Course Outline
Revised 1-20-99

The listing of "Pages" under the "Readings" column pertains to required readings in your text Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Issues in Mass Media and Society. The entry BC/Cable refers to the most recent issue of that magazine. Please also keep in mind that when we are into the presentation days, you should also have been given additional readings one week before the presentation. That should mean you'll have these additional readings for several weeks.

Date Class Activity Readings Presentations & Due Dates
Week 1
Mon. Jan. 11 * Orientation/Course Overview
Wed. Jan. 13 * Introduction
Fri. Jan. 15 * BC/Cable Money Due
* BC/Cable Discussion
* Selection/Sign-Up for "Issues"
 * Textbook: Pages i-xix
Week 2
Mon. Jan. 18 * NO CLASSES
Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday
Wed. Jan. 20 * Digital Television
* BC/Cable Discussion
Fri. Jan. 22 * APA Style
* New Technologies
* BC/Cable Discussion
Week 3
Mon. Jan. 25 * Issue 1: Are American Values Shaped by the Mass Media Pages 2-18 Daniel Davis
Wed. Jan. 27 * BC/Cable Discussion
Fri. Jan. 29 * Issue 2: Is Television Harmful for Children? Pages 20-35 Jen Crowder
Week 4
Mon. Feb. 1 * Issue 3: Do Media Drive Foreign Policy? Pages 36-54 Aaron Ahpeatone
Wed. Feb. 3 * BC/Cable Discussion
Fri. Feb. 5 * Issue 4: Is Emphasis on Body Image in the Media Harmful to Females Only? Pages 56-74 Patricia Lopez
Week 5
Mon. Feb. 8 * Issue 5: Are Newspapers Insensitive to Minorities? Pages 76-91 Nate Wallis
Wed. Feb. 10 * BC/Cable Discussion
Fri. Feb. 12 * Issue 6: Should the Names of Rape Victims Be Reported? Pages 94-109 Elizabeth Feille
Week 6
Mon. Feb. 15 * Issue 7: Should Tobacco Advertising Be Restricted? Pages 110-127 Robert Jarvis
Wed. Feb. 17 * BC/Cable Discussion
Fri. Feb. 19 * Issue 8: Does Media Coverage of Criminal Trials Undermine the Legal Process? Pages 128-143 Kerri Yarnell
Week 7
Mon. Feb. 22 * Issue 9: Has Coverage of Political Campaigns Improved? Pages 144-165 Rachael Heatly
Wed. Feb. 24 * MID-TERM EXAM (ISSUES 1-9, Lecture)
Fri. Feb. 26 * Issue 10: Is Advertising Ethical? Pages 166-187 Kim Stoner
Week 8
Mon. Mar. 1 * Issue 11: Do Paparazzi Threaten Privacy and First Amendment Rights? Pages 188-204 Natalie Couch
Wed. Mar. 3 * BC/Cable Discussion
Fri. Mar. 5 * Issue 12: Should Children Be Protected from Internet Pornography? Pages 208-224 Tonio Henderson
Week 9
Mon. Mar. 8 * Issue 13: Are V-Chips and Content Ratings Necessary? Pages 226-247 Valerie Brown
Wed. Mar. 10 * BC/Cable Discussion
Fri. Mar. 12 * Issue 14: Media Monopolies: Does Concentration of Ownership Jeopardize Media Content? Pages 250-267 Steven Kizziar
SPRING BREAK WEEK
Mon. Mar. 15 * SPRING BREAK
Wed. Mar. 17 * SPRING BREAK
Fri. Mar. 19 * SPRING BREAK
Week 10
Mon. Mar. 22 * Issue 15: Will Traditional Advertising Survive the New Technology Revolution? Pages 268-285 Cornelia Dixon
Wed. Mar. 24 * BC/Cable Discussion
Fri. Mar. 26 * Issue 16: Do Media Technologies Increase Citizen Participation? Pages 288-303 Natalie Woodard
Week 11
Mon. Mar. 29 * Issue 17: Does the Globalization of Media Industries "Homogenize" Media Content? Pages 304-321 Isabel Alvarez
Wed. Mar. 31 * BC/Cable Discussion
Fri. Apr. 2 * Issue 18: Do New Media Have an Immediate Effect on Our Behvaiors and Attitudes? Pages 322-338 * Book Review Due
Kelly McDonough
Week 12
Mon. Apr. 5 * Issue 7: Should Tobacco Advertising Be Restricted? Pages 110-127 Jon Moody
Wed. Apr. 7 * BC/Cable Discussion
Fri. Apr. 9 * Issue 2: Is Television Harmful for Children? Pages 20-35 Sean Pruitt
Week 13
Mon. Apr. 12 * Issue 4: Is Emphasis on Body Image in the Media Harmful to Females Only? Pages 56-74 Adam Womack
Wed. Apr. 14 * NO CLASS
(Professor at Convention)
Fri. Apr. 16 * NO CLASS
(Professor at Convention)
Week 14
Mon. Apr. 19 * NO CLASS
(Professor at Convention)
Wed. Apr. 21 * Issue 11: Do Paparazzi Threaten Privacy and First Amendment Rights? Pages 188-204 Toy Thomas
Fri. Apr. 23 * Issue 13: Are V-Chips and Content Ratings Necessary? Pages 226-247 Shana Henning
Week 15
Mon. Apr. 26 * Issue 6: Should the Names of Rape Victims Be Reported? Pages 94-109 Randall Heritage
Wed. Apr. 28 * Issue 4: Is Emphasis on Body Image in the Media Harmful to Females Only? Pages 56-74 Candice Compton
Fri. Apr. 30 * BC/Cable Discussion * Technology Paper Due

FINAL EXAM: Tuesday, May 4th, 4:30 PM- 6:30 PM
* ISSUES 10-18/Lecture

For more information about this web site contact Dr. Steve Anderson at The University of Oklahoma (standers@ou.edu).