General Information

• Course Title: COMM/JRNL4403 Communication Law and Ethics
• Course Description: The course focuses on the study of media law and ethical considerations in the contemporary communication environment. Topics include the First Amendment, libel, invasion of privacy, information access, free press and fair trial considerations, obscenity, copyright, advertising, and telecommunications regulations.
• Prerequisites: None.
• Location: Turner Building, Room 107
• Days and Time: Tuesdays, Thursdays, 8 a.m. -  9:20a.m.

Course Professor

• Professor: David Goguen, Associate Professor, Journalism
• Office: Slider Humanities and Fine Arts Building, Room 303
• Office Hours: (Conferences also available by appointment)
• Address: Slider Humanities and Fine Arts Building, Room 303, Lindsey Wilson College, Columbia, KY 42728
• Telephone: (270) 384-8241
• Course Web Site: http://comartsmatrix.com/4403/
• Course Management System: http://angel/home.asp
• E-mail: goguend@lindsey.edu

Semester Office Hours

Course Textbook

• Hopkins, W. Wat, ed. Communication and the Law, 2011 ed. Northport, Alabama: Vision Press, 2011.

Required Materials

• USB Flash Drive (at least 1 Gigabyte storage or larger is recommended)
• Course Binder (Learning Portfolio)
• Blue Exam Booklet (Available in Bookstore)

Course Outcomes

Students who successfully complete COMM/JRNL4403 Communication Law and Ethics should be able to:

• Understand the various components of the American legal system and how it works;
• Demonstrate an understanding of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and how it relates to issues affecting professional communicators;
• Define libel, how it is determined, and the legal defenses against it;
• Know what constitutes invasion of privacy and its legal consequences;
• Understand free press and fair trial issues;
• Display a clear understanding of copyright laws and their application within the field of communication;
• Understand the issues surrounding obscenity and regulatory controls;
• Understand the laws that regulate advertising;
• Know and understand the laws that govern telecommunications;
• Develop a critical perspective on the ethical considerations that govern communication professionals;
• Work effectively in a collaborative environment; and,
• Display professional attitudes and work habits.

Methodology

COMM/JRNL4403 Communication Law and Ethics prepares students for professional roles in the contemporary media, communication, and education environments. Critical skills learned in this class are essential for careers in print and electronic journalism, public relations, advertising, education, or almost any job requiring the gathering and presentation of information.

My philosophy as a faculty member is that I am more of a “facilitator of learning” than a teacher in the traditional sense. My approach to course design, delivery, and management is usually centered on what is called Constructivist Learning Theory. This means that I believe in experiential, inductive learning, where theoretical knowledge is paired with hands-on opportunities (learning by doing). Within this framework, I expect you to take an active role in your educational experience, whether it involves individual or collaborative learning.

Assignments for the course may be organized into all or some of the following categories:

• Writing Projects
• Weblogs
• Seminars and Discussions
• Case Studies
• Role Playing
• Online Discussion Forums
• Exercises
• Study Guides
• Tutorials
• Wikis
• Exams and Quizzes

General Course Policies

Students should be familiar with academic policies outlined in the College Catalog. These are the standard policies throughout the institution.

• General Conduct. Professional conduct is expected at all times. Students should respect the rights of other classmates. Racist, sexist, or any other type of discriminatory language or behavior will not be tolerated.
• Prohibited Activities. Time designated for class is for official business. Engaging in personal activities during class time can be distracting for both the professor and fellow students. As a result, the following activities are prohibited:
  • Checking personal e-mail
  • Engaging in online chatting
  • “Surfing” the Web
  • Playing online games
  • Text messaging
  • Cell phone usage

• Academic Integrity and Plagiarism. Plagiarism is grounds for failure on an assignment or failure of the course. Plagiarism is defined here as the intentional theft or purchase of another person’s work or ideas for personal gain. Instances of plagiarism or any form of academic fraud will be reported immediately to the Academic Affairs Office. A complete copy of the Lindsey Wilson College Academic Integrity and Plagiarism Policy is attached to the printed version of this syllabus.
• Course Withdrawal. A copy of the Lindsey Wilson College Withdrawal Policy is attached to the printed copy of this syllabus.
• Course Extensions. Course extensions will be granted only under the most extreme circumstances and are subject to verification.
• Course Concerns. Concerns about the course or other classmates should be presented immediately in writing (via Memorandum Form) to the professor.

