BROOKLYN COLLEGE
Department of Speech
Interpersonal Communication
SPE 8 Section TR2 (Course Code 1602)
Fall, 2008, Tues & Thurs, 2:15 PM - 3:30PM
1756 Boylan Hall

Dr. Foulger
Office: 404S Whitehead Hall

Semester Syllabus

Class Schedule and Assignments / Discussion Notes / Compact Syllabus (the class handout) / Class Moodle

Course Description

We live in our communication, and no form of communication occupies more hours our days than our interpersonal interaction with others in dyads (pairs, couples, twos, etc) and informal small groups. It is in our interpersonal communication, more than anything else, that defines who we are and the nature of our relationships with others. Interpersonal communication is not just something we do, it is something we live. It is the dominant form of communication in most of our lives, whether we are talking to parents, friends, significant others, spouses, salespeople, coworkers, bosses, employees, etc. Even if we make a career in the mass media as journalists or broadcasters, it is our interaction with others (interpersonal interviews and interactions with colleagues) that will shape our careers and career opportunities. Interpersonal Communication is particularly important in the Health Professions, as effective Interpersonal Communication can have dramatic effects on treatment outcomes.

This course will explore face-to-face communication, one of the oldest forms of human communication, and its variants, including the many technological mediated interpersonal communication systems that you use every day (telephones, cell phones, texting, instant messaging, computer conferencing, etc. The course will mix theory with research and daily practice as we look for ways to improve our friendships, relationships, and our social and business interaction with others.

Required Texts

Additional Materials

Learning Objectives

  1. Students should understand a variety of interpersonal communication theories well enough to usefully apply them to improving their own communication and understanding the communication successes and failures of others.

  2. Students should be able to distinguish the fundamental structures and processes associated with interpersonal communication, whether mediated or face to face, and usefully compare the different theories they have studied.
  3. Students should know how to find, read, and analyze research in interpersonal communication, including theoretical descriptions of the communication process, empirical tests of those theories, and systematic observations of real world communication.

Outcomes Assessment

Your understanding of interpersonal communication theories and research will be assessed through two exams (36% of your grade), a research paper (29% of your grade, including the annotated bibliography and outline), an interpersonal resume (5% of your grade), a reflective paper on how you can improve some aspect of your impersonal communication (10% of your grade) and several different kinds of participation, including participation in discussions (10% of your grade), submission of questions (5% of your grade), and submission of "think" assignments (5% of your grade).

You should aim to write research paper that is at least nine pages long (not including the cover page or references), that explores an topic in interpersonal communication in more detail.. You will be expected to BOTH find, read, and make use of at additional original references and to apply the theory to your own life and work. We'll discuss detailed expectations as you start work on the papers, but the maximum grade for five pages is a C and the maximum grade for seven pages is a B. While many assignments will be submitted online, papers MUST be printed out and submitted as hard copy.

The two exams will take the form of classic question and answer testing. Essay questions will require you to compare different theories of interpersonal communication we have studied during the semester. Other questions will probe your specific knowledge of the readings and class discussions. The second exam will be comprehensive, covering all of the material in the course.

Discussion Notes

My usual practice is to make my lecture/discussion notes directly available to the class via the Internet. I will frequently display those notes during class. You can print them out later. You may be able to print them out before class, but I don't guarantee that you will. I frequently change my discussion notes right up to the beginning of class (and sometimes during class). The version posted at the end of class can generally be considered to be reliable, but I occasionally modify them after class based on class discussions.

Discussion/Learning Space

Interpersonal Communication occurs in many technologically mediated settings . A portion of this class will explore such settings. The most important will be an online class discussion/learning space called a "Moodle" located at http://messageecologies.com/ed. There will be required discussions and assignment submissions there. You can also use this group to exchange of any class-related information or questions. Only class members (and perhaps one or two selected others) can post to or read messages in this discussion space. You will be registering into this Moodle after the first day of class. You'll have assignments to complete there for the second day of class and most subsequent days. There is a possibility we will also make use of Blackboard or other online discussion environments. I will inform you of any such change in advance.

Grading:

  Weight Description
Mid-Term Exam 12% Classic Question and Answer testing, conducted in the middle of the semester. Covers all of the material up until mid-term.
Final Exam 24% Classic Question and Answer testing, conducted at the end of the semester. Covers all of the material covered in the course, including classroom material and book material.
Reflective Paper on Interpersonal Skills at work 10% An mid-semester exercise in which you will apply your knowledge of interpersonal communication you have gained in the course to that point to your work as a health professional. This will take the general form of a five paragraph essay. Details of this reflective paper will be provided before it is due.
Interpersonal Resume 5% An end of semester exercise in which you will apply your knowledge of interpersonal communication to your interpersonal communication history and activities. You will do the basic work of developing this resume throughout the semester via Think Assignments (see below) such that, at the end of the semester, you should be able to readily build an "interpersonal resume" that outlines and examines significant interpersonal experiences of your life. While I'm sure such a resume will never have any particular value in getting a job or even a relationship, it may help you to understand yourself a little better and will give you an additional chance to explore what you've learned this semester.
Term Paper 25% You will be expected to write a research paper on a topic related to Interpersonal Communication theory and research. A sensible research paper will select a single topic that we examine in the course and take a look at that topic in more detail. In order to do this you will need to go find additional references related to the topic. The term paper will proceed in three stages. In the first stage you will select a topic (via a set of think assignments). In the second stage you will select a set of references, create an annotated bibliography, and create an outline. In the last stage you will complete the paper.
Annotated Bibliography and Outline 4% The outline and annotated bibliography associated with the term paper.
Think Assignments 5% Think assignments entail doing a small assignment involving thought or observation. Simply turning them in on time nets the points so long as you appear to have taken the assignment seriously. Think assignments will be submitted online, but will often be the subject of in class and online discussions.
Questions 5% Submit two questions before class each day based on the readings. Questions will be submitted online, but class sessions, both in class and online, will often be based, at least in part, on your questions.
Participation 10% This portion of the grade is based on your ability to intelligently talk about the subject matter of the class session, based on the readings and other material I bring to your attention. Your ability to both ask good questions and participate in answering them will depend on your familiarity with the days readings. If I feel strongly that the class is not prepared, I may give a quiz that will count as a part of this portion of the grade. Half of the participation grade (5% of your overall grade) will be based on participation during class meetings. Half will be based on participation in the online Moodle.
Total Grade 100% (based on above)
Effort Bonus Up to 10% An optional addition, based on good and enthusiastic participation, interest in subject matter, etc. There is no guarantee I will give any of these points to anyone.

Course Rules

  1. Attendance is required for all classes, including the final exam period. Punctuality is much desired.
  2. Complete reading assignments, questions, and think assignments prior to coming to class. Be prepared to discuss readings.
  3. Write in your own words. Reference the ideas you use to the original sources. Plagiarism and cheating will are unacceptable.
  4. Papers should be printed out for submission. Double space your papers and print them out using standard 12 point fonts (Ariel, Times Roman, and Courier are all acceptable). I will notice attempts to pad the length of your papers with oversized fonts and lines spacing and count it against you.
  5. Unexcused late papers will be penalized 1/2 of a letter grade if one period late and one full grade thereafter.

Attendance Policy

Attendance is mandatory. The Brooklyn College Bulletin states that "Students are expected to attend all scheduled sessions of every class for which they register. Students late for class may be excluded from the room. An instructor may consider attendance and class participation in determining course grade." While I am unlikely to lock the door, I will take account of missed class time in computing grades. You should not, as a general note, ask me for "permission" to miss class. While I will try to be understanding of documented emergencies, the basic reality (which has more to do with your ability to learn when you aren't in class than anything else) is that absences make your grade grow smaller.

Plagiarism and Cheating:

I have caught a number of students attempting to pass off other people's work as their own. Such behavior is unacceptable in any classroom, and I won't accept it in mine. My usual practice will be to zero any assignment on which a student has been found to be cheating and consult with the department chair on what other actions may be appropriate

Examples of cheating include:

Bottom line: Write in your own words and reference the ideas you use to the sources you read them in.

Late Assignments:

It is your responsibility to ensure that all assignments are submitted by the due date. I will reduce the grade on an assignment by one half letter grade if one period late and one full grade thereafter. As a general rule, it is always best to turn in assignments on time, but not turning in an assignment at all is far worse than turning them in late. A letter grade penalty is far less onerous than a zero.

Good Advice

  1. The reading and writing load for this course is shouldn't be particularly challenging. Readings will average around 30 pages a week. There are two major writing assignments, but they are linked and will be set up by other assignments. There are, however, lots of little assignments along the way. If you can't keep up with the readings, papers, or other assignments, you may want to drop the course early on.
  2. Keep a copy of any paper you submit, just in case the original gets lost.
  3. Write your name on the front of any assignment you submit, including questions, think assignments, and papers.
  4. Assuming you work on a computer, maintain backups of your paper in a reliable and convenient format. USB flash drives work on just about all computers now, can be readily obtained for less than $20.00, and are much less likely to fail than diskettes. Assume the worst. Maintain two backups.
  5. If at any time you find yourself confused or have questions, especially in terms of the writing assignmentss, please ask me (either in class or in private) for help. One person's question may help countless others in class. If you can't meet me during my office hours, we can probably find another time.
  6. Please speak with me confidentially if you have a disabling condition that may require some accommodation in class. I'm here to help.
  7. Brooklyn College's Learning Center (in Boylan) is an excellent resource if you have any issues working through the writing process. They can help you develop writing strategies for any stage in the process: from planning, to drafting, to editing, to reflecting.

Disabling Conditions

Students who have a disabling condition which might interfere with their ability to successfully complete this course are encouraged to speak to me confidentially. I will be happy to cooperate in identifying alternate means of demonstrating such mastery where there is a demonstrable need.

Bottom line: I'm here to help.

Questions, Problems and Incomplete's:

If you have a question I encourage you to ask it in class. There are no stupid questions; only answers that didn't need to be. If you don't know the answer to a question it is likely someone else is curious as well. Please ask. The worst that can happen is that I defer my answer to a meeting after class or during office hours.

If you have a problem in the class I encourage you to contact me as quickly as possible. Several means of contact are listed at the top of my Brooklyn College home page, including telephone, e-mail, and instant messenger. I also maintain regular office hours. Note, in particular, that I will not grant an incomplete for the course unless you talk to me about it in advance or I am aware of conditions which would make it impossible for you to do so.