Course objectives

Digital communication is central to contemporary life and yet (or consequently) we take it for granted. Communication in the Digital Age will remedy this; at its successful completion you will be able to explain the technical basis, communicative effects, and commercial aspects of digital communication. For instance, you will learn about attention and multi-tasking, the shape and strengths of one’s relationships; you’ll learn about online ads, content, and privacy; and we’ll discuss how bias can emerge in online platforms.

Successful completion of this course enables one to:

1. recall, compare, and give examples of key issues and theories of online communication (e.g., deindividuation);
2. explain how the Internet & Web work (e.g., DNS);
3. ask complex questions and have a sense of how one might address those questions (e.g., are Millennials tech-savvy?);
4. exercise practical digital competencies (e.g., filtering email, writing markup, and assessing your digital footprint);
5. compellingly write in both a short-form online venue and longer-form academic format;
6. collaborate with one’s peers to improve academic performance (e.g., writing feedback).

Policy

Assignments

There are 1000 points at stake over the course of the term. This is converted to letter grades on the basis of thresholds; they are not rounded.

• (200 pts) Class participation

  This entails much more than (even perfect) attendance. Note: participation is not an easy “gimme grade”; I probably grade this more severely than anything else, please see the participation rubric for more.

• (0/-20pts) Learning assignment

  Email me a plain-text export of your SRL Deck containing at least 30 items. If you PASS this assignment it will not affect your grade and you will receive 0pts out of 0pts; if you fail to complete it, you will lose 20pts. (That’s the only way I’ve been able to figure out how to do Pass/Fail in Blackboard.)

• Wiki assignments

  Your wiki will host a number of assignments: five practical exercises and two sets of reading responses. See the Markdown and wiki tutorial and my example site to learn how to set up your TryScribble wiki.

  When you send me a reading response or practical exercise, email it ninety minutes before class; include your page’s <url> (in pointy brackets) and its markdown content (so I can give you feedback)—no attachments. Submissions must be emailed to me (j.reagle) with a descriptive subject for the email beginning with cda-r:. (For example, “cda-r: Response to Rheingold chapter 1” or “cda-r: Web search and evaluation.”) If you fail to do this, I may not see the email and you could fail to get credit. Submissions sent since the last class are viewable by others on the Web.

  • (200 pts) Practical exercises

    These are mandatory and require you to document at Scribble a specific competency (e.g., filtering your email) in the context of that class’s readings—don’t forget to discuss the reading! If needed, use whatever image host you wish (i.e., for screen-shots), such as imgur.com. Be creative in your use of markdown: use headings, links, quotes, and embed images, video, or audio as appropriate. Email me your page’s <url> (in pointy brackets) and its markdown content (so I can give you feedback) 90 minutes before class on their due date. Do not create a new wiki, rather create a new page in your existing wiki. These are typically 400-600 words.

    0. Markdown and wiki tutorial (0 pts)
    1. Web search and evaluation (50 pts)
    2. Filter and label your email (50 pts)
    3. Adblocking (50 pts)
    4. Privacy footprint (50 pts)

    These are assessed on the basis of: substantive engagement with the assignment’s task and accurate results; good use and integration of that day’s readings; deft use of markdown/wikis (headings, links, images, etc.); and prose quality.

  • (200 pts) Reading responses

    You are expected to read and be prepared to discuss all readings. In each half of the course you must also complete a certain number of reading responses—this is in addition to all practical exercises above. That is, for classes that don’t already have REQUIRED practical exercises, you must complete five responses (typically 250-350 words) by the middle of the semester and five after; do not add or edit responses after they are due. Plan this ahead of time so you are not caught short. Absent a specific prompt, summarize and engage.

    You will have two pages on your wiki—see my pages and the response template—for your two sets of responses. If you do a response, email me your page’s <url> (in pointy brackets) and its markdown content (so I can give you feedback) 90 minutes before class.

    These are assessed solely on the quality of the content: you do not need to use links, images, etc. I recommend you spell and grammar check your writing and maintain a checklist of how to write an excellent response.

• (200 pts) Exam

  Exams consist of multiple choice, fill in the blank, and questions.

• (200 pts) Topical essay and proposal

  Due prior to usual class time. Assignment must be printed and handed in and submitted to BlackBoard’s Turnitin. Follow the writing requirements for both assignments.

