Borchard JMS 713

History of Journalism
and Mass Communication
Spring 2012

INTERNAL LINKS

Style & Research Guide

Sample: Prospectus

Sample: Bibliography

JMS 713 Homepage

EXTERNAL LINKS

History Matters

Greenspun School of JMS

JMS 713
T 4-6:45 p.m.
GUA 1120
Instructor: Gregory Borchard, Ph.D.
Telephone: (O) 702-895-4868
gregory.borchard@unlv.edu
Office: 2134 Greenspun Hall
<gregory.borchard@unlv.edu>
Office Hours: T: 11-noon; W: 9-noon; R: 11-noon and by appointment

Course Overview: Welcome to History of Journalism and Mass Communication. This course is designed to help you develop a familiarity with concepts, tools, methodologies, and theories useful in interpreting the history of the mass media. The course will emphasize the necessity for determining how your research can contribute to the pool of historical knowledge of contemporary scholars. You will examine history from a topical perspective, not a chronological one, and your research will require you to think critically as you focus on questions of how and why the media of a given era was significant. You will learn to evaluate information and judge the validity of primary and secondary sources, and to explore a diverse selection of writers and their ideas in researching the media for academic and professional purposes. You will demonstrate proficiency in developing and writing a research paper appropriate for submission to reviewers that explains the historical significance of the media, drawing from an inter-disciplinary selection theories, methods, and sources. This course emphasizes historiography, a broad concept relevant to a number of disciplines, but it is essentially the history of history, a meta-history used to understand the basis of narratives. Historians have explained the role of communications in relation to social organization, but one of the few issues upon which they agree is the development of mass media has been a significant part of modern civilization. Communication history has subsequently had a unique role in the social sciences -- some scholars have described it as a reconstructing the first draft of history. Because we will focus on the history of media history, you will in effect write about writers who not only wrote about history, they provided an eyewitness account of it.

Required Textbooks: Check the schedule for assigned readings. Weekly reading assignments are subject to change at the instructor's discretion.

The American Journalism History Reader , eds. Bonnie Brennen and Hanno Hardt. New York: Routledge, 2011. ISBN 978-0-415-80187-4.
Sloan, Wm. David, and Michael Stamm. Historical Methods (3rd edition). Northport, AL: Vision Press, 2010. ISBN: 978-1-885219-38-1.

Note: The bookstore should have these issues in stock. You may purchase the most recent edition of paperback or hardcover.

About the Readings: The schedule below includes a variety of readings from different disciplines designed to help you develop an angle for a research paper you will complete for this class. A number of the readings address complex and challenging issues generally not addressed in journalism, media studies, or communication studies. However, you will be asked to interpret the texts from a historiographic perspective that is, you will be writing about the material without necessarily having to master technical language or aspects of particular disciplines. We're interested primarily in exploring how and why the authors wrote about their material, so be prepared to read in the context of meta-historical issues raised.

Also about the Readings: You will find a number of the items below available in the UNLV Libraries' Electronic Reserve system. To access the materials, go to this site <http://www.library.unlv.edu>, then go to Electronic Reserves. Sign on using your UNLV barcode and password. You can find the JMS 713 materials by instructor name or course number. I have indicated the Reserve readings on the schedule in blue font.

Course Requirements: You will complete a research paper for a major portion of your grade. The research paper will require a working bibliography, an annotated list of sources indexed by historiographic themes, and a prospectus, a proposal of your paper idea, both due at midterm. Another major portion of your grade will be based on weekly discussion and accompanying reaction papers about assigned readings. The reaction papers are designed to help conceptualize tools that will be useful in writing your research paper. Note: Extensions for assignments will be issued at the instructor's discretion. Late submissions not approved by the instructor in advance will result in a lower grade or a zero ("0") on the assignment.

Attendance: Please attend every class. Your chances of succeeding in this course will increase dramatically with active class participation and discussion. If you miss class, the quality of your work will suffer, as will your final grade. If you know you cannot attend a particular class, please notify me in advance. We can arrange a time to discuss key items, or you will be directed to an appropriate resource for help. You will also benefit from reviewing course materials with classmates.

