New Media 3150(A)
//
Seminar in New Media Studies
Spring 2016, Tues./Thurs., 1:40-2:55pm, Room: W561
Lecturer: Dr. David Clearwater
Office: W886
Office hours: Wed.: 1-3:30pm & Fri.: 2-4:30pm (or by appt.)
Email: c l e a d a ( a t ) u l e t h . c a
Website: http://people.uleth.ca/~cleada/ (see QR code at right)
In this course, we will attempt to answer a series of questions: What does technology do to us? How does new media
technology affect aesthetics, perception and our interaction with the world around us? How does it affect our bodies, our
notion of the material world, our sense of self or community, interactivity and interaction, our sense of realism and what
constitutes ‘reality’? To better answer these questions we will begin with an historical approach that will lead to a series of
new questions: are new electronic/digital technologies completely new? Can we better understand new technologies by
looking at older ones? Does social change come from the technology itself or is it a product of our individual and collective
perceptions?
In addition to such questions, the course will also introduce students to critical and contemporary approaches to
understanding media as well as established theoretical concepts. Secondary course objectives include: introducing students
to the use of research materials and citation methods, writing and stylistic development, information management and
conceptual development. The course places emphasis on the development of ideas, application of theoretical concepts, and
observation of empirical realities through individual research and group discussion. The first part of the course will focus
upon various media concepts and terminology. The second part of the course will focus upon specific issues pertaining to
modern society and the use of media technologies, including: the political economy of the media, democracy and technology,
spectatorship, privacy/publicity, gender, narrative, media effects (and the media violence debate), copyright and ownership,
open vs. closed media, consumerism and persuasion, surveillance and privacy, and virtual community.
Required Text/Readings/Materials:
1. Sturken, Marita and Lisa Cartwright. Practices of Looking: An Introduction to Visual Culture. 2nd Edition, New York: Oxford
University Press, 2009. ISBN: 978-0-19-531440-3
2. Select readings (online/electronic database).
Assignments:
Exam: Media Theory, Concepts & Terms
Citation Style Quiz
Draft Research Paper Proposal (500-750 words + bibliography)
Finalized Research Paper Proposal (750-1250 words + outline + biblio.)
Research Paper (4500-5000 words + bibliography)
Attendance
Participation
Feb. 2
Feb. 25
Due: Mar. 7 – 11
Due: Mar. 28 - Apr. 1
Due: Apr. 17
n/a
n/a
20%
10%
10%
10%
25%
10%
15%
I will be using the following letter grade/percentage equivalencies for all assignments:
Excellent
Letter
A+
A
APercent 100-95 94-90 89-86
Good
Satisfactory
B+
B
BC+
C
CD+
85-82 81-78 77-74 73-70 69-66 65-62 61-58
Poor
D
57-51
Fail
F
50-0
Students with Disabilities:
Students with learning disabilities should contact me in the first two weeks of the semester if any special
circumstances/needs are required.
Spring 2016
// Department of New Media // University of Lethbridge
New Media 3150(A)
//
Seminar in New Media Studies
Lecture Topics and Reading Schedule
NOTE: For readings from the course textbook, the sections and corresponding page ranges are required and will be the
only sections covered for the Exam.
Module 1: Media Concepts and Terminology
1. Introduction to the Course, Course Requirements and Assignments (Jan. 7)
2. Introductory Concepts (Jan. 12)
Introduction, 1-8
Chapter 1: Images, Power, and Politics:
Chapter Introduction, 9-11
Representation, 12-16
The Myth of Photographic Truth, 16-22
Images and Ideology, 22-26
How We Negotiate the Meaning of Images 26-33
Image Icons, 36-46
3. Media, Audiences and Meaning (Jan. 14)
Chapter 2: Viewers Make Meaning:
Chapter Introduction, 49-52
Producers’ Intended Meanings 52-56
Aesthetics and Taste, 56-62
Reading Images as Ideological Subjects, 69-72
Encoding and Decoding, 72-75
Reception and Audience, 75-82
Appropriation and Cultural Production, 82-86
4. Spectatorship and Social Power (Jan. 19)
Chapter 3: Modernity: Spectatorship, Power, and Knowledge:
Chapter Introduction, 93-94
Spectatorship, 101-104
Discourse and Power, 104-111
The Gaze and the Other, 111-120
Gender and the Gaze, 123-129
5. Media and Reproduction (Jan. 21) *NOTE: Heavy Reading schedule follows!
Chapter 4: Realism and Perspective:
Chapter Introduction, 141-143
Visual Codes and Historical Meaning, 143-145
Questions of Realism, 145-151
Chapter 5: Visual Technologies, Image Reproduction, and the Copy
Chapter Introduction, 183
Visual technologies, 183-185
Spring 2016
// Department of New Media // University of Lethbridge
New Media 3150(A)
//
Seminar in New Media Studies
Motion and Sequence, 185-190
Walter Benjamin and Mechanical Reproduction, 195-199 (cont.)
