Assignments

Course Participation (10%, 100 pts.)

  • Preparation for class, in addition to the quantity and quality of your contribution to class discussions.
  • Miscellaneous in-class assignments or quizzes.
Format Guidelines for Assignments

[Formatting Example]

File format: PDF

File name: “Last Name First Name – Assignment Name” (e.g. “CannonKristopher-SamplePaper.pdf”)

Document structure/format: Begin with pertinent personal information on a cover page or as preface to your assignment (this includes the assignment title, your full name, your ID#, the date, the course title, and your professor’s full name). Your entire document should be double-spaced and use a 12-pt. font unless specified otherwise.

Reading/Research Reflections (45%, 450 pts.)

  • You will be directed to write several research reflections based upon:
    • a series of questions/prompts pertaining to course topics/readings, and
    • information about media industries located from specific types of sources. These readings will complement assigned readings in the course and will range from trade publications to blog posts and consumer reviews.
  • Students will be expected to share information from their research reflections in class as part of this grade.

 

Mobile Application Proposal (45%, 450 pts.) DUE on 4/20 by 5:00pm

  • Students will work in groups to accomplish the following:
    • Create a 12-15 page proposal for an application that can be used on a mobile device. The proposal will include information about the product, the user-interface, industrial need/demand, target market(s), and sample customer reactions.
    • Collaborate in a polished and professional 10-12 minute presentation. This presentation will incorporate information from the project proposal but will require group members to streamline their ideas in a form similar to a sales pitch.
    • Submit 3 proposal assignments in preparation for the final submission. These assignments will require students to demonstrate individual contributions to research for the proposal and assess individual/group work dynamics.
    • Additional information, including grading guidelines will be discussed in March.
  • Mobile Application Proposal guidelines [PDF]

 

Grading Breakdown

A: 94-100% (940-1000pts)
A-: 90-93%
B+: 87-89%
B: 84-86%

B-: 80-83%
C+: 77-79%
C: 74-76%
C-: 70-73%

D+: 67-69%
D: 64-66%
D-: 60-63%
F: Below 60%

Grading Criteria

“A” indicates truly exceptional work, which demonstrates command of concepts and theories, presenting them in a well-argued and logically structured manner. “A” work significantly surpasses the expectations of the assignment, is free of spelling and grammatical errors, and does not merely address the questions through a repetition of course material or lectures. It provides fresh, creative, and original perspectives with a unique voice, offering connections between the topic and broader issues and contexts. Superior research skills are demonstrated with relevant citations and quotations advancing the argument.

 

“B” indicates above-average work that clearly achieves the goals of the assignment, providing smart and solid analyses with thoughtful and organized arguments I expect any diligent student to be able to produce. “B” work offers some originality, contains few (if any) typos, spelling errors, or grammatical mistakes, and addresses most questions directly by citing specific materials from the texts and lectures to illustrate points being made.

 

“C” indicates meets the course requirements in an adequate fashion by addressing the questions without sufficient engagement with materials from texts or lectures. “C” work tends to recycle examples from discussion without providing connections to the analysis, contains unfocused, uncritical, or insufficiently supported arguments, and typically contains acceptable but awkward prose with various typos, spelling errors or poorly structured sentences that result in vague arguments.

 

“D” indicates work that is off-topic, poorly written, disorganized and, instead of the course materials, utilizes “personal experience” or inapplicable research materials or support (such as readings obviously applicable in other subjects or classes). In other words, the assignment shows little to no evidence that a student was paying attention in class, does not incorporate materials used in course readings or class discussion, and sounds like a summary or review of materials rather than critically engaged analyses. This type of work may also fall short or far exceed the page limits or time constraints for the assignment and typically contain many spelling and grammatical errors and/or show no signs of being proofread.

 

“F” indicates work that dramatically fails to meet the goals and expectations of the course. “F” work is incoherent, plagiarized, and/or never submitted.