BROOKLYN COLLEGE
Department of Speech Communication
Interpersonal Communication
SPEC 1608 Section TR2 (Course Code 20960)
Fall, 2016, Tuesday & Thursday, 2:15pm-3:30pm
404 Whitehead Hall
Dr. Foulger

Draft Syllabus

Discussion Notes / Assignments (Class Moodle)

Course Description

No form of communication occupies more hours each day than our interpersonal interaction with others in dyads (pairs, couples, twos, etc) and informal small groups. It is in our interpersonal communication, more than anything else, that defines who we are and the nature of our relationships with others. Interpersonal communication is not just something we do, it is something we live. It is 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. This course is a reflective exploration of our face-to-face communication, one of the oldest forms of human communication, and its variants, including the many technological mediated interpersonal communication systems that you use every day (telephones, cell phones, texting, social media, computer conferencing, etc. The course will mix theory with research and daily practice as we look for ways to improve our friendships, relationships, and our social and business interaction with others.

Text

Wood, Julia T. Interpersonal Communication: Everyday Encounters, 8th Edition. (Make sure you get the 8th Edition and not a prior edition).
Julia Wood’s text is the leading textbook on Interpersonal communication. It is expensive to buy ($166 list) in its paper edition and much less expensive in electronic editions. I use an electronic edition (mostly because I can fit a lot of books on an iPad, which I find more convenient than books when reading on the subway).   I recommend getting a electronic copy that runs on your laptop, computer, tablet, or e-reader.  There may be other sources (I haven’t looked, but both Amazon and VitalSource.com rent electronic versions of the text for about a third to a half of the purchase price ($50-$66).  Lower prices may be available for used copies, so be sure to check alternatives online, but be sure to get the 8th edition. I have not provided the bookstore with information about this text, but they may have it anyway.

Additional Materials

Learning Objectives

  1. Students should understand a variety of interpersonal communication theories well enough to usefully apply them to improving their own communication and understanding the communication successes and failures of others.

  2. Students should be able to distinguish the fundamental structures and processes associated with interpersonal communication, whether mediated or face to face, and usefully compare the different theories they have studied.

  3. Students should know how to find, read, and analyze research in interpersonal communication, including theoretical descriptions of the communication process, empirical tests of those theories, and systematic observations of real world communication.

Outcomes Assessment

  1. 8% Participation in Class Discussions.

  2. 8% Submission of Questions based on the course readings. Each student should submit two questions based on each set of readings an hour before the class at which those readings are due.

  3. 8% Submission of Think Assignments assigned over the course of the trip. Each student should respond to any think assignment provided an hour before the class at which it is due.

  4. 10% Reflective Paper on Interpersonal Skills

  5. 6% Interpersonal Resume

  6. 25% Term Paper, including annotated Bibliography, outline, and brief presentation

  7. 15% Mid-Term Exam

  8. 20% Final Exam

Instructions for Accessing the Moodle Discussion/Learning Space

  1. Point your web browser at http://messageecologies.com/ed

  2. Click on "Login" at the bottom of the screen.

  3. If you haven't accessed this Moodle before.

    1. Press the "Create New Account" button in the right column of the login screen.

    2. You'll be asked to fill in a series of fields that include your user ID, password, e-mail address, location, etc. Fill them in as accurately as you can. Remember your userid and password. You will need them to log in again.

    3. When processing of this page completes you will be sent an e-mail at the address you specify. Open that e-mail and confirm your registration by pressing the confirmation link in the e--mail.

    4. When you submit this page you will enter the moodle environment. If you see a button marked courses, press it. You will see this course (“Interpersonal Communication Fall 2017”) listed. Select the course.

  4. If you are already registered for this Moodle, enter your user id and Password and then select "Interpersonal Communication Fall 2017".

  5. You will be asked for a key. It is "ic1608b". Pay attention to case. All letters must be written in lower case. There are no spaces.

Course Rules

  1. Attendance is required for all classes, including the final exam period. Please be on time.

  2. Complete reading assignments, questions, and think assignments prior to coming to class. Be prepared to discuss readings.

  3. Write in your own words. Reference the ideas you use to the original sources. Plagiarism and cheating will are unacceptable.

  4. Unexcused late papers will be penalized 1/2 of a letter grade if one period late and one full grade thereafter.

  5. Like many of you, I come to Brooklyn College on the Subway. I endeavor to arrive on campus at least an hour before class every week, but I don't control the Subways. If I am late for class and you have not heard directly from me that class is cancelled, do not leave. Instead, form groups to discuss your questions from the reading assignments. I'll will ask you about those discussions WHEN I arrive.

  6. We have a lot to do during the semester. If I seek to end a discussion (often by saying "let's discuss this after class) I have a good reason for doing so. Please respect the rest of the class by deferring such discussion when I ask you to do so. If you are afraid you'll forget, write down a few words about the issue on a piece of paper. That's usually all you'll need.

Good Advice

  1. The reading and writing load for this course is moderate, but needs to be done. If you can't keep up with the readings, papers, or other assignments, you may want to drop the course early on and try again in another semester.

  2. Keep a copy of anything you submit, just in case the original gets lost.  It's good practice to write your questions and think assignments in a memo tool or text editor (but not a word processor) and doing a cut and paste from the original to the moodle.

  3. Write your name on the front of any assignment you submit on paper.

  4. Assuming you work on a computer, maintain backups of your paper in a reliable and convenient format. USB flash drives work on just about all computers now, can be readily obtained for less than $20.00, and are much less likely to fail than disks. Assume the worst. Maintain two backups. A virtual backup using Google Drive, Dropbox, or some similar service is a good idea.

  5. If at any time you find yourself confused or have questions, especially in terms of the writing assignments, please ask me (either in class or in private) for help. One person's question may help countless others in class. If you can't meet me during my office hours, we can probably find another time.

  6. Please speak with me confidentially if you have a disabling condition that may require some accommodation in class. I'm here to help.

Attendance Policy

Attendance is mandatory. The Brooklyn College Bulletin states that "Students are expected to attend all scheduled sessions of every class for which they register. Students late for class may be excluded from the room. An instructor may consider attendance and class participation in determining course grade." While I am unlikely to lock the door, I will take account of missed class time in computing grades. You should not, as a general note, ask me for "permission" to miss class. While I will try to be understanding of documented emergencies, the basic reality (which has more to do with your ability to learn when you aren't in class than anything else) is that absences make your grade grow smaller.

Disabilities statement and Accommodation

In order to receive disability-related academic accommodations students must first be registered with the Center for Student Disability Services. Students who have a documented disability or suspect they may have a disability are invited to set up an appointment with the Director of the Center for Student Disability Services, Ms. Valerie Stewart-Lovell at 718-951-5538. If you have already registered with the Center for Student Disability Services please provide your professor with the course accommodation form and discuss your specific accommodation with him/her.

Religious policy statement


Students who are unable, because of religious beliefs, to attend class or participate in any examination, study, or class-related activity on a particular day should contact the instructor ahead of the time to facilitate their absence without prejudice or penalty; please see the link below for further information: http://www.cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/la/PolicyonEqualOpportunityandNonDiscriminationandProceduresDecember42014.pdf