RTV 4333/5333 Special Topics

RTV 4333/5333 Special Topics Sitcoms:

Associate Professor: Dr. Mary Jackson Pitts Office: 367 Phone: 972-3070 Office Hours: MWF, 1-2 TTH 10:45-11:45 E-mail: [email protected] website:

COURSE DESCRIPTION: A seminar that addresses current topics in the area of mass communication.

OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this special topics class are: 1. To raise and answer questions about mass media. 2. To develop an understanding of qualitative research methodologies which can be used to understand a variety of media. 3. To become familiar with analysis of the television sitcom genre. 4. To better understand the social effects of sitcoms on society. 5. To better consider how sitcoms provide a history of the social thought during their time of existence.

TEXT: Vande Berg, L.R., Wenner, L. A., & Gronbeck, B.E. (1998) Critical approaches to television. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Additional reading material can be found placed on reserve in the University library and will be posted on the professor’s website.

METHOD: Critical analysis of sitcoms from the 1950s-2000s will be the focus of this course. This class requires students to be very familiar with the reading assignments prior to attending class. Examination and discussion of sitcoms and their social effects on the present and the past will be examined.

CLASS REQUIREMENTS:

ATTENDANCE: The university does not require mandatory attendance for senior/graduate level students. However, to successfully complete this course, all students must participate on a regular and continuing basis (that means at every class period).

EXAMINATIONS: Two exams will be given in the class. These will be the midterm and final. Both are comprehensive exams that will require exhaustive treatment of issues raised.

Weekly Talking papers: Students will be asked to provide weekly talking papers for class discussion. The talking papers will focus on a given method and specific sitcom. Weekly reports must be hand delivered, and the individual student responsible for the paper must deliver it in class, for credit to be applied. Undergraduate students will be required to produce 10 weekly talking papers. Graduate students will be required to provide 14 weekly talking papers.

CLASS DISCUSSIONS: Student participation is critical to the overall success of the course. Because this is a senior/graduate level course, students will be required to be active participants in class discussion. Class attendance is a must. Students are required to be active participants in all class discussions. Therefore, each student must ensure that they are intellectually prepared (meaning you must have read widely and taken notes on what you have read) to discuss class topics in the stipulated time period.

Secondary Research Paper: All students will be required to produce a history of a specific sitcom. This paper will be five to seven pages in length. Guidelines for this paper will be distributed when the assignment is given. No duplicate histories can be submitted. Due date is October 1st. Television Criticism Paper: Undergraduate students will be required to write a 10 -12 page criticism paper, using a specific qualitative method and selected sitcom. For graduate students, the paper must be between 20-25 pages in length. The paper must be well researched, well written and proof-read for grammatical or any other impurities. The APA citation style must be used to give credit to the paraphrased or quoted ideas of other authors. The paper must be organized as described in the course text, which can be found on pages 55-57, and briefly described below. Paper is due December 3.

Introduction: A. Interest arousing opening B. Rationale for writing the essay. 1. Importance/uniqueness of subject 2. Dependent upon the critical approach, discussion of given factors of historical, and social issues which lend themselves to support the examination. 3. The usefulness of a particular method or critical construct to examine a given media content C. Examine critical approaches which may be applied in your criticism. D. Identify the major points found in your essay. Point out research questions, hypotheses or arguments which will guide your analysis. Body of the Criticism essay A. Explain and define the critical method or constructs you are using to analyze the television texts in sufficient detail for the intelligent but uninformed reader to understand and use in his or her own critique. Provide a literature review of other criticism of the same television text. B. Point out research questions, hypotheses or arguments which will guide your analysis. C. Provide a sufficient amount of appropriate supporting material to support your arguments. 1.Support will include concrete, specific examples and/or dialogue from programs. 2.Concrete detailed description of specific plots, scenes, lighting, music, camera angles, etc. 3.Quotations from or references to relevant theoretical or critical scholarly sources. 4.Quotations from other relevant sources of critique (newspaper articles, reviews, etc 5.Attributed facts from authoritative sources (polls, census bureau, Nielsen ratings, etc.) Conclusions A: Restate the premise of your study. B. Summarize briefly the conclusions you arrived at as a result of the ideas, arguments, and evidence presented in the analysis. C. Discuss briefly the implications of the analysis toward. 1. Understanding of this program. 2. Future critical analysis using this method. 3. The television viewing public, the television industry and society in general.

Graduate Students requirements: In addition to the above, graduate students will be required to lead two class sessions. Lead a class session means presenting the topic, sitcom and analysis for the day, facilitating discussion through penetrative questions, moderating ensuing discussion, summarizing ideas at the end of discussions. This requirement is pass/fail. Students must provide audio/video/computer multimedia presentations. Guidelines will be distributed.

GRADING: The final grade for the semester will be derived by averaging the numerical values assigned to the elements below: Midterm exam 15% 90-100 A Final exam 15% 80-89 B Weekly Reports 25% 70-79 C Secondary Research Paper 15% 60-69 D Television Criticism Paper 30% Below 60 F TENTATIVE SCHEDULE:

Week One: August 27 Introduction, class organization: The context of criticism Assignment: Chapter 1

Week Two: September 3 Labor Day Holiday

Week Three: September 10 The Nature of Television Criticism; Critical approaches to television discourse; Writing Television Criticism

Assignment: Chapters 2-4

Week Four: September 17 Methods of Television Criticism: Auteur Centered Assignment: Chapter 5

Week Five-six: Sept 24-Oct 1 Methods of Television Criticism: Text Centered Assignment: Chapter 6

Week Seven: Oct 8-15 Methods of Television Criticism: Audience Centered Assignment: Chapter 7

Week eight-nine: Oct 22-29 Methods of Television Criticism: Ideological Assignment: Chapter 8

Week ten-eleven: Nov 5-12 Methods of Television Criticism: Culture Assignment: Chapter 9

Week twelve-thirteen: Nov 19-26 Methods of Television Criticism: Institution Assignment: Chapter 10

Week fourteen: December 3 Television criticism: Grasping the future Assignment: Chapter 11

Final Exam: December 10

Happy Holiday!!!!!!!!!

Safety Policy: "This course may require the use of hazardous chemicals or equipment that the University Safety Committee recognizes as potentially hazardous to a student's safety and health. Every instructor is required to provide instructional information and training on safe handling and usage procedures prior to engaging students in the use of hazardous chemicals or equipment. In addition, students are advised to notify the instructor or laboratory supervisor of any medications or conditions that may impair their mental alertness and/or their ability to safely engage in the use of any hazardous chemical or equipment. All students should participate in the use of hazardous chemicals and equipment only under the direct supervision of the instructor or by approval of the instructor, using recommended methods and procedures. Failure to adhere to the outlined safety precautions could result in disciplinary action."

LIST OF RESERVE BOOKS

Journals The following journals may be used as additional resource materials for discussions and argumentation: Journalism Quarterly Journalism Monographs Southwest Mass Communication Journal Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media Journal of Communication Mass Communication Review Communication Research