1 AN INTRODUCTION TO INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION Communication 225 Section 001 Schedule M W 10 20 11 40 Fall 2010 Room CAS 147 Professor Office Phone Dr Amanda Holmstrom 556 CAS 432 1286 Graduate TA Briana DeAngelis Office Phone 457 CAS 355 4604 Office Hours M W 2 30 3 30 E mail holmstr6 msu edu Office Hours F 3 5 p m Email deange20 msu edu Course Objectives The objectives of this course include 1 acquainting you with some of the fundamental processes through which interpersonal communication occurs 2 increasing your awareness of the role interpersonal communication plays in managing social identities and relationships 3 helping you improve several of your interpersonal communication skills and 4 introducing you to scholarly research in the field of interpersonal communication This class is taught in a standard lecture discussion format I will frequently ask questions and solicit your opinions and experiences as they relate to the course material You will be expected to 1 attend class and take notes 2 complete assigned readings prior to class 3 complete three exams 4 participate in in class activities 5 complete a written take home assignment and 6 keep track of your grade via Angel Course Format Texts Required Text Trenholm S Jensen A 2008 Interpersonal communication 6th ed Belmont CA Wadsworth Publishing Company Additional readings or materials Any additional readings or materials will be posted on Angel Course Requirements and Policies Exams There will be three exams over the course of the semester The exams will cover assigned readings as well as material discussed during lecture The exams will consist of objective test items i e multiple choice true false and matching questions Exams 1 and 3 are each worth 30 of your course grade and Exam 2 is worth 25 for a total of 85 I consider both retention and application of concepts important so both are tested by the exams You will receive a review sheet prior to each exam Exams are NOT cumulative All students must take the exam at the time designated on the syllabus students who miss exams will receive a zero If a documented genuine emergency arises an excused absence may be granted if the emergency is documented to my satisfaction and if I am notified immediately Do not make travel arrangements that interfere with exams 2 Relational competence assignment You will complete one written take home assignment this semester the assignment will be completed in pairs This assignment will cover the topic of relational competence More details will be provided about the assignment later this semester It is worth 5 of your course grade Participation activities During many class periods throughout the semester there will be graded assessments of your participation Generally these will involve mini quizzes over the day s material short written answers to questions posed in class small group work and other similar activities The days on which participation will be graded will not be announced however you can expect graded participation in 50 75 of our class meetings You must be present to receive credit for participation there are no excused absences for any reason All participation activities will have the same point value in total participation is worth 10 of your course grade You may miss two participation activities without penalty any absences beyond those two will result in a zero for that day Extra Credit Students may obtain extra credit from participation in departmental research if opportunities are made available You will receive 2 5 points for each quarter credit of participation No more than 20 points of extra credit may be accumulated from participation in research i e 2 credits on Experimetrix Since the availability of this type of extra credit is contingent upon need from other researchers I cannot guarantee that extra credit will be made available In addition you MUST assign credit to COM 225 Section 001 on Experimetrix to receive your extra credit both before AND after you participate If this is not done by the end of the semester deadline typically the last day of classes you will not receive credit for any research you have done ABSOLUTELY NO EXCEPTIONS Students with Disabilities If you are a student with a disability and would like to discuss special academic accommodations please contact me as early as possible during the semester Also please contact the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities Classroom Courtesy In a large lecture it is very important that each person respect their fellow students For this reason personal conversations must be limited to class breaks In addition use of electronic devices other than laptops to take notes in class during lecture is strictly forbidden All such devices e g cell phones iPods are expected to be turned off prior to class and remain off and unused throughout the entire class session Missed Class In the event that you need to miss a class session you are expected to get the notes from a fellow student We do not give out our class notes Grading Summary Assignment Exam 1 Exam 2 Exam 3 Relational Competence Assignment Participation Activities Total Grading 300 250 300 50 100 1000 Point Value of Final Grade 30 25 30 5 10 100 Grading Scale 3 920 1000 points 850 919 points 800 849 points 750 799 points 700 749 points 650 699 points 600 649 points 0 599 points 92 100 85 91 9 80 84 9 75 79 9 70 74 9 65 69 9 60 64 9 59 9 or less 4 0 3 5 3 0 2 5 2 0 1 5 1 0 0 0 Grades will be posted on Angel throughout the course of the semester If there is an error in your grade i e it has been entered incorrectly on Angel contact Briana within one week of the grade posting After that point the grade is a permanent record of your performance in this course Do not expect me to bump up or round your grade For example if you earn 799 points you may expect to receive a 2 5 in the course If you earn 919 points you may expect to earn a 3 5 Grade questions and concerns If you would like to discuss a grade you receive you must schedule an appointment You must wait 24 hours after you receive the grade to schedule an appointment Academic Integrity All of your work for this course is subject to the academic integrity policies of Michigan State University These policies are described in your student handbook You are expected to be knowledgeable about these policies ignorance will not constitute an excuse for any violation At minimum violations will result in a zero for the affected component of the class and other