 (Nov. 16)
Week 15 (Nov. 23)
Week 16 (Nov. 30)
Week 17 (Dec. 7)
Dec. 10-16
Topic
Course Welcome and
Introduction/ Lecture 1:
Why Study Electronic
Media and Film?/Careers;
plus Dr. Moore video
Lecture 2: History of Radio
Part 1
Lecture 3: History of Radio
Part 2
Lecture 4: Audio
Technology Part 1
Lecture 5: Audio
Technology Part 2
Lecture 6: History of Film
and TV; plus Dr. Reiss
video
Lecture 7: Visual
Technology
Mid Term Review and
Take Exam
Lecture 8:
Storytelling/Programming;
plus Prof. Angelella video
Lecture 9: Dissemination
Part 1; plus Prof. Mydlack
video; Lecture 10:
Dissemination Part 2;
Lecture 11: Audience
Measurement/Ratings
Lecture 12: Advertising
Work on TV paper
Thanksgiving Break
(starting Wednesday)
Lecture 13: Government
Regulation
Final Exam Review
Final Exam Week
Readings (Gross, 11th Ed.)
Orientation Module; take
quiz; Chapters 1 and 7
Chapter 5
Abstract 1 Due Friday
Parts of Chapter 13
Abstract 2 Due Friday
Parts of Chapters 4, 6 and 3
Parts of Chapter 13
Chapter 8; Abstract 3 Due
Friday
Parts of Chapters 2, 3 and 4
Chapter 10; Abstract 4 Due
Friday
Chapter 9
TV Critical Analysis
Essay Due Tuesday
Chapter 11
Take Exam (Times TBA)
For Pre-EMF Majors:
If this class (EMF 140) completes the three screening courses (120, 140, 221) needed for
admission to the EMF major, please submit your application for eligibility for full major status to
the EMF Office in Media Center 103 before the end of the semester. Even though this course
will not be completed when you submit your petition, the application will be held until the grade
is assigned. The Screening Committee reviews applications three times a year: January, June,
and August. The form can be found at http://wwwnew.towson.edu/emf/admission.asp -- click on
"EMF Declaration of Eligibility Form."
Course Evaluation:
A single course evaluation instrument has been developed and is being used by all academic
departments. Using the Campuslabs course evaluation tool, students complete a single course
evaluation instrument online for each course in which they are enrolled. Access to the evaluation
instrument continues via the Campuslabs website. Students will receive emails announcing the
availability of the completion “window” and will be given instructions regarding access. Students
are allowed to complete only one evaluation per course. A “window” for completing the
evaluation of a specific course will occur during the last two weeks of each term and session
before Final Exams begin.
Emergency Text Alerts:
All students must sign up for the Campus Emergency Alert Text Message Notification System.
Go to following link for instructions to do so:
http://www.towson.edu/adminfinance/facilities/police/campusemergency/ and watch the
emergency preparedness video and print out the pocket guide by clicking on this link:
http://www.towson.edu/adminfinance/facilities/police/campussafety/emergencyprep.asp
EMF Google Group List Serve:
All EMF students are required to join the EMF Google Group List Serve at
http://groups.google.com/group/TowsonEMF (Copy and paste this URL into your Web Browser).
This will guarantee that you receive daily postings regarding digital media, video, film, and audio
production topics including festivals, special screening, guest speakers, film/video crew needs,
internships, and jobs.
EMF Student Groups:
Students are encouraged to get involved with any one or more of a number of extra-curricular
groups sponsored by the department. Click here to go to the EMF website and read about the
various groups and which ones would be of interest to you based on your future career goals.
Career Center:
Located at 7800 York Road (Suite 206), The Career Center is here to help you achieve your
career goals. It offers a comprehensive range of free services to assist you with all of your careerrelated needs including: developing your career action plan, career counseling and advising,
resume and cover letter reviews, mock interviews, job and internship searches, and graduate
school essay reviews.