Special Needs and Assistance

• Learning and Other Disabilities. Students with disabilities should consult with the professor within the first two weeks of the semester about any instructional needs or special assistance needed to successfully complete the course. A complete Lindsey Wilson College Statement on Learning and Physical Disabilities is attached to the printed version of this syllabus.
• Academic Assistance. Students who need assistance with writing, math, or learning skills are encouraged to seek help at the Academic Success Center and/or Writing Center. Complete information on the Lindsey Wilson College Academic Success, Writing, and Mathematics Centers is attached to the printed version of this syllabus.

Final Exams

• The Final Exam is scheduled for 11 a.m.–01:30 p.m., May 4, 2010. Please make any necessary travel arrangements to occur after the final exam week. Students will not be permitted to take early finals unless extenuating circumstances exist. Extenuating circumstances include serious illness, a verified family emergency, or participation in an official event sponsored and arranged by the College. All requests to take a final exam early must be approved by the Academic Affairs Office.

Disclaimers

• Online Course Resources. Online resources developed for this course cannot be guaranteed. Although frequent attempts will be made to keep online information posted and current, problems can still occur. Please report any problems immediately to the professor.
• Syllabus Changes. The professor reserves the right to change this syllabus.

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance is expected, unless prior arrangements have been made with the instructor. Poor attendance and lack of participation can result in loss of credit for an assignment and the course.

Excused and Unexcused Absences. Students are allowed three excused absences per semester for a course that meets three times a week and two excused absences for a course that meets twice a week.

There are four categories of excused absences:

• College-sponsored activities
• Personal illness
• Family or personal emergencies
• Severe weather

To qualify for an excused absence, students must meet the criteria listed below:

• The excuse must fit into one of the categories of excused absences listed above; and,
• The student must complete and submit the Memorandum Form on the professor’s web site within 24 hours before or after the absence. Telephone calls, conversations, printed notes, etc., will not be accepted.
• Failure to submit or properly fill out the Memorandum Form may result in an unexcused absence and a loss of points from your final grade.

Penalties for Poor Attendance. Each unexcused absence and/or excused absence in excess of the amount allowed above will result in a loss of two points from your final grade.

Tardiness. Although coming late to class is sometimes unavoidable, students should make an effort to arrive on time and prepare for scheduled activities. Coming late to class is a distraction for both the professor and classmates. The following rules regarding tardiness apply:

• Two instances of tardiness count as one absence.
• The student must complete and submit the Memorandum Form on the professor’s web site within 24 hours before (if anticipated) or after the tardiness. Telephone calls, conversations, printed notes, etc., will not be accepted.

Missing Work Assignments. Students are responsible for consulting with classmates about work missed because of absence or tardiness.

Missing an exam. Missing an exam with no penalty requires that a student follow the above procedures for an excused absence, in addition to providing written documentation stating that the absence unequivocally could not be avoided. When missing an exam, all written excuses will be verified.

• Students who fail to secure an excused absence for missing an exam will incur a penalty of 10 percent off the grade earned on the make-up test.
• Students who miss a second exam and do not have an excused absence will not be allowed to take a make-up test and will receive no points for the exam.
• Students who miss an exam must make up the test at 2:30 to 4 p.m. on Friday of the same week the test was administered. This will be the only time a make-up exam will be offered.

Attendance Policy Exceptions. Exceptions to the attendance policy may be made for extreme circumstances, student athletes, and those participating in other college-sponsored events. Arrangements should be made to prevent loss of credit.

Excuse Verification. The professor reserves the right to verify any excuse regarding absences or tardiness.

Assignments and Evaluation

Evaluation for this course is based on a compilation of work assembled in a learning portfolio. A learning portfolio is a collection of assignments (artifacts) completed during the semester and arranged in a particular order. Artifacts for your learning portfolio will include the following:

• Weekly academic discipline reports
• Exam and quiz results
• Critical Essay
• Course study guides
• In-class and out-of-class projects
• Miscellaneous assignments

The advantage of a learning portfolio is that you are able to reflect on the amount, quality, and improvement of your work over a period of time. It also provides an opportunity to revise and, in many cases, experiment with some assignments before actually receiving a grade.

Work compiled in the learning portfolio fits into two categories:

Academic Performance

• Content Knowledge Exams
• Critical Subject Exams
• Critical Essay
• Miscellaneous Assignments
  • Individual and group projects
  • Course study guides
  • Case briefings
  • Quizzes

Academic Discipline and Professional Demeanor

• Course Participation
  • Weekly academic journals
  • Attendance

Content Knowledge Exams. Content knowledge exams test basic content and vocabulary related to the course subject matter. These types of exams feature familiar components such as multiple-choice, true and false, matching, and short-answer questions.

Critical Subject Exams. Critical subject exams require in-depth analysis, creative thinking, or problem solving in an essay format. These type of exams go beyond the simple memorization of facts and theories and require that you apply them in a practical manner to analyze, argue, or solve a problem. Critical subject exams are graded by rubric.

Critical Essay. One seven-page research project (essay) is required for the course. You will select a topic relevant to communication law and/or ethics. I will provide detailed instructions on what is required to complete the research project, in addition to criteria for evaluation. Evaluation of the research project is based on your creative approach, research skills, organization, grammar, and style. You are responsible for coordinating and implementing your revisions, adhering to MLA or APA style, and seeking help (if needed) at the Writing Center.

Course Study Guides. Study guides address material covered in course readings, discussions, and lectures. You must provide comprehensive answers to these questions to perform well on exams and other activities. You can access study guide questions on the course website. Each set contains detailed instructions on how to complete and submit the assignment. Study guides require a great deal of work for little credit. Some people spend a considerable amount of time on them and others do not. However, the benefit of the study guides is that I allow you to use them on the exams. Those who spend more time on completing them and doing a good job usually do better on the exams.

NOTE: I do not read study guides word for word, nor do I correct and return them. I usually just scan through each set to make sure they are complete and not plagiarized from someone else within the last several years. If all seems in order, and there seems to be a reasonable amount of effort, I usually award the maximum amount of points.

TBA. You are responsible for assessing and reflecting on your own work throughout the semester using criteria, rubrics, and standards discussed in class. Not all work will be returned with a grade, but many will be included within your learning portfolio. Letter grades will be provided around the midterm and final exam period of the course. If you are not sure of your level of performance, you may ask the professor to make an assessment.

Assignment Submission. Assignments are due at the beginning of each class period or, if required, within a specific time designated for a web discussion forum or blog. For more information on course topics and assignment due dates see the Course Schedule.

All work should be computer processed. Always keep printed copies of work (this includes notes, outlines, drafts, etc.). Save all work on a computer storage device and keep backups.

Late assignments are subject to a penalty of one letter grade per day, unless special arrangements have been made with the instructor. Assignments more than two days late will not be accepted.

Assignments and Values

Study Groups. Research shows that participation in a study group can increase your chances for academic success. At the beginning of the semester, I will assign you to a study group. Your responsibilities as a study group are as follows:

• Meet at least for 30-60 minutes once every two weeks;
• Compare and contrast course notes;
• Discuss course subject matter;
• Seek help (if needed) from peers regarding course subject matter;
• Prepare for exams and/or projects; and,
• Meet as a group with the professor (if needed).

Course Grading Scale

Course Contract

Please read the following course contract. You should be able to answer “yes” to each statement listed below. If you have any questions regarding this agreement, please contact the instructor in writing (via Memorandum Form) within two weeks of receiving this document.

• I have received and read the course syllabus in its entirety.
• I fully understand the contents of the course syllabus and have asked any questions relevant to this document.
• I understand all course policies and what is expected of me throughout the semester.
• I have read the course evaluation policy and have a full understanding of how I will be graded.
• I understand the course attendance policy and know the consequences of missing class.
• I am aware that all correspondence with the instructor will be sent via e-mail (Memorandum Form) for archive purposes.
• I understand that electronic correspondence (e-mail, etc.) is subject to illegal invasion of privacy. If such an incident occurs, I do not hold the professor and/or the College liable in any circumstances.
• I understand that the professor has the right to change this syllabus at any time if necessary.