I. Course Description: An introduction to the development and application of the various traditions of research methods pertinent to communication scholarship.
               
II. Prerequisite: COM 114 or consent of instructor.

III. Course Goals: Upon completing this course, you should be able to:
1) compare and contrast some of the methods used in communication scholarship;
2) use the concepts and vocabulary of those methods;
3) use the library and computer-based resources to find relevant communication research;
4) develop and present arguments grounded in scholarship-based knowledge; and
5) read, understand, explain, and critically evaluate communication research;

IV. Portfolio Requirement for Communication Majors: If you major in either or both of Interpersonal and Organizational Communication or Media and Public Communication via the 2009-2010 bulletin or a later bulletin, you will be required to create a portfolio as part of the new sequence of required one-credit classes: COM 12000, COM 30800, and COM 48000.  In COM 30000 you will create work product that can be used as evidence for some of the student learning objectives for that portfolio.  Parts of your Article Critique and Research Proposal assignments can be used as evidence for the following four student learning objectives:

- Be able to articulate the historical traditions of the discipline. 
- Be able to articulately explain communication concepts and theories relevant to your major
- Demonstrate awareness of diverse perspectives
- Be a competent reader, speaker, writer and listener in both face-to-face as well as mediated settings

V. Course Tools:

• Two required textbooks, available from Follett’s IPFW Bookstore in the Walb Student Union, The Bookmark on North Anthony Boulevard, and from various web-based booksellers:

    Bourhis, J., Adams, C., & Titsworth, S.  (2009).  Style manual for communication studies (3rd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.  (ISBN:  0073385050).

    Merrigan, G., & Huston, C. L.  (2009).  Communication research methods (2nd ed.).  New York: Oxford University Press.  (ISBN: 0195314824).

• Links to required readings and other important course information will be e-mailed to course participants.  Reading guides and other important information will be posted to the course web site.  Accordingly, you are required to have an e-mail account and access to the World Wide Web.  It is expected that your e-mail account will not be set to block e-mail from me as spam and that you will check this account regularly.

VI. Course Assignments: This course will be graded on a 1000 point scale, as follows:

• Tests (3 at 175 points each = 525 points).  The tests will cover material in lecture, class discussions and the textbook, as well as any brief additional readings that may be assigned. 

• Bibliographic Assignment (125 points) This assignment will require you to conduct library and computer research on a communication topic, prepare an annotated bibliography and answer other questions about the sources you find.  This assignment will be introduced and described in more detail in class, as indicated on the Course Schedule.

• Article Critique  (125 points).  This assignment will require you to write and present a detailed critique of a scholarly communication article on a topic of interest to you, and will be introduced and described in more detail in class, as indicated on the Course Schedule.

• Research Proposal (125 points).  This assignment will require you to write and present a research proposal on a communication topic of interest to you, and will be introduced and described in more detail in class, as indicated

• Class contributions (100 points) You are expected to attend class.  Beyond mere attendance, though, this is a participatory course.  Your productive contributions to class discussions and activities are important.  In addition, brief homework assignments beyond the readings will be assigned.  This portion of your grade reflects my assessment of your participation in class discussions and activities and brief homework assignments.  Each unexcused absence will reduce your grade for this component by 10 points.  Eleven or more unexcused absences will result in a grade of F for the course.  All that is required here is that you account for yourself for each class period, as follows: 1) If you know in advance you won’t be able to attend a given class, you should let me know the reason in advance, preferably by e-mail as that provides us with a written record.  2) In emergency situations where you can’t tell me in advance of your absence, it’s your responsibility to account for those absences as soon as possible afterward and in no event more than two weeks afterward. 3) If you arrive to class after I have taken attendance, it’s your responsibility to see me after class to insure that I have recorded your presence.  4) Leaving class early without permission shall constitute an unexcused absence. 5) Use of a cell phone in class for any purpose without express prior permission from the instructor shall constitute an unexcused absence.

VII. Grading Scale:  A = 930-1000; A- = 900-929; B+ = 870=899; B = 830-869; B- = 800-829; C+ = 770-779; C = 730-769; C- = 700-729; D+ = 670-699; D = 630-669; D- = 600-629; F = 0-599.

VIII. Late or Missing Assignments and Tests: In the absence of extreme circumstances, assignments will not be accepted after the date and time they are due, Failure to turn in an assignment will result in a grade of F for the course.

IX. Academic Integrity: You are expected to be familiar with what constitutes academic misconduct in this course and at IPFW, and with what the penalties are for such conduct, as set forth in  parts II and III of the IPFW Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities and Conduct, which is available online at <http://new.ipfw.edu/committees/senate/code/>.

XII. Course Contract: This document, together with assignments and other handouts you may receive from the instructor throughout the semester, explains some of the official course policies.  Please read it carefully.  If you have any questions, ask your instructor immediately.  Your continued enrollment in this course after the first week of class signifies that you understand these policies and agree to participate in this course according to them.