Grading Table:

A (94-100); A- (90-93); B+ (86-89); B (83-85); B- (79-82); C+ (76-78); C (73-75) C- (69-72); D+ (66-68); D (63-65); D- (60-62); F (0-60)

Examinations

The midterm and the final exam will have the same format: Short essay questions. You can perfectly answer each essay question in around 250-300 words.

You will have 3 hours available for both midterm and final exam (4 questions, each worth 25 points, for the midterm; 5 questions, each worth 20 points, for the final exam). Exams will be available the whole day (24 hours) in the corresponding folder in Blackboard Learn.

Please, be aware that time starts running when you begin the assessment.

PLEASE, DO NOT USE ANY QUOTE IN YOUR ANSWERS. THE GOAL OF OPEN ENDED OR ESSAY QUESTIONS IS TO FIND OUT TO WHICH EXTENT YOU UNDERSTOOD THE IDEAS AND CONCEPTS DISCUSSED IN THE COURSE AND ARE ABLE TO EXPRESS/ARTICULATE THEM WITH YOUR OWN WORDS.

Case Study Paper/ Presentation

In this assignment, you must focus on a specific case that illustrates any of the topics related to to the course contents. It may be an example of misinformation, disinformation or fake news. You could also select a case of media surveillance or any of the mass media effects studied in the course (agenda setting, cultivation effect, instrumental use of news). The stronger you feel about the topic, the more likely you will find interesting material in your research. I encourage you to discuss with me your ideas to make sure that you selected case is suitable for this assignment. You are also welcome to send me drafts sot that I can give you feedback to improve the final submission. 

This assignment is based on your own research. You have to find out in the contemporary mass media world a specific example, a particular instance that help explain and understand any of the theories, concepts or authors discussed in the learning units and the readings. In your entries, you have to describe the case you chose and the reasons why you think that case explains particular media phenomena studied in the course.

The assignment should be structured as follows:

1 – Description of the theory or concept your case study will be based on. (20%)

2 – Description of the case, the particular instance you are studying. (20%)

3 – Discussion of why you think your case can be considered an example of this theory or concept. (30%)

4 – Conclusions (20%)

The paper should follow the APA style guidelines. You can perfectly write your case study in 8-10 pages (doubles spaced, Times New Roman size 12) (10% of the assignment’s grade).

Papers MUST be delivered online through the assignment’s page. I will not accept papers sent through any e-mail system. Make sure that you attach your paper as a PDF or Microsoft WORD document. If you send the assignment in any other format, I may not be able to open it.

Example:

Framing the tragedy of the Sandy Hook Massacre

1 – In the first section of the paper, I would have to explain what framing, the theory I chose, is all about.

2 – In the second section of the paper, I would describe what happened at the Sandy Hook Elementary School and what was the media reaction.

3 – In this section of the case study, I would have to analyze how the different media, based on their ideological background, used particular frames of reference to present the news about the tragedy, and how those frames of reference might have influenced the way audiences perceived the events.

4 – In my conclusion, I would have to state to which extent my case helps us understand the theory of framing.

As sources for your case studies you can use:

Academic articles appeared in journals on communication sciences or books
Mass media artifacts (newspaper articles and op-eds, TV or Radio news
Statistics from media or public opinion research institutes (Rope, Gallup, Shorenstein, …)