TVR 30.5: Media Criticism (Television and Radio Criticism)

Class Schedule and Assignments - Fall, 2006

Monday/Wednesday - 3:30PM-4:45PM

Semester Syllabus / Lecture Notes

Session Date Subject Assignment (to be completed before class on the date assigned)
1 August 30 Introduction No Reading
NC September 4 Labor Day Break
2 September 6 The Landscape of Media Criticism Read http://davis.foulger.info/research/unifiedModelOfCommunication.htm and http://evolutionarymedia.com/papers/hammerAsMedium.htm
3 September 11 Exploring and Explaining Media Read Levinson, Chapters 1, 2, 3
4 September 13 Doing Media Criticism Read Allen, Introduction
5 September 18 Semiotics Read Allen, Chapter One; Bring body of content to class
6 September 20 Semiotics (continued) No additional reading
7 September 25 Narrative Theory Read Allen, Chapter 2
8 September 27 Narrative Theory (continuted) No additional reading
NC October 2 Yom Kippur Break
9 Tuesday, October 3 Writing Media Criticism Read Levinson, Chapters 4, 5, 6, First Annotated Bibliography Due; Note that this class is on Tuesday.
10 October 6 Genre Theory Read Allen, Chapter 4; Medium as an Ecology of Genre (web reading)
NC October 9 Columbus Day Break
11 October 11 Auteur Theory and Production-Oriented Approaches Read Levinson, Chapters 7 and 8; Short Paper 1 Due
12 October 16 Medium as Message Read Levinson, Chapters 9 and 10
13 October 18 Audience-Oriented Criticism Read Allen, Chapter 3
14 October 23 Ideological Analysis  
15 October 25 Ideological Analysis (continued) Read Allen Chapter 5; Optionally Read Allen, Chapter 7
16 October 30 Cultural Studies Read Allen, Chapter 8; Short Paper 2 Due
17 November 1 Theories of Mind Read Allen, Chapter 6
18 November 6 The Postmodern Turn Read Allen, Chapter 9; Term Paper Introduction Due
19 November 8 Deconstruction of Media Content Web Readings. See Online Syllabus for links.; Second Annotated Bibliography
20 November 13 Exam Good Luck
21 November 15 No Class. Attending NCA Term Paper Preparation Day
22 November 20 Uses of Media Read Levinson, Chapters 11, 12, 13; First Complete Draft of Term Paper Due
NC November 22 Thanksgiving Break
23 November 27 Term Paper Presentations No Reading
24 November 29 Term Paper Presentations No Reading
25 December 4 Term Paper Presentations No Reading
26 December 6 Term Paper Presentations No Reading
27 December 11 The Rearview Mirror Read Levinson, Chapters 14 and 15. Final Submission of Term Paper for Grading
28 December 13 Thinking Systematically About Media Read Allen, Afterword. Note that this is a Tuesday.
Final December 20 Optional Final Exam Wednesday from 3:30pm - 5:30pm. Term papers and, to the extent it is possible to do so, final grades will be returned at this time.