The Politics of Reproducibility, 199-203
Copies, Ownership, and Copyright, 204-212
Reproduction and the Digital Image, 212-220
6. Media and Mass Culture/Consumer Culture (Jan. 26)
Chapter 6: Media in Everyday Life:
“The Masses and Mass Media” 224-229
“Broadcast, Narrowcast, and Webcast Media” 233-236
“Media and Democratic Potential” 242-247
Chapter 7: Advertising, Consumer Cultures and Desire:
Chapter Introduction, 265-266
“Consumer Societies” 266-275
“Envy, Desire, and Belonging” 275-279
“Commodity Culture and Commodity Fetishism” 279-289
“Anti-Ads and Culture Jamming” 300-304
7. Postmodern Culture and Media (Jan. 28)
Chapter 8: “Postmodernism, Indie Media, and Popular Culture.”
Chapter Introduction, 307-311
Addressing the Postmodern Subject, 316-321
Reflexivity and Postmodern Identity, 322-328
Pastiche, Parody and the Remake, 328-333
8. Exam – No Readings (Feb. 2)
Exam – Media Theory, Concepts and Terms
Module 2: Contemporary Issues
9. McLuhan and the Medium is the Message: Content, Form, and Media (Feb. 4)
McLuhan, Marshall. “Understanding Media (1964)” (excerpt). (Read the sections: ‘Introduction’ and ‘The Medium is the
Message’).
Optional Reading:
Federman, Mark. “What is the Meaning of the Medium is the Message?” 2004.
http://individual.utoronto.ca/markfederman/article_mediumisthemessage.htm.
10. Early Web / Internet Issues: Political Economy, Globalization (Feb. 9)
Patelis, Korinna. “The Political Economy of the Internet.” In Media Organizations in Society, ed. James Curran, 84-106. New
York: Oxford University Press/Arnold, 2000. Available at: http://www.nettime.org/Lists-Archives/nettime-l9903/msg00068.html.
Optional Reading:
Miller, Vincent. “Search Engines, Portals and Global Capitalism.” In web.studies: Rewiring Media Studies for the Digital Age,
ed. David Gauntlett, 113-121. New York: Arnold/Oxford University Press, 2000. Available (with registration) at:
http://kent.academia.edu/VincentMiller/Papers/89991/Search_Engines_Portals_and_Global_Capitalism.
Introna, Lucas and Helen Nissenbaum. “Shaping the Web: Why the Politics of Search Engines Matters,” The Information
Society, 16(3):1-17, 2000. Draft available at: http://www.nyu.edu/projects/nissenbaum/papers/searchengines.pdf.
Spring 2016
// Department of New Media // University of Lethbridge
New Media 3150(A)
//
Seminar in New Media Studies
Patelis, Korinna. “The Political Economy of the Internet.” PhD. Thesis. Dept. of Media and Communications, Goldsmiths
College University of London (June 2000). http://www.aueb.gr/Users/patelis/PHDTELIO.pdf.
11. Media Technology & Effects on Media Consumption (Feb. 11)
Bull, Michael. “No Dead Air! The iPod and the Culture of Mobile Listening.” Leisure Studies, 24, no. 4 (October 2005): 343-355.
[http://0-search.ebscohost.com.darius.uleth.ca/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=18333534&site=ehostlive&scope=site]
Optional:
Garofalo, Reebee. “From Music Publishing to MP3: Music and Industry in the Twentieth Century.” American Music, 17, no. 3
(Autumn 1999): 318-354. [http://www.jstor.org/stable/3052666]
-- Feb. 16-20: Reading Week, Classes Cancelled – Have a good break! 
12. Web / Internet Issues: Media & Democracy // Citation Style and Biblio. Overview (Feb. 23)
Bremmer, Ian. “Democracy in Cyberspace.” Foreign Affairs 89, no. 6 (2010): 86-92. http://0search.ebscohost.com.darius.uleth.ca/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=54624937&site=ehost-live&scope=site.
Feenberg, Andrew. “Critical Theory of Communication Technology: Introduction to the Special Section.” Information Society
25, no. 2 (April 2009): 77-83. http://0search.ebscohost.com.darius.uleth.ca/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=36801135&site=ehost-live&scope=site.
Optional Readings:
Brown, C., and L. Czerniewicz. “Debunking the 'Digital Native': Beyond Digital Apartheid, Towards Digital Democracy.” Journal
of Computer Assisted Learning 26, no. 5 (October 2010): 357-369. http://0search.ebscohost.com.darius.uleth.ca/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=53710622&site=ehost-live&scope=site.
Nam, Taewoo. “Whose e-Democracy? The Democratic Divide in American Electoral Campaigns.” Information Polity: The
International Journal Of Government & Democracy In The Information Age 16, no. 2 (June 2011): 131-150. http://0search.ebscohost.com.darius.uleth.ca/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=64358191&site=ehost-live&scope=site.
Lax, Stephen. “The Internet and Democracy.” In web.studies: Rewiring Media Studies for the Digital Age, ed. David Gauntlett,
159-169. New York: Arnold/Oxford University Press, 2000.
13. Quiz: Citations & Bibliographies // Research and Library Resources – No Readings (Feb. 25)
14. Understanding Narrative and Media (Mar. 1)
Choose One of the Following:
Schwalbe, Carol B., B. William Silcock, and Susan Keith. “Visual Framing of the Early Weeks of the U.S.-Led Invasion of Iraq:
Applying the Master War Narrative to Electronic and Print Images.” Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media 52, no. 3
(September 2008): 448-465. http://0search.ebscohost.com.darius.uleth.ca/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=33522518&site=ehost-live&scope=site.
Daddario, Gina. “Soap on Ice: The Tonya Harding/Nancy Kerrigan Story and the 1994 Winter Games.” In Women’s Sport and
Spectacle: Gendered Television Coverage and the Olympic Games, 105-128. Westport: Praeger, 1998.
Pearce, Celia. “Towards a Game Theory of Game.” In First Person: New Media as Story, Performance, and Game, eds. Noah
Wardrip-Fruin and Pat Harrigan, 143-153. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2004.
Cover, Rob. “New Media Theory: Electronic Games, Democracy and Reconfiguring the Author--Audience Relationship.” Social
Semiotics 14, no. 2 (August 2004): 173-191. http://0search.ebscohost.com.darius.uleth.ca/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=14433228&site=ehost-live&scope=site.
15. Computer Software and Issues of Ownership and Control: GNU & F/OSS (Mar. 3)
Sawyer, Dan. “Philosophy and Fancy.” Linux Journal, 194 (June 2010): 54-56. [Available electronically at:
http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/10725]
Fraser, Jes. “Distributions: A Brief History.” Linux Journal, 194 (June 2010): 50-53. [Available electronically at:
http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/10724]
Spring 2016
// Department of New Media // University of Lethbridge
New Media 3150(A)
//
Seminar in New Media Studies
Optional Readings:
Wheeler, David A. “Why Open Source Software / Free Software (OSS/FS, FLOSS, or FOSS)?” 2002 (updated: 2007). Available
at: http://www.dwheeler.com/oss_fs_why.html
Maurer, Stephen M. and Suzanne Scotchmer. “Open Source Software: The New Intellectual Property Paradigm.” Cambridge,
MA: National Bureau of Economic Research, 2006. http://darius.uleth.ca/record=b1548602~S1.
Draft Paper Proposal Due: March 7 – 11
16. Media, Surveillance, Data Mining, and Privacy: Film Screening and Discussion, Part I (Mar. 8)
“1.24.12 Collection of Online Consumer Data.” Churchill Club (YouTube Channel). Uploaded on Jan 25, 2012.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dEmHZjRLrU
“Dr. Gareth Owen: TOR - Attacks and Countermeasures.” Security B-Sides London (YouTube Channel). Uploaded May 10,
2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwawq8PsozU
Some other (and simplistic) resources for background information:
“This Data Company Knows All About You.” CNN Money (YouTube Channel). Uploaded August 27, 2012).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2Sn_Clhsm8
“Inside the Dark Web.” Horizon (BBC). September 2014. Program website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04grp09.
Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZhmuGVSdaY.
17. Media, Surveillance, and Privacy: Film Screening and Discussion, Part II (Mar. 10)
18. Media and Effects (The Media Violence Debate) – (Mar. 15)
Ferguson, Christopher J. "The School Shooting/Violent Video Game Link: Causal Relationship or Moral Panic?." Journal of
Investigative Psychology & Offender Profiling 5, no. 1/2 (January 2008): 25-37. http://0search.ebscohost.com.darius.uleth.ca/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=35678191&site=ehost-live&scope=site
Roser, Max. “Homicides.” Our World in Data. 2015. http://ourworldindata.org/data/violence-rights/homicides/
Optional Readings:
“Violence - Overview.” Media Smarts. http://mediasmarts.ca/violence/violence-overview. Also, check out some of the other
subtopics at the Media Smarts website: http://mediasmarts.ca/violence
Kirsh, Steven J. Children, Adolescents, and Media Violence: A Critical Look at the Research. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage
Publications, 2006.
Gerdes, Louise I., ed. Media Violence. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2004.
Goldstein, Jeffrey, ed. Why We Watch: The Attractions of Violent Entertainment. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998.
Bok, Sissela. “The Thrill of the Kill,” “’But Movies Are Not Real,’” and “Sizing Up the Effects.” In Mayhem: Violence and Public
Entertainment, 27-34, 35-39, 56-60. Reading, MA: Perseus Books, 1998. http://darius.uleth.ca/record=b1505500~S1.
19. The Media Violence Debate: Film Screening – No Readings (Mar. 17)
20. The Media Violence Debate: Continued (Mar. 22)
Spring 2016
// Department of New Media // University of Lethbridge
New Media 3150(A)
//
Seminar in New Media Studies
21. Who Owns Culture? Napster, P2P, and Intellectual Property (Mar. 24)
McCourt, Tom and Patrick Burkart. “When Creators, Corporations and Consumers Collide.” Media, Culture & Society 25, no.
3 (May 2003): 333-350. [http://0-mcs.sagepub.com.darius.uleth.ca/content/25/3/333.full.pdf+html]
Finalized Paper Proposal Due: Mar. 28 – Apr. 1
22. Copyright / DRM / The Infrastructure of the Internets (Mar. 29)
Baily, Charles W. “Strong Copyright + DRM + Weak Net Neutrality = Digital Dystopia?” Information Technology and Libraries,
25, no. 3 (September 2006): 116-139. [http://0search.ebscohost.com.darius.uleth.ca/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=22544646&site=ehost-live&scope=site]
23. Class Cancelled / Office Hours Open – Work on Finalized Paper Proposal (Mar. 31)
24. The Origins of Virtual Communities (Apr. 5)
Dibbell, Julian. “A Rape in Cyberspace; or, How an Evil Clown, A Haitian Trickster Spirit, Two Wizards, and a Cast of Dozens
Turned a Database into a Society.” In Flame Wars: The Discourse of Cyberculture, ed. Mark Dery, 237-261. Durham: Duke
University Press, 1994. Also available here: http://www.juliandibbell.com/texts/bungle_vv.html.
Dibbell, Julian. “Palo Alto, October 1994.” In My Tiny Life: Crime and Passion in a Virtual World, 5-8. New York: Henry Holt and
Co., 1998. Also available here: http://www.juliandibbell.com/texts/mytinylife.html#RL1.
Optional Readings:
Rheingold, Howard. The Virtual Community: Homesteading on the Electronic Frontier. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 2000.
http://darius.uleth.ca/record=b1444088~S1.
25. Class Cancelled / Office Hours Open – Work on Final Essay (Apr. 7)
26. Ten Years Later… Reassessing Virtual Communities: (Apr. 12)
Choose One of the Following:
Hampton, Keith and Barry Wellman. “Neighboring in Netville: How the Internet Supports Community and Social Capital in a
Wired Suburb.” City and Community 2, 3 (Fall 2003): 277-311.
http://www.mysocialnetwork.net/downloads/cityncomm12-mp.pdf.
Kolko, Beth and Elizabeth Reid. “Dissolution and Fragmentation: Problems in On-Line Communities.” In CyberSociety 2.0:
Revisiting Computer-Mediated Communication and Community, ed. Steven G. Jones, 212-229. London: Sage, 1998.
Jakobsson, Mikael and T.L. Taylor. “The Sopranos Meets EverQuest: Social Networking in Massively Multiplayer Online
Games.” Conference Proceedings, Melbourne DAC, 2003. Available at:
http://hypertext.rmit.edu.au/dac/papers/Jakobsson.pdf.
27. Class Cancelled / Office Hours Open – Bring any Citation and Essay Questions (Apr. 14)
Final Research Paper Due: April 17
Last Day of Classes: Apr. 15;
Final Exam Period: Apr. 18-26 (NO FINAL EXAM IN THIS COURSE).
Thanks for taking the course… and have a great summer!
Spring 2016
// Department of New Media // University of Lethbridge
New Media 3150(A)
//
Seminar in New Media Studies
Course Assignments
Citation Style/Essay-Formatting:
Use the Turabian/Chicago citation style for all written assignments. In particular, we will be using the style for the
Humanities (footnotes/bibliography). I will discuss this citation style (based on the Chicago Manual of Style) in class and there
is a brief guide available on my teaching website that provides examples for common citation materials. As well, there is a
guide describing proper formatting for essays which will also be covered in class. You can access these materials here:
http://people.uleth.ca/~cleada/citation_essay_guides.html
Exam: Media Theory, Concepts and Terms
20%
Feb. 2
This exam will cover the readings, handouts and lectures pertaining to Media Concepts and Terminology (Module 1). The
exam will cover the lectures and material arising from the course textbook (Sturken and Cartwright). The exam will likely
include multiple choice questions, matching, short answer, and fill-in-the-blanks but I will discuss the nature of the exam in
class.
Quiz: Citations and Bibliographies
10%
Feb. 25
This quiz will cover the Turabian/Chicago citation style (footnotes and bibliography) and essay-formatting that is covered in
class. Consult the citation style guide and essay formatting guide available from my teaching website:
http://people.uleth.ca/~cleada/citation_essay_guides.html.
The quiz will likely include multiple choice questions and short answer questions where you will have to take examples and
properly format the example for use in a bibliography, as a footnote, and/or as a subsequent footnote. Other questions will
cover proper formatting for the essay itself and the proper use of citations.
Draft Research Paper Proposal:
10%
Mar. 7 - 11
500-750 words + bibliography (11 pt. font, single line-spacing) + bibliography (separate page)
Submit two files (the Word Processing file and a PDF) via email.
Filename convention to use:
Lastname_Firstname(NMED3150)DraftProposal.PDF
i.e. Clearwater_David(NMED3150)DraftProposal.PDF
Subject Line for Email:
Draft Proposal (NMED 3150 A)
The paper proposal serves two purposes: 1) to get everyone thinking about the final paper, and 2) to allow you to build a
topic (in consultation with me) that is both interesting and meaningful to you. You should choose one of the major, general
topics/issues we cover during the semester (in either Module 1 and/or Module 2) that you can refine or narrow according to
your interests. You are required to build upon concepts/theories/ideas contained in the course readings (textbook) and
lectures. You can then use these concepts/theories/ideas and apply them to a more specific or contemporary subject/issue.
In addition, you are required to consult the library catalogue and electronic databases (discussed in class) in order to expand
on the course concepts/theories/ideas as well as narrow the topic and bring in more specific and/or contemporary research
literature.
Spring 2016
// Department of New Media // University of Lethbridge
New Media 3150(A)
//
Seminar in New Media Studies
You may also see me during office hours to discuss your ideas and the possibilities for additional bibliographic sources. Write
a proposal (500-750 words + bibliography) where you discuss the essay topic, the main concepts/authors/issues you intend
to cover, and the resources you intend to use. Try to have 6 – 7 entries in your bibliography (three of which must come
from your own research in the library and online). (Note: Articles from Wikipedia will not be accepted for the
Bibliography.) I will provide written commentary about the topic and research materials for your consideration. This proposal
is not binding. While I do not suggest that you change your topic entirely, you can expect that your topic may change slightly
as you work on your Finalized Research Paper Proposal.
Finalized Research Paper Proposal:
10%
Mar. 28 - Apr. 1
750-1250 words (11 pt. font, single line-spacing) + outline (separate page) + bibliography (separate page)
Submit two files (the Word Processing file and a PDF) via email.
Filename convention to use:
Lastname_Firstname(NMED3150)FinalProposal.PDF
i.e. Clearwater_David(NMED3150) FinalProposal.PDF
Subject Line for Email:
Final Proposal (NMED 3150 A)
The Finalized Paper Proposal will describe the final form that your research paper will take. You should incorporate the
comments you receive about your Draft Research Paper Proposal and strive to narrow your topic and provide a very specific
outline for the essay. Write a final proposal (750-1250 words) where you discuss the essay topic in more detail, the main
concepts/authors/issues you intend to cover, and the examples you intend to use. On a separate page, provide an outline
of the topic in point form. Try to have 7 – 10 entries in your bibliography (five of which must come from your own research
in the library and online). (Note: Articles from Wikipedia will not be accepted for the Bibliography.) This proposal should
be considered final and you can begin to work on the essay at this point as I will only provide brief comments on the
proposal. While you can further refine your topic, you should not choose a different topic at this point in the semester.
Final Research Paper:
25%
Apr. 17
4500-5000 words (11 pt. font, single line spacing) + bibliography (separate page)
Submit two files (the Word Processing file and a PDF) via email.
Filename convention to use:
Lastname_Firstname(NMED3150)ResearchPaper.PDF
i.e. Clearwater_David(NMED3150)ResearchPaper.PDF
Subject Line for Email:
Research Paper (NMED 3150 A)
The final research paper will build upon your Draft Proposal and Final Proposal submitted earlier in the term. All students will
receive written comments and suggestions on the proposals, which you should incorporate into your Research Paper. Please
keep the following in mind: This is a research-based essay where the main goal is for you to broadly investigate the
research literature pertaining to a specific topic and how the topic can be understood from the perspective of a variety of
different stakeholders and points of view. Delving into the research literature is therefore crucial to the success of your
paper. I am not merely talking about the citation of statistics and figures. When discussing your ideas I want to see you make
reference to the opinions and theories and research findings of others who have written about the intersection of the media
and culture and the specific topic that you are investigating. However, you can incorporate your opinion on the topic in the
conclusion of the essay.
Spring 2016
// Department of New Media // University of Lethbridge
New Media 3150(A)
//
Seminar in New Media Studies
Suggested Structure:
The following is a basic structure that can be used for most topics (assuming a twelve page essay):
1. Introduction… [1 page]
2. Start with a general overview of the topic(s)… [approx. 3-4 pages]:
- general history or timeline
- **overview of ideas, issues and concepts, relevant individuals/authors/research
- definition/discussion of relevant terms, concepts, and issues
- this section is where you should primarily rely upon academic literature and industry-related analysis
3. Use of specific examples and case studies… [approx. 5-6 pages]:
- discussion of specific examples or case studies
- application of concepts/terms
- discuss how example relates to issues/concepts (#2)
- in addition to using academic literature and industry-related analysis, you can also incorporate other resources
(journalism, forums, fan wikis, etc.)
4. Conclusion (compose this last)… [1-2 pages]:
- tie up loose ends
- you do not have to come to a specific conclusion but aim to provide a concluding discussion of your entire essay
- it is acceptable to provide your own opinion on the topic and the future of the topic
Attendance/Class Participation:
10% / 15%
The attendance policy is quite simple: you are either in class or you are not. If you are in class, you are considered to be
present. If you are not in class, you are considered to be absent. If you are (going to be) absent, I do not need to be
informed as to the reason.
An attendance sheet will circulate at the beginning of each class. At the end of the term, you will receive a grade
based on your attendance record, completion of class readings, mature and considerate conduct in class, questions and
comments made during class, etc. Six (6) or more absences (with or without valid reason) will result in a grade of ‘F’ (50%)
for Attendance/Participation. (If a medical condition persists for an extended period of time or if other extraordinary
circumstances develop, then you should discuss this with me and with the Fine Arts Advising Office.) If the amount of
absences is very excessive, the attendance/participation mark will be reduced to zero.
I realize that not all students are as comfortable as others in speaking regularly during seminars. I will accept other
activities as participation. For example, I am always looking for new and interesting articles for use in the course reading list.
Therefore, you can also submit interesting articles or essays (from scholarly journals, journalistic sources, or fan/industry
websites, etc.) that you come across in your research by submitting them in a separate email at the time you submit your
final research essay. For articles or essays to be considered you must include a full bibliographic reference for each
article/essay (author’s name, title, source, volume numbers and/or date, and page numbers), as well as tested links or PDFs.
Academic and/or industry, peer-reviewed essays are given the most weight, non-peer reviewed but substantial essays are
given less consideration while short journalistic and other short online articles are given the least consideration.
Spring 2016
// Department of New Media // University of Lethbridge