Academic Honesty: Be aware of UNLV's commitment to academic honesty. Review policies on cheating, plagiarism, and academic dishonesty in the Graduate Catalogue at <http://tinyurl.com/7dc3w7e>. Students enrolling in UNLV assume the obligation to conduct themselves in a manner compatible with UNLV's function as an educational institution. An example of academic misconduct is plagiarism: Using the words or ideas of another, from the internet or any source, without proper citation of the sources (See the "Academic Policies").

Plagiarism is a serious offense in this course, at the university, and in media careers. You must attribute information to a source appropriately. If you use information from a publication, you must credit that publication. Using someone else's work as your own will result in a zero ("F") for an assignment. Plagiarism may also result in an "F" for the class, and in some cases, it can lead to expulsion from the University.
When you have time out of class to work on an assignment, you must do your own work. Friends may proofread, but the research and writing must be yours.
Please notify me if you are aware of a climate that promotes academic dishonesty.

The University requires all members of the University Community to be familiar with and to follow copyright and fair use requirements. You are individually and solely responsible for violations of copyright and fair use laws. The University will neither protect nor defend you nor assume any responsibility for employee or student violations of fair use laws. Violations of copyright laws could subject you to federal and state civil penalties and criminal liability as well as disciplinary action under University policies. To familiarize yourself with copyright and fair use policies, the University encourages you to visit its copyright Web site at <http://www.unlv.edu/committees/copyright>.

Office Hours: I will be in my office during the hours listed in this syllabus, and I can be available at other hours if arranged in advance. We can discuss specific questions you may have or review your work to see how it may be refined. I will not discuss grades in class. If you have a question about how I've evaluated your work, please see me during office hours or at another time we arrange. If you do have a question about a specific grading issue on an assignment, you must talk to me within two weeks after the assignment deadline.

Students with Disabilities: The Disability Resource Center (DRC) coordinates all academic accommodations for students with documented disabilities. The DRC is the official office to review and house disability documentation for students, and to provide them with an official Academic Accommodation Plan to present to the faculty if an accommodation is warranted. The DRC strongly encourages faculty to provide accommodations only if and when they are in receipt of said plan. Faculty should not provide students accommodations without being in receipt of this plan. UNLV complies with the provisions set forth in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, offering reasonable accommodations to qualified students with documented disabilities. If you have a documented disability that may require accommodations, you will need to contact the DRC for the coordination of services. The DRC is located in the Student Services Complex (SSC), Room 137, and the contact numbers are: VOICE (702) 895-0866, TTY (702) 895-0652, FAX (702) 895-0651. For additional information, please visit: <http://studentlife.unlv.edu/disability/>.

Grading for the Course: Your grade will be determined by your performance in the following areas -- failure to complete an item will result in a zero for that portion of the course.

Class Discussions and Reaction Papers = 40 percent
Early in the semester, you will sign up to lead particular class discussions. In preparing for each week's discussion materials, as a leader or as a discussant, you will write a 3- to 5-page reaction paper based on assigned readings. Each paper should consider the following questions:

What are the authors' theses?
What sources do the authors feature? How do they interpret them?
What are the historiographic premises of the authors?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of their arguments?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of each author's style?
Are their analyses sound and credible? What do other sources say about each author's contributions to scholarly literature?

I have scheduled discussions/presentations for Jan. 31, Feb. 14, Feb. 28, March 13, and March 27. You will receive a score based on your combined work on papers, discussion, and presentation for any or all of these dates. We will discuss the specifics of each session in the preceding week(s).

Prospectus = 10 percent
Your prospectus will outline your idea for your research paper. The prospectus is essentially a rough draft of your final project. We will discuss necessary components for the draft in class, and I will distribute a sample for review. Note: You will submit your prospectus and I will return it to you with comments after midterm. Please re-submit the prospectus with my comments at the end of the semester along with your final paper.

Working Bibliography = 10 percent
You will compile and index a list of sources used for your final paper. The bibliography will categorize sources based on the techniques and historiographic approaches explored in your texts and in class. You will include in the bibliography notes, quotes, and useful information about your sources. I will distribute a sample bibliography in class. Your final draft will be due at the end of the semester.

