Each student will be assessed on written assignments, oral presentations, ability to synthesize and conceptualize the material, and contributions to class discussions. Prompt attendance and conformity with deadlines are expected without exception at the graduate level. In case of dire emergency, contact the instructor prior to missing class.
- Class Participation & Attendance (15%)
All assigned readings and exercises should be completed prior to class. The goal is to relate theory and practice and be able to apply theoretical concepts to everyday issues facing advertising and other domains of marketing communication. You are expected to formulate questions and ideas in advance of each class.
This is a discussion-oriented seminar and everyone is expected to participate thoughtfully in each class session. If you do not participate fully, you cannot receive a grade of “A” for the course. Class attendance and participation will also be considered for scores that border between a higher and lower grade.
- Discussion Leader (20%)
Each week, students will present summaries of the articles for the class and serve as discussion leaders. Summary/discussion assignments will be made in advance. A list of discussion questions submitted by other class members will be available on Moodle. The leaders for the week will be responsible for generating discussion points/discussion agenda. For example, you might note common (or divergent) themes that run throughout the readings. Or you might stimulate learning by asking questions that contribute to the progress of the class as a whole. The leaders may also provide examples of current marketing communication practices to illustrate topics for class discussion. The leaders are NOT lecturers, and other class members should not feel they have a "light" week when they themselves are not coordinating. Everyone is expected and encouraged to contribute to discussions.
- Discussion Questions (15%)
To facilitate discussion during our class meetings, you should submit two discussion questions related to a reading (or readings) any week in which you are not serving as a discussion leader. The questions should be submitted no later than 10 a.m. the Sunday before our next class. You are required to post your questions to the weekly discussion board on Moodle.
These questions should be thoughtful – going beyond definitional issues or areas of confusion (if you have more basic questions, please bring them up in class but do not include them in your discussion questions). The questions may attempt to make links between the readings for the week or try to tie the current week’s topic with topics covered in other weeks. It would also be acceptable to write questions stating an argument or point that you derive from the articles and asking if others agree. We will use these questions as the basis for our class discussions.
- Critique of Peer-Reviewed Research (20%)
This is a written essay based on an assigned journal article. The article will be given in advance. The purpose of the assignment is to provide an opportunity for you to demonstrate that you've read, thought about, understood and synthesized what we’ve discussed in class. The essay will substitute for a mid-term exam. It should not be more than 5 pages long.
Here are examples of topics you might address in the essay:
- What questions drive the study? What is their significance to Ad academy or practice?
- Present the most critical issues from the article. What contrasting positions might be taken? Are these positions incompatible or can they be reconciled?
- Raise question(s) relevant to the topic but not answered in the article.
- Point out methodological problems. Suggest alternative explanations for the findings.
- Propose a new study to test a hypothesis from the article. The hypothesis can be your own or one you've read or heard about.
- Criticize a theoretical position – what has it clarified, ignored, confused, etc.
- Consider how the findings could be applied to real-world problems.
- Final Paper (30%)
The purpose of this assignment is for you to explore an area of advertising that is of interest to you. This assignment consists of a presentation to the class and a written research proposal at the end of the semester. The paper can be on any relevant, pre-approved topic of your choice.
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