Communication 212: Interpersonal Communication

Semester Syllabus - Spring, 2002

Davis Foulger

Final Grades

Course Schedule and Assignments

are available from the course syllabus web page (http://www.oswego.edu/~dfoulger/Interpersonal/semesterSyllabus.htm). This page will change from week to week as the course progresses and assignments are made.

For your reference, the approved department course syllabus has been supplied from the course syllabus web page.

A Course Bibliography, from the approved department course syllabus, has also been supplied.

Course Overview

Interpersonal Communication is the study of human interaction in dyads (pairs, couples, twos, etc) and informal small groups. The most common form of interpersonal communication, face-to-face communication, is also one of the oldest forms of communication. It is also 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. It is in our interpersonal communication, more than anywhere else, that we define who we are and the nature of our relationships with others. Interpersonal communication is not just something we do, it is something we live. Even if we make a career in the mass media as journalists or broadcasters, it is our interaction with others that will shape our careers and career opportunities. We will find, build, sell, and often even write our stories through interaction with others.

This course will examine the process of interpersonal communication as a means through which we build relationships and develop a positive self-identity through effective communication.

Texts

McKay, Matthew and Patrick Fanning. Self-Esteem. St. Martins, 1995.

Wood, Julia T. Interpersonal Communication: Everyday Encounters. Wadsworth, 2002.

Grading:

Weight Description

Final Exam 20% 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.

Mid-Term Exam 15% Classic Question and Answer testing, conducted in the middle of the semester. Covers all of the material up until mid-term.

Section Quizzes 12% Brief Question and Answer testing, conducted at the end of each of the six major topic areas that don't end at a major exam (e.g. the mid-term and final). These quizzes, worth 2% each, will only cover the material associated with their section.

Communication Journal 12% A semester long journal of your interpersonal communication history and activities. This journal will take a form such that, at the end of the semester, you will have 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, it may help you to understand yourself a little better. A number of journal entries will start with index card assignments.

Index Card Assignments 10% Index card assignments entail doing a small assignment involving thought or observation, but with the restriction that the output of the assignment (your answer or observation) must fit on one side of a 3x5 card. There will be approximately 15 such assignments, each worth about .66. These will not be graded. Simply turning the assignment in on time nets the points, but deductions will be taken if it is obvious that a particular assignment wasn't taken seriously. Index Card Assignments will frequently be used in the course of class discussions.

Term Paper 21% You will be expected to write a research paper on a topic of your own choosing within the scope of the course. 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. In the second stage you will select a set of references and create an outline. In the last stage you will complete the paper. The final grade for the paper will be given after a short interview with the student in which the paper will be discussed.

Attendance 10% You get this just for showing up prepared every day. I will deduct if it is obvious that you were not prepared (e.g. had not done the reading or completed the assignment) on a given day.

Total Grade (based on above) 100%

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.

	Weight	Description
Final Exam	20%	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.
Mid-Term Exam	15%	Classic Question and Answer testing, conducted in the middle of the semester. Covers all of the material up until mid-term.
Section Quizzes	12%	Brief Question and Answer testing, conducted at the end of each of the six major topic areas that don't end at a major exam (e.g. the mid-term and final). These quizzes, worth 2% each, will only cover the material associated with their section.
Communication Journal	12%	A semester long journal of your interpersonal communication history and activities. This journal will take a form such that, at the end of the semester, you will have 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, it may help you to understand yourself a little better. A number of journal entries will start with index card assignments.
Index Card Assignments	10%	Index card assignments entail doing a small assignment involving thought or observation, but with the restriction that the output of the assignment (your answer or observation) must fit on one side of a 3x5 card. There will be approximately 15 such assignments, each worth about .66. These will not be graded. Simply turning the assignment in on time nets the points, but deductions will be taken if it is obvious that a particular assignment wasn't taken seriously. Index Card Assignments will frequently be used in the course of class discussions.
Term Paper	21%	You will be expected to write a research paper on a topic of your own choosing within the scope of the course. 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. In the second stage you will select a set of references and create an outline. In the last stage you will complete the paper. The final grade for the paper will be given after a short interview with the student in which the paper will be discussed.
Attendance	10%	You get this just for showing up prepared every day. I will deduct if it is obvious that you were not prepared (e.g. had not done the reading or completed the assignment) on a given day.
Total Grade (based on above)	100%

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.