Final Paper = 40 percent
Your final paper, due at the end of the semester, will explore a topic chosen by you based on at least one of the major historiographic concepts discussed in the course. You will focus on a particular era and subject, and media-related events and individuals. You will be expected to develop an original idea and angle for your research, but we will review common topics and approaches used by students and scholars of the media. Note: If you follow instructions and keep up with your readings, your final draft should reflect the style and quality appropriate for submission (with revisions) to an academic conference.

Combined Scores

A = 93 to 100	C = 73 to 76.4
A- = 90 to 92.4	C- = 70 to 72.4
B+ = 87 to 89.4	D+ = 67 to 69.4
B = 83 to 86.4	D = 63 to 66.4
B- = 80 to 82.4	D- = 60 to 62.4
C+ = 77 to 79.4	F = below 59.4

Schedule

Jan. 17: Course Overview/Why We Write

Read and discuss in class: Ambrose Bierce <The Devil's Dictionary>;.Hardin <The Tragedy of the Commons>; Orwell <Politics and the English Language> <Why I Write> and <Writers and Leviathan>; Weber, <Politics as a Vocation> [online], accessed 1/1/12.

Due Jan. 31: E-mail a research topic to Dr. Borchard, detailing in 1 paragraph your w/w/w/w/w/h + "so what?" Also send citations (in APA) for at least three secondary sources you have read on the subject.

Note: All subsequent assigned readings should be read before class meetings. Click here for a primer on methods.

For next week: Read the assigned materials for Jan. 24.

Jan. 24: Philosophies of History

We will discuss the following items Jan. 24:

Robert M. Burns and H. Rayment-Pickard, eds., "On Philosophizing about History," in Philosophies of History (Malden, Mass: Blackwell Publishers, 2000), 1-28; Ibid, Immanuel Kant, 52-6; Ibid, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, 84-9; Ibid, Søren Kierkegaard, 143-46.

In Historical Methods, read:

Ch. 1, The Nature of History, 1-17.
Ch. 2, Interpretation in History, 23-47.
Ch. 3, The Fundamentals of Good History, 49-73.

In class, we will also discuss the following items (from Electronic Reserves) to preview your Bibliography, Prospectus, and Final Paper:

Aleen Ratzlaff, Press Coverage of Lynching in Mainstream Newspapers During the Early Years of Ida B. Wells's Anti-lynching Campaign, 1892-1894, Prospectus (Fall 1997), 1-7.
Working Bibliography (Fall 1997), 1-6.
Coverage of Lynching in Selected Mainstream Newspapers, 1892-1894, Paper Presented at the Symposium on the 19th Century Press, the Civil War, and Free Expression, University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, November 1999, 1-29.
Introduction, University of Florida, Ph.D. dissertation, 2000, 1-40.
Ebony Triangle: Network of Black Newspapers in Kansas, 1878-1900, Paper Presented at the Symposium on the 19th Century Press, the Civil War, and Free Expression, University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, November 2001, 1-16.

Jan. 31: Group Discussions/Presentations #1

Write a Reaction Paper about a chapter from American Journalism History Reader (you will be assigned a class presentation topic).

Ch. 1: American Journalism and Its Historical Treatment, Nevins, 11-21.
Ch. 2: The Problem of Journalism History, Carey, 22-27.
Ch. 3: The Ossification of Journalism History: A Challenge for the Twenty-First Century, Blanchard, 28-35.
Ch. 4: Theory and History, Nerone, 36-45.
Ch. 5: A Revolution in Historiography? Schudson, 46-50.

Feb. 7: Historiography and Theory

Find and read the following items online:

At <http://www.jstor.org/jstor/>.

Dryzek and Leonard, History and Discipline in Political Science.
Foster, Guilt over Slavery: A Historigraphical Analysis.
Hughes: The Fruits of Cultivation Analysis: A Reexamination of Some Effects of Television Watching.
McCombs and Shaw, The Agenda-Setting Function of Mass Media.