  1. (50 pts) Write a ~500 word proposal describing your topic, likely thesis and sources (from class and at least three external sources, at least one of which should be scholarly). In your proposal don’t plan to “explore” an issue, tell me what you will argue or explain and how you will support that. Follow the writing requirements below as this will be good practice for the actual essay. This is fairly open-ended, so see Choosing a Topic for help. Previous topics included: “Productive Procrastination vs Media-Multitasking,” “Homophily in Online Dating,” “Gender Differences in Social Media,” “Behavioral Targeting: Is it Ethical?,” “Social Media as a Recruiting Tool,” and “Privacy in the Digital Age.”
  2. (150 pts) Write a ~1500 word essay on your chosen topic.

  Writing requirements

  Printed assignments must be double-spaced, 12 point font, 1-inch margins. (One page contains approximately 250 words.) Pages must be numbered and stapled together. Citations must be in the APA style.

  No APA cover page is required. In fact, so as to avoid bias, I read assignments “blind” without knowing the author. Hence, I will only see your name (and final word count) when I turn your assignment over and see the assignment appendix.

  All assignments must be reviewed by two peers who assess your work according to the writing rubric, include their assessment and feedback in your appendix. If someone fails to give you feedback, document that in the assignment appendix.

  On the due date, print copies must be submitted in class and the electronic version must be submitted to BlackBoard’s Turnitin. The Turnitin version need not include the assignment appendix.

  If you have permission to revise a written assignment for re-assessment, please see these revision instructions.

• TRACE

  Our college requires all students to complete TRACE evaluations at the end of the semester even if you (anonymously) opt-out of completing the survey.

Grading Rubric

Communication Studies courses are expected, on average, to have a GPA of no more than a 3.3 (B+); this means those receiving an A or A- are in the minority. The course rubric notes that “A” students have all of the following attributes.

1. show mastery in assignments. Their work demonstrates impressive understanding of readings, discussions, themes and ideas. It is fluid, clear, analytical, well-organized and grammatically polished. Reasoning and logic are well-grounded and examples precise.
2. have virtually perfect attendance. Their commitment to the class resembles that of the teacher.
3. are prepared for class. They always read assignments and participate fully. Their attention to detail is such that they occasionally catch the teacher in a mistake.
4. show interest in the class. They look up what they don’t understand. They often ask interesting questions or make thoughtful comments.
5. have retentive minds. They are able to connect past learning with the present.
6. have a winning attitude. They have the determination, initiative and self-discipline to succeed.

Resources

Many links to my public wiki are found through-out this syllabus (remember, control-f is your friend), but I’ve gathered some of the most important ones below. As I explain in this video about tracking assignment requirements, I have high expectations and send a lot of information your way, I recommend you use something like Zim, FoldingText, or Evernote to “make information your own.”

Tip: temporarily place requirements and rubrics into your work (e.g., at the top of the response page).

• Class rubric
• Infrastructure
  • Class Google Docs.
  • Class email list to which we can all send and receive messages.
  • Northeastern: library resources, writing center, and international tutoring center
• Reading responses
  • Reading response requirements and examples
  • Response page template
  • Student responses for the most recent class
• Essays
  • Choosing a topic
  • Writing rubric
  • Tips for writing class essays and writing tips handout
  • Writing assignment appendix
  • Revision instructions
• In class
  • Lecture/slide handouts/notes
  • Participation rubric
  • Learning

Readings

Most readings are linked to from this page, if not check this password protected zip file (the password is my dog’s name in lowercase). However, you must acquire the following:

• Howard Rheingold (2012), Net Smart: How To Thrive Online.
• Joseph Reagle (2015), Reading the Comments: Likers, Haters, and Manipulators at the Bottom of the Web.
• Diane Hacker (6th or 7th edition), A Pocket Style Manual. (I’ve seen good used copies for as little as ~$12, but sometimes the price shoots up. You shouldn’t have to pay more than $35—and this will be useful throughout your college career and beyond.)

Like other skills, bibliography is something you learn to do well. Technology can make it easier. NU makes RefWorks and EndNote available to students; you can also use the freely available browser-based Zotero.

Note that for selections, I specify the chapter (ch=) or pages (pp=) to read.

Schedule