University of North Alabama

College of Arts and Sciences
Department of Communication and Theatre


Course Syllabus

Communication 328: Credit Hours: Course Description: Placement: Class Schedule: Faculty: Textbook: Objectives: Teaching Methods: Student Grades: Important Dates: Reading Assignments by Lesson Topics: Project:

Program Research [and Decision Making] 3 semester hours An introduction to the research methods and findings used to evaluate telecommunication programs. The application of research in decisions on the use and placement of programs will be emphasized. Prerequisites: COM 240 and 316. Spring 2004 MWF, 8:00 -- 8:50 am Avon Edward Foote, Ph.D. Associate Professor Room 108 Office: (256) 765-4489 E-mail: aefoote@una.edu FAX: (256) 765-4839 Office Hours: M, 10-2; Tu, 12:30-1:30; W, 10-12; Th, 12:30-3:30. And by appointment if necessary Eastman, Susan and Ferguson, Douglas, Broadcast/Cable/Web Programming, 6th edition  Wadsworth, 2002. The student is expected to complete the following objectives: To know the history of industry and academic electronic media audience research from 1925 to 2002. To be able to identify and define the most-often utilized techniques of evaluation research. To be able to compute the basic units of measurement used in ratings research. To be able to list the advantages and disadvantages of different sampling techniques used in evaluation research. To be able to list the primary decision-making criteria for radio. To be able to list the primary decision-making criteria for television and cable. To be able to list the primary decision-making criteria for television and cable. To be able to list the primary decision-making criteria for the internet. Assigned readings in text, lectures, reading from Broadcasting and Cable for annual NAPTE Convention and other industry coverage, guest speakers, class discussion, programming research project, and festival attendance. The following are methods by which the course objectives will be evaluated: Two exams will count 30%. 30% of grade will come from program project. Class participation will count 10%. Lindsey Festival attendance for all sessions and screenings will count 30%. A=90-100, B=80-89, C=70-79, D=60-69, F=<60 Attendance: Required by University policy. After four weeks of absences your grade will be become an "F" as announced in University literature. Grade may be lowered for excessive absences over five. Because of the importance of being on-time and meeting deadlines, tardiness will be noted on the roll and may affect the grade if it becomes a problem. January 19 --- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day February 20 to 22 --- University closed for Winter break March 5 --- Middle of term March 5 --- Last day to apply for 2004 Fall graduation March 22 to 28 --- Spring Holidays April 9 --- University closed April 15 to 17 --- Lindsey/UNA Film Festival May 6 --- Study Day May 7 to 13 --- Semester Exams Electronic Media Programming Challenge, Chapter 1 History of Academic Research in Electronic Media, no reading History of Commercial Ratings Research, no reading Ratings Research Process, Chapter 2 Key Terms and Calculations, Chapter 2 What is Syndication, Chapter 3, Midterm exam March 9 Broadcast Television Decisions, Chapter 4 Programming Public Television, Chapter 7 Cable Decisons, Chapter 8 Way of the Web, Chapter 10 Radio Programming Made Easy, Chapters 11 &12 Students will program the prime-time schedule for one Huntsville market television station for one week during the most recent past sweeps. The details of the programming project will be announced in class. All programming decisions will be backed up with appropriate research support and practical programming guidelines developed and verified through industry case studies. The final grade will depend on written project decisions and written documentation. Project is due last day of regular class meetings before